New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-11
BRIDGE EXPERTS REPORT.
THE PRESENT SYSTEM FAVORED.


The long-expectcd report of the fridSe eAPcI .
was completed YES erday and handed over to Tic
COMMITTEES on Terminal Facilities OF the trustees
A meeting was held in the altcrn'h al the l'il"sv
once in Broolllyn. and Trustees McNa-'y. l!O"tI
and Rooney. of the committee. were present RIO
,essor Geornc W. Plympt0n and {. ". BuckHO-@'
of the three experts. attended. The report ser
forth in substance the work done by the experts
since they Organized on july 49, and tie recon-
mendation of the retention and enlargement 81
the present system for switching trains on III
bridge. Numerous plans were submitted az" coz
sdeycd The report says OF the present sIiuat o.:
The railway tralnc for the last year amounted L.
az SO. al passengers, an average 0t over lVOOO'
Der dan for the entire year. ~ ~. ,
The maximum number In one day was loislo1, ,l'iI
while data are ObHlnaDlc as 10 tiic Hunipci ~,
way i'll 0ae moan on that day II Is Pio"'D'e "'i'
iHe SIeSent capacity OF the Bridge trains, one way:
Is about 10000 passenger, per hour, or %rty uahS ~
tour ears each with minute and thirty SECONDS
hcaiway and 100 PASSENGERS per car:.,n. o,,or f.,
70 increase hs capacity it !, 4 Nee S%bc T or care
pc train. TO wa point either OF these Two thhEs -
practicable can be determined only by tra ama ' EN-
SUGGESTIONS have been presented as t. DOth Wl' itds
and conclusions aimo, widely divergent anu co"
Tlltse have all been considered and weighed 10y IN,
Board with the unanimous CONCLUSION 'a' r ne ~
trans-;hat j., by the reduction of hcadway-lhdh Ih
Nothing has beer more thoroughly demonstrated in
railway practice tnan that when 1gulary and prompt
ness are required the Bridge the; ere eSNena
TO sucCe,s-shOrtne,S and nqhtnc>N % tram ac M.
pOrtant clements and that. as the tram Is ia
handle with certainty and sety, especially when heavy
II is doubtful whether it will be desirable to
RIM train, If more than five cars each upon tDe Bridge
and for the present it is believed that the best results
can b. obtained with four.
If this be true then more than forty trains per noun
must be dispatched from the terml ana tr pIuttSh,
is To recommend plan for terminal s,aIioI1 M ,,
will enable them to Dc dispatched at the nihhuIl
intervals Of time and space at Wllch tncN '%wbc5
moved regularly and safely across inc l;.IlSr' 1
This Is accomplished. the maximum capacity OF inc Iai
wav win be reached and no alteration of terminals
shoUld provide FOR less.
The several loop plans submitted are discussed
in the report and the conclusion reached IS;
No device has been submitted to the Board however
for the operation Of cable trains around Sncn loo
which has been sufficiently developer III pI'TIut+ 40
warrant lis adoption now. II IS quite clear uidt 9'V
main cables cannot be ned around olGn iTrp r @T
I'D rctalen Oh straight lines OF track a. me H'i
forms c!se some new device must De Te NE train
thcy can be retained 5N the GHp-ear "i"ie INC ""'
remain, motionle>s. ,,. limo ,,r,,,or
wifi PAX Row, and complete the loops lnFoNcN '''
purchase Of such large amounts OF rea >It' ond -
locate a sufficient number of platforms OH curve. ..
