New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-08
BRAKES on THE ELEVATED ROADS.


TIE VACUUM SYSTEM INEFFICIENT AND p"N''''
ots-NEED OF IMPROVEMENT.
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: beg TO call your attention and the a''eh'''"
NJ vour readers through the columns OF your es-
800, no,er IN the danger that patrons OF New
York and brooklyn elevated roads are subjected 10
through the wIlfu negligence of their respective
companies properly to equip their trains WIN NC
vices FOR stopping In times Of emergency OF acs'
dent without an exception. the trains Oh tue e'e
,ea roads Of these two great cities are contro.ed
by the clumsy out-of-date apparatus known d. ','
vacuum brake Slow Of working when 1t does WORK.
!, case of an accident the brakIng Of the wno'e
train ia rendered useless unless worked by manu-
For the benefit OF those who are not famiiiar WIN
brakes and brak!ng let me exp.ain Dr'e"y III" 49,
of this kind OF brake. There IL securely ias'e"7'
under the body OF each car strong ruoDe' Oae'
rboso hays are connected BY pipe running unier
every car TO the engine. steam uhaer '''e So'
OF the engineer rushing from the boher 10 'is
otmosphere draws the air from the said pipe anu
hays with IT, These bags In turn are fastened Wy
iron rods and through system OF revere
brake shoes When the air IS drawn out t'e "'S'
naturally contract. thus applying the Dranes pH'
II takes time TO draw ont enough air 70 Apply "
brakes to their full capacity and then, II there Is
leak in any part OF the whole train. al the praHe'
ars thrown out OF order. This Is Liable 10 happen
at any time and frequently has happened; Du' loi
tunately at some point whore the tram coud "'
stopped by other means before gong 10 ueo"~
ton II IL not long ago that an engine anu '
car on the Kings County IL fell TO the street ~
Liberty-ave killing the fireman ana ihJur"s Wv
engineer but In this the brakes did "o'A
and fortunately the train had no passengers
Imagine the consequences Of the brakes fa'ling 10
work on a crowded train on that down grade ai'e'
leaving the bridge station on the Kings county ~
Ing 10 the ferry The engineer would not discover
that he had no brakes until he went 10 Apply '"e"''
and then II would be too late He might re'ets~
his engine and signal to the tranmen to Apply 'ne
hand brakes but they. realizing their position
might leave the train to It's fate and leap to the
structure to save their lives Even II they snouIl
herocaly stick their posts, Il IL doubtlui II w -.
nome ., 'it hns osd of nerhaps 200 souls
BeeHnHgy prec Tia into the Fast River for has
a are' unable to Stop anything Beyond light tap
This point is not the only dangerous place Dy any
fact all curves and throwofs are extremely dan
gerous BY throw-ons | mean places wne,e re a
prevent It running into another train which mas
the right OF way In case train Parts wn her f [ne
ward section. there is an automatic valve IN .ne
couplings which closes when they are pulled apari;
tin the rear sec, can be stopped by hand. there
will be collision and perhaps Serious one obaad
Another train a curve or a block might compel
him stop before the onrushing rear section could
TO avoid such possible catas'Tophes the &c
waited roads should be compelled by law. as steam
surface roads are to provide their trains with au-
tomato compresseda air brakes which work when
they are most needed. viz. In time OF impending
danger The automatic ar-brake $ 80 arranged
that there Is always pressure OF air in the train
ppe. The engineer applies the brakes BY allowing
this to escape, and releases them by sending com
pressed air from reservoir in the engine through
the train. II naturally follows that II there IS a
leak or train parts. the brakes are instantly
applied thus stopping the train and preventing per-
haps a serious accident.
II seems that some one IL extremely
thoughtless in compelling steam surface roads TO
eouip their trains with air" while elevated roads
where a serious accident might happen
from the lack OF them, are allowed to go unpro-
vlded. RAY ID. LILLlBRlDGE
Brooklyn, Oct 3. 1885,