Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-25
NEW STYLE OF CARS.
One Being Made for Street Railways
With Steps in the Center.
ROWS OF SEATS PLACED ON TOP.
Kentucky Republicans Think They Have
Chance of Winning.
LOCAL ROADS HAVE PLENTY OF CARS

/
railway department of the Pullman Com
pany, was in Pittsburg yesterday making
some preparation for the convention which
will be held here this fall. Mr.. Pullman
said that a better town in the country could
not have been selected for a meeting of
street railroad people than Pittsburg. The
various systems, cable and electric, down to
the old-fashioned horse car, are represented
in the city, and he remarked that the visi-
tors could take their choice and make what
comparisons they pleased. All the latest
Improvements in the business can be seen
here, and it is anticipated that those who
attend the convention would spend a
profitable and enjoyable time.
The Pullman Company will shortly turn
out a new style of car for street railways
that they think will be great improvement
over the present one. Mr.. Pullman made
arrangements with President Holmes to run
several of the cars on the Citizens line dur
ing the convention, and he expected to see
Vice President George Rice, of the
Duquesne line, but he was out of
the city. He said it was a mistake
to have such high steps on street cars and
he knew the ladies complained about it,
but he said the cars were made according to
instructions and it was not their fault.
Horse Cars Gone Forever.
'The old horse car he said, sis thing
of the past. The street railway business
has made wonderful strides in the last five
years, but it is only in its infancy. The
companies that expect to make the
r11nn INST hn
Everybody will admit that the present
street cars are vast Improvement over the
old ones with the small windows and low
roof, but the people require something
better. We have designed car which we
think will meet all the requirements. The
steps are in the center of the car instead of
at the end. The car is divided into two
sections with little vestibule between. A
passenger in boarding car can take his
choice, and go to either section he pleases
A winding stairway leads to the roof where
more seats are provided, and during the
summer a canopy of canvas will keep off
the rays of the sun. The gripman will be
located on the roof, and the space he now
occupies in the cars will be given up to
passengers. A railing will be placed all
around the top, and it will be much like a
tally-ho coach. This is only a rough draft,
but will give some idea of what the car will
be like
''The cars will be of the average length,
and the advantages of the new plan are ap-
parent. They will utilize more space and
hold twice as many people. The weight
will be more evenly divided and will fall
very quickly, and less time will be lost. In
the cars now, with the door at the end, the
people must get out in one way. If there
is crowd on board, the chances are every
body in the car will be disturbed. If the
person is sitting near the gripman, he must
tramp the length of the aisle, trodding on
the toes of other people, and putting them
in bad humor All this will be avoided
There will be no platforms for big crowd
to fill.
An Ideal Street Railway Coach.
ssEach section," he continued, "wi1l be
provided with steps at the vestibule leading
to the street. Under the present arrange
ment much valuable space is lost, and the
weight is not evenly distributed. The
crowd always fingers near the door or on
the rear platform. The section cut off for
the gripman can't be utilized. By putting a
place on the roof for him, the space he now
occupies can be used by passengers. In
case it rains canvas curtains can be drawn
to protect the sides on the top. The ar
rangement of the roofs will be such that the
sections down stairs will be more airy than
the average car is at present.
Mr.. Pullman showed the design to num-
Der of street railway managers yesterday,
and they were much pleased with it. Some
of the cars on the new plan are now being
built and will be exhibited in the city dur
ing the convention. They will run on the
Citizens line and probably on the Du-
quesne. The cars will cost more and will
be little heavier than the average one, but
modern ideas are demanded and always rel.
ished by the people
1t has been claimed recently that in the
present condition of electricity the
cable road is the cheapest. Mr.. Pullman
said that during the day he had been told
that the electric system cost % cents per
car per mile, while the cable averaged from
IA to 16 cents. He claimed to know nothing
about either, and is not sure that is correct |
1t is only question OF time, however, until |
electricity will be the cheapest motive |
power beyond all caviL