such short radius 10 reduce the cost 10 rct csia
TO within moderate limits seems ehtciH
The "hcadholiSe" system is also rejected. Owing
"a DELAYS and dangers in switching and the report
goes TO say
This leaves but one system of terminal handling
-sub>antiay the one now in useUtQ be c0 ; Nv,
Despite the many adverse criticisms "l." " tH
been made upon it, it, dctetS have Dteh no1 III t,e
principles employed Dat HI iGf want oi d0'I0''' Nv
me Systrm is not wrong either for safety cX
pcditlous movement, but has not been deVeoPeu d
II il the only one which experience has justified in
the operation Of the Bridge railway, and TINS eAlc
cnce Is i'm many particulars. of governing importance
i'm forming conclusions TO what Is best Tor the i"iT
This railway is the Only one which mas sue eSsIuiR
opcl4tcd cable line upon heavy grades with tan
al ionr car, ana OF mn fiI ,o.. ndrsou por
d,T and Der hour at certain periods Of the day. be
twcoa given points, than any other transportation
The apparatus for accomplishing these results has has
been Of gradual development. ana wnle GoneSn1 Sn
40, 6vercrowded taxed, especially when the eA
cep26n wo t ( taed upon to do are considered
TIC plant should b. 30 enlarged, and parts dupl-
Gated p moi 10 lie overtaxed by more than double
the present traffic. ,.....
With the ovcrstrain removed and emergencies better
provided for. the chief objections to the system Will
ne enlargement. to be successful must be up ~.
Sic and a character which admits Of no serious IN
Which ben!s r. and no plan II improvement
is permissible which eadangers its continuity.
The board unanimously recommended tho on
largemcnt Of the terminals in both New-lork and
Brooklyn so as TO have two platforms, one for
incoming and one for outgoing passengers, with
tracks on eithex side of each which is practically
an enlargement of the present station in New
platforms in BROOKLYN, between High and Sands
Sis with the extension of the storage tracks
from Concord-st To Tilary-St., and the opening
of Liberty-st. from Concord through 10 FuSon-
st. and the formation of open plaza between
Sands, High and Fulton sis. west of the new
station building. The platforms will be not less
than twenty feet wide and 22j feet long. II
is recommended
That two gauntetod track, be laid On each line Of
90 thu nd He
other 10 the south side of Inc incoming and outgoing
platf rws respectivcy rhu> avoiding the regular use
minimum the possibility Of dcriilHnnt from broken
Rat two cables be u,ed-one for each track Of the
cauutlet-both to be regularly during the busy
to he kept ready for imincdat service in osso Of acct
dert other cmercency. These Two cables -houd be
op.r,red bv entirely separate machinery that the
eiuricncy OF one is in no way dependent upon any
pat If the apparatus connected with the Other.
That as soon 81 possible tho grip apparatus be 20
arranged that the cable be dropped aud picked up
"4y poe bc t J e Of ,e ycwYolk terminus be raised
60 improve the gpie approaching the platforms a,d 70
admit Of large waiting I. M ana entrance nan be-
platforms and paS,accway. with Tie Bridge 70 CITY
iin Park, the Manhattan tNvaied lj'iWay station ara
the entrances from PARK TOW ana "Ilth-s'' ana 10
furai,h nclo,ed place a. which PASSENGERS can in
comfort wait either from ra9ice or g,eccss t . r.
II IS recommended ul'o That elevators be lut III ~
Eo>e--t., connecting with this waiqngroom, a. an n
init entrance and the East Rive to enter the station
at the cast end and ia"e The hont cars when are
leSt removed IRON ara now.
Il i, believed that tbs viii add largely to the Bridge
travel.
rwo elevators, % 4 capacity Of fifty persons each
ppr minute. or 5000 pr. hour for the tWO Will be-
t.nicent at present but The plans should provide
.ptcc FOR t1O additional one, 10 be built when needed
That the whole u the triangular block north Of the
PRIDE ard between North W.l'!amst. and Park Row
he ACQUIRED by the Biid,' Trustees and the Manhattan
Railway Company, "a such proportions as may be
mp'o o. I tf Ma KAT MOI cd@ % 0 CIV ' a
station be used Jointly mean, Of communication
between he railways and for access 10 the Bridge
trains roadway and promenade on the north.
That the foStbridgc 10 CITY Hall Park dnd the stair
ways thereto DC Mid"ncd
Tina the yrOOhh station be located between High
ard sands So. adj 1Ccn, % and parallel with Washing
tou->i and that sufficient property be acquired for
Narl s.rAgc nmrnO,cs in eXicnsOn OF the prcsenl