New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-03
RAPID TRANSIT PLANS.
REPORTS OF THE CONSULTING ENGINEERS.
OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY MEssRs. woRTHEN,
PARSONS. CHANUTE WILSON, BoGART
AND COOPER ON THE COMMISSION
ERs, PROPOSED ROUTES.
ERs' PROPOSED ROUTES.

AND COOPER ON THE COMMISSION
ERs' PROPOSED ROUTES.
The members of the Rapd Transit Commission
held long and important meeting yesterday after
noon at their Offices No 22 William-st.. and de-
cidcd to make public the reports of the consulting
engineers little more than seven weeks ago
W. E. Worthen and W. D. Parsons, engineers of
the Commission, presented their official reports to
the Commissioners upon the routes for the pro-
posed system OF rapid transit. These reports
in turn were submitted to Octave Chanute,
president of the Society of Civil Engineers
of the United States; Joseph NJ Wilson, engineer
of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company; John
Bogart, State Engineer, and Theodore Cooper, a
well-known authority upon engineering subjects,
for consideration, elaboration and criticism. The
consulting engineers presented their answers about
four weeks ago. Since that time the Commission
ers, in connection with the plans of their own en-
gineers, have been weighing the recommendations
of the men whose advice they sought, preparatory
to making their final report to the Mayor and
Aldermen Although that report is not yet ready
for publication, the decisions of the various
engineers have been spread upon the minutes
of the Commission.
The consulting engineers favor In general the
four-track-level system proposed by Mr.. Worthen,
although they make various objections, both as
to his recommendations and as TO those of Mr.
Parsons. In Mr.. Worthen's plans two tracks from
City Hall to the Battery are provided for. These
are along the east side Of Broadway, one track
being under the sidewalk and one under the road
way. close to the east curb. These are to form
sngle-track loop through State and Whitehall
sts The line north of Beaver-st. to City Hail. is
at depth sufficient TO prevent its interfering
--l..... a.
From City Hall north there are TO be four
tracks on the same level, and at such depth
as not to interfere with the pipes and other en-
cumbrances in the street. A loop is suggested for
the stretch through Mail, Chatham and Chambers
SITS. The floor of the passageway is nineteen feet
below the grade Of the street. The car platform
is to he two feet above the top rail The width
of the car adopted by Mr.. Worthen is eight feet
six inches outside The roof girders are sup
ported in the centre by iron columns. The con-
struction of the four-tracll tunnel, ac-
cording to his plans, consists essentially
of tight-plate iron cover, supported
by wroughtiron girders and posts, with u con-
crete base. Above the plate iron preparation
of coaltar is to be injected, which not only secures
tightness but will preserve the iron. lie makes
special arrangements for that part OF broadway
between Thirty-sxth and Thirtyseventh sts.'
where the sheave-pit of the cable road Is deep
Here the road encroaches somewhat upon the
sidewalk. Above Fifty-ninth-st Slr. Worthen
proposes 10 build fourtrack railway, close to the
surface, and with a central opening OF sixteen
feet between the cross streets. The station pat
forms are approached by stairwlys from private
property At express and transfer stations the
local track is curved so as to run under the SIDE
walk
Mr. Parsons the other engineer Of the Commits
sion, recommends four tracks for Broadway be-
low Fifty-ninth-st, set in pairs, one track above
the other close to each curb line. The roof Of
the upper track gallery is close to the surface its
track being supported by metal construction
over the lower track gallery The depth from
the street grade to the platform Of the upper rail
WAY is to be ten feet ten inches, and TO the plat
form of the lower railway twonty-thrcc feet five
inches Between the two upper lines of railway
and under the centre of the street roadway there
is TO be a pipe gallery, the roof being metal
construction which supports the cable road and
the street pavement, and which is supported at
the sides by the railway structure, and except
where the street is narrow by central columns.
The four-track structure with the pipe gallery
will be wider in lower Broadway than the carriage
way, and will extend somewhat under the side
walk. North of this part of broadway the struc
Fifty yninth-st. the doube-decked structure is
continued. but without the pipe gallery the
pipes in that part of the city being already
at the sides OF the street His plan has the house
vault wall at one side of each double railway,
this wall being built down to the requisite depth.
On the other side of the railway is similar wall,
supporting a metal construction which forms the
side of the upper railway passage. Mr.. Parsons
recommends total width of twelve feet for each
of these passages The cars to be eight feet eight
inches wide. and provision is made for walk Of
two feet wide along the gallery.
The stations are approached by stairs within
private property. the platforms for both railways
being under the sidewalks. The pipe gallery
in the centre Of the street is reached by stairwayS
from the sidewalk. and by passages between
the upper and lower railway galleries.
The location of the roads, or the route as chosen
by the Commission, meets with the approval of
Joseph NJ Wilson, of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company, one of the consulting engineers. In
this connection he says in his report that " the
design adopted for the road should be that which
unless outbalanccd by other considerations allows
the best facilities for connection with branch
lines. These connections snouli be made without
Grade crossings . The approximate excess
of depth required in the double-deck system over
the four-tracklcvel system for avoidance of grade
crossings is between eight and one-half and nine
feet" Mr.. Wilson looks upon the looped track
as the only feasible arrangement for successful
rapid opcration Of the line at the southern ter
minal lie recommends also the change or the
TYNE of construction at this point to the four
track level system. lie makes the same sugges-
lion for tic point at Canalst. In his opinion only
t,yo tracks should be used from City Hall 10
the Rattery owing TO the difficulties of construc-
tion on this part Of the line
The arrangement" continues Mr.. Wllson'
. of placine the track bcneath the sidewalk on
lower Broadway is good one. 1t would appear
however that it would be preferable to place the
tracks not together, but one under each SIDE
walk, even at the expense of double stations
Mnre or les undermining and strengthening Of