Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-27
OUR MAIL POUCH.
Safety on the Down Grade.

L
| To the Editor Of The Dispatch:
am by no means an "alarmist" In the
| usual acceptance of the term, but on the
question OF permitting electric cars to rap
idly descend such grades as that on Forbes,
| near Croft avenue, there can be but one
| opinion The recent accident at that point
Is exactly what have anticipated would
soon occur, and 1t is fortunate it was no
worse in its results. The company may have
rule limiting the speed on this grade, but
If SO, it is either too lax, or else not invart-
ably enforced. On last Saturday was on
car which in its descent of this grade
travelled at a rate of more than Is miles an
hour, and this has happened in my expert
ence several times
NOW at the critical moment when brake
cha1n snaps on steep grade, If the speed of
a car is beyond say eight miles an hour, it
nas great inertia requiring but moment 70
De greatly increased, so that in a few brief
seconds frightful speed and irresistible
momentum may be attained. Although
there IS another brake on the rear platform,
tne conductor is not always standing by it
certainty not last Saturday, and even If he
were, the time for winding it up so as to
bring it into effective use would be ex-
tremely limited as in the supposed case.
Inc experience of my powerful friend, Mr..
Maxwell, who was SO sadly injured,
though undoubtedly saving the lives of
MS Iellow passengers, in attempting to stop
on OioOtrlC Cur on q neaYY down graQe IN
Allegheny demonstrates that even If the
Wneels are locked tight the car may never
theless slide 8 long distance once certain
velocity is reached. The fact is sliding
wheel is not nearly so effective in stopping
car as break turned partly on, though
nearly all brakemen appear to forget this
In moments of Excitement on down grades.
On Federal street near the Ft. Wayne
depot even with light horse cars brake
chains have parted, though for some years
PACK test of the brakes has been required
Dy having the car stopped at the head of
tne Srade-so that in starting off slowly no
great momentum is apt to be attained by
tne car, and hence no necessity of taxing
the chain to Its limit in order to stop.
Nothing can be more important than the
frequent inspection of these chains. On
the Federal street grade the track is kept
constantly sanded by man stationed th ere
for that purpose. This is a precaution to
prevent the liability of the wheel sliding
which develops a smooth surface on the
wheel OF little frictional resistance. OF
course on an electric car the dynamos and
the driving wheels can be reversed, but we
don't hear of them being often reversed for
obvious reasons-they would if reversed act
as break, but experience of an analogous
that it is not reliable expedient for every
car. With all the appliances which may be
prescribed there is but one way Of averting
the dangers of serious disasters on heavy
grades, and that is to so limit the speed that
1t would be practicable to stop the car within
reasonable distance In case of an accident
to one brake by applying the other brake, or
or eight miles an hour should not be eX-
ceeded on long grades exceeding four or five
feet fall per 100 feet. SAFETY.
PITTSBURG, August 26.