The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-26

lar suburban cars FOR the purpose
Before these ears could be used. how
ever, either the car or depot platforms
had to be changed, and it was decided
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 similar change in all the
cars used in the regular subur ban ser
vice.
There are some excellent reasons for
aboilShing steps from suburban cars.
Probably the most important is the
time saved. Suburban passengers are
always in hurry, and an unnecessary
delay to a suburban train of one min
ute will always call forth impatient
explanations 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 car having no steps
than one SO equipped.
To certain extent these remarks
apply to all passenger cars as we'll 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 a. present,
are expensive bothan construction and
maintenance, being merely attach
ments tackled 20 and not part of the
car body. 1t is difficult TO make this
attachment with sufficient strength to
stand up to the work it must do. 1t
must carry part at least of the weight
of the coupling and buffing apparatus,
and is bound to receive many racking
strains. In fact, there Is 70 part of a
passenger car exposed to more severe
service and liable 10 receive harder
usage than the platforms. A compar-
atively light blow from a collision will
usually result in the platform being
knocked off and completely wrecked.
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-
have ample strength Tor carrying all
the weight ever placed on them, and
there would not be so many sagging
platforms as at present. With such a
framing the end sills would be in the
proper place for receiving the draft
appliances and buffing arrangements.
and these attachments could be much
lighter, more simple and consequently
cheaper.
In designing the modern vestibules
the opening in the platform for the
step has been one of the most annoying
obstacles in the way of making a salts
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-looking one yet brought out,
Is married 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 trap-door does not mar
the appearance of the vestibule, but it
is an unmechanical arrangement, and
reminds one too much of an outside
cellar door to be a part of sleeping
car with all its elaborate finishings.
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 a vestibule is added this
weakness is even more apparent. If
the side sills could se extended for the
full length of the platform they would
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 PROFESSIONALLY prefer to
have the steps abolished