New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-10
SELECTIONS FROM THE NAIL
NEED OF A STREETCAR FENDhn i'' w.
. MECHANICAL ENGINEERS VIEWS ON THE
PRINCIPLES THAT SHOULD BE ADOPTED

. ,rc.,NIc,I ENGINEERS VIEWS ON THE
pprxc1pr.rs THAT SHOULD BE ADOPTED
To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: Among the most important ana heces'a.s
hills presented to the Legislature at Albany IN Tue
H.. fou, davs notice one Of great interest "
neone living IN large cities, and also In sfnah o"e
~ This State that are provided with rapid 'ra'''''
surface cars whether operated by s'ea"' 'a", ~
trolley II provides for the compulsory use vi
such surface cars OF some kind or tehoer VI
"a atom, the tide of slaughter that is almost daiy
recorded all over the Union. anu espeN'.
BROOKLYN As mechanical engineer, ehgaseu ~. .
ufo,in,o in tho manufacture and handling OF railway
eouinment 7 speak knowing the needs Vi SUM-
effective safety device. At the same ti','e
plainly the causes of the terrible loss u nv -,
withstandng the devices now pokihs 'nei '' -,
front Of streetcars called TENDERS, WHICH re-.
fend nor defend The main and first reason Is '''"
90 =, ,res.,t constructed and adjusted. they never
v,u act the part they intended 10 ACT anu
"A rho car companies want and the puplic oer'a"''
thar they should act ,,u,.
In tho first place It is a mechanical impossioh'y
70 give steadness to any fender If 1t Is aacneu ~
rho hodv NJ the car Watch the car so PROVIDED
tho fender moves up and down with the car 'o,'o
to such an extent that the motormen nave 10 ''''
than, ,vel,e tn fifteen inches above the ran 10 pc
v.nt their belng hammered TO pieces In the cal
rocking transit: that adjustment reaches ~ 'o" '
,.os os bich a. thirty inches above the ran ho'cs
tho fender as II bounces and fancy II strin.ns
son. nobody could extrcate himseii plliouu.u r.on
the fender; instantly, more tnah hhey' l'' P'
f. beneath the wheels OF the car. ,,a,,,ors Of
This il the condition OF the fender ii 10
to-day and likely remain so until tne puos