Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-22
BUpA-PEsrH CLOSED CAR.

the streets are no cleaner and no better drained,
shows that practically this leakage Is not a
serious affair, If simple devices are adopted for
reducing it TO a minimum. Osborne HOwes re-
ported TO the Boston rapid transit commission
concerning this point that the electric cars Of
Buda-Pesth experienced no more trouble with
snow and ice in the winter of 90-91 than the
ordinary horse cars. There was some delay.
he says, but nothing serious, although last
winter was one Of exceptional severity in Hun
gary. and the Danube river was frozen over
continuously for more than three months"
The nominal rate of speed is eight milestper
hour. At night and in some parts of the rDute
eleven miles per hour are permitted. In
deusely crowded streets e. miles are the limit.
while on crossings only 3.72 miles per hour
are allowed. There are four Of these
electric lines in the city, the Oldest Of
which has been in operation for more than
three years, with total length Of track Of twelve
miles, and the larger part of the lines have
double tracks. These lines are marked on the
accompanying map OF Buda-Pesth. and are
known az the Station Street line, opened July
80. 1889, the Podmaniczky Street line, opened
September 10, 1889, the Crosse Ringstrasse
line, opened March 6. 1880, and the King Street
line. opened last year. Other extensions Of the
system are proposed. The Podmaniczky Street
line runs from the academy in the heart OF
Pesth to the principal railroad station and the
extensive public park Of the city, the Stadt-
waldcheu. The Crosse Ringstrasse hne trav-
erses the finest of the great boulevards that
Buda-Pesth has Of late years been constructing
1t il a broad street. lined for q considerable
part of its length with imposing buildings. The
King Street line parallels Andrassy street, the
show street of the city, to Buda-Pesth what
the Ringstrasse il to Vienna, Inter den Linden
to Berlin and the boulevards to Paris. During
1891 the number of persons carried on the cleo
trio line nearly double that Of 1890 and the
receipts were increased proportionately. The
reports of the Buda-Pesth horse railroad the
competitor of the electric road, for the same
period show for 1891 slight decrease in the
number of passengers carried from the figures
OF 1890. and the income per mile has also fallen.
The horse railway carried less than half many
passengers and received only 62 per cent as
great an income per mile a month. 1t is pointed
out in the Engineering Neps that the Buda-
Pesth electric road is remarkably successful
among Austrian railways regards passengers
carried and gross income per mile, for even on
the almost constantly crowded lines Of the
Vienna horse railway the number Of passengers
per mile and the income are only about three
ff,hs great The rapid extension Of the
system as well as the we'll filled cars and the
cellent showing Of earnings demonstrate
THE POPULARITY AND SUCCESS OF THE ROAD.
Various improvements that can easily be
made have suggested themselves as desirable in
perfecting the system for American use. The cost
of construction can be cheapened, tho slot can
De made narrower, the contact frame stronger
and the pattern of the rails can be improved.
hut the fact remains that in spite Of minor and
easily remedied defects this system has proved
commercially practicable and a remarkable
success upon the leading railway Of a city Of
half million people, the most enterprising.
progressive and rapidly developing capital to-
day In all Europe.
These three European railways to which ref
erence has been made demonstrate that the
trolley Is not essential to practical rapid transit
either In suburban or special season service or
IN the constant and vast labor OF transporting
the multitude quickly over the principal streets
of a great city.
The Buda-Pesth road Is most interesting to q
Nashingtonian because the conditions more
closely resemble those that confront this city.
There are some
STRIKING POINTS OF SIMILARITY
between the Hungarian and American capitals.
As Washington has acquired its main develop
ment and adornment since the war OF 1876,
and owes its prosperity largely to circumstances
and sentiments. created or quickened by the
war, so Buda-Pesth has grown into greatness
since the war of 1866 between Germany and
Austria. and its development is based upon con-
ditions which arose from this struggle. A
special impetus was given to the growth OF both
capitals about 1878, the formal consolidation Of