Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1894-08-17

had to be changed, ana IL was ueciuSo to remove the steps from the cars and extend the end platforms, without making any changes in the depot plat forms. The cars so changed have been running in the service mentioned all winter, and give such excellent sat isfaction that it has been determined to make a similar change in all the cars used in the regular suburban ser vice
 There are some excellent reasons for abolishing steps from suburban cars Probably the most important is tAe time saved Suburban passengers ars always in hurry. and an unnecessary delay to a suburban train of one nin- ute will always call forth inpatient exelamations from the passengers. In heavy suburban traffic the greatest cause of delay to trains is in loading and unloading, and it is surprising how much quicker a crowd will pass into or out of a car having no steps than one so equipped.
 To certain extent these remarks apply to all passenger ears as well as to suburban cars, but there is another reason which applies equally to all cars. based on the question of expense. Platform and steps, as used at present, are expensive both in construction and maintenance, being merely attach ments tackled to and not part of the ear body It is difficult to make this attachment with sufficient strength to stand up to the work it must do. It must carry part at least of the weight of the coupling and buffng apparatus. and is bound to receive many racking strains. In fact, there is no part of passenger car exposed to more severe service and liable to receive harder usage than the platforms A compar- atively light blow from collision will usually result in the platform being knocked off and completely wvscKsd If the steps were done away with, all the sills of the car could be extended to form the platform, and, allowing that platform Is a necessary append age, it would be as strong as any por-- ton of the ear. These timbers would have ample strength for carrying all the weight ever placed on them, and there would not be so many saggipg platforms as at present. With such a framing the end sills would be in the proper place for receiving the draft appliances and bpffing arrangements, and these attachments could be much lighter more simple and consequently cheaper.
 In designing the modern yestibules the opening In the platform for the step has been one of the most annoying obstacles in the way of making a satis- factory construction, and the designs of all of them could be greatly improved by the removal of the steps, The latest design of Pullman vestibule, which is the best-looling one yet brought out, is ma1red by the presence of trap door on the inside, which must be lift ed in order to gain access to the steps. Of course, this trRp-doer does not mar the appearance of the vestibule, but it is an unmeehahieal arrangement, and reminds one too much of an outside cellar door to be part of sleeping car with all it's elaborate fnishings.
 One of the most serious features, how ever, of the steps, where vestibules are used, is the manner in which they weaken construction. The platforms are in themselves usually too weak to carry their own weights, and when the weight of vestibule is added this weakness is even more apparent. If the side sills could be extended for tho full length of the platform they would k furnish an ample and firm footing for the vestibule and give sufficient strength for carrying it.
 The convenience of passengers must always be considered In all matters of passenger car construction, and in this one it is safe to say that the great ma jority would unquestionably prefer to have the steps bolished.-Philadelphia Record.