New-York tribune., 1877-06-02
RAPID TRANSIT PROBLEMS.
NECESSITY FOR ABSOLUTE SAFETY -sHoRT TRAVEL
WEAK POINTS IN PRESENT SYSTEMS.

NECESSITY FOR ABSOLUTE sAfETG-SHoRI lKANbi-
WEAK POINTS IN PRESENT SYSTEMS.
To the EdttOr Of The Irt6uhe'
SIR: To say that much remains to he learned
on the subject OF rapid transit u certainly no iooo'o"
n ta, wisdom OF ability Of persons interested ID car
,n- forward the now progressing works; for 1t Is the
history Of a great inventions that perfection ms on'
been attained 5y costly experience
That part ol the Greenwich-t road which IL OF re-
cent construction Is mparatycy fair structure bu'
tie Ties are placed te topoi The glrHeis h" '
rail. sin ahoye which raises the ears high IN the ar,
thus exposing them TO fearful peril in ease Of DFoheh
wheel or axle or from leaving the track from any cause
Let me suppose that ties, instead OF being across the
top of the grders were placed across beneath mus
bringing the rails Il, the bottom and between the gier~,
instead Of above them. Tns would very much reduce
the cumbrOusness Of the structure Then let cars DC
constructed with four wheels ana the wheels ana lower
part Of the cars run between ,he rlcs instead OF above
them This would bring the cars more than -FOUR ieet
nearer the ground than now. 1nen cars could never
leave the track and even with broken wheel or axle
there could no danger, because in such case the po-
tom tim OF The being very near the rail the dIop
TO the rail would be hardly porcepible, and the car
would slide along thereon without damage. la Iacl
such road il OF sufficient strength. WOud DE SAFER ta
a road ON the surfac, Of the street. Then suppose a
doue.track road thus equipped, with each end circle
30 hat cars could come around one track TO the
other without delay and trains to continuously as
often a. ueccssnry-eycry half minute or ofiener-and
an Will be accomplished that ever can he accomplished
IN rapid city transit.
But there are other considerations 70 be presented
The frst j. to obyate much possible obstruction
and damage to the streets and the property thereon
Then suppose such a road to be placed both tracks on
single row O columns, in the middle Of ono OF the wide
avenues. instead of now on Nintatye., one
nov, heinz al the cuTlstOue ana IA the cTlHge-NHy
Such = road with its comparatively uni+"rsS "arsor
the noise would he slight compared with horsecHis-tud
So far removed from the buildings. would Dee AN atirac
five feature OF any in the ctY But tie lncpa
thing Ia DE ertd Is the opera ing oi RAPID trals
ROAD. such road must De opcIntrd TO Accommodate
short travel better than the h0r-ecars can ANA 80 super
see The hni .cga1s else IL cnuot pay Let me suppose
an elevated railway ready FOR service tween Harlem
and the City Hal. Trains could easily run through
without topping, in fifteen minutes. suppose thtft ere
one hundred p4s-cngers AT Harlem 20 come through
Then. suppose there two hundred 80 IIuymuth--L
10 come should thcsc be passed by, and told 10
take TIE hDIsr-cigs, when they Wiling 10 pay me
train would delay the ldtteri Seeing The dbsuriiy OF
such "a service, trains stopped at EIf nlutist lcn
supu0se there are three hundred ~ fwcny-hir, i0nr
hundred %. AslDI place. and five hundred at Chah. m
.nIare Should not tbc.e also De accOmuOddted when
a pay aei no insist that all passengers should rse
,X miles to Iiailcn. not at all WOild br like law
they once bad iu IluUi, compelling every man 10 dnh
% gallon Of Nhislythat l., none were permitted 10 buy
whisky without buying gallon And on TIE same prln-
cpic why not stop often passcnacrs desire to take
the cars h iac why NOT run me road 10 thr interest
OF the best paying patrons, which Is the vast volume OF
short trivrif j. VI. Il.
NCrC- iOrk, May %, lST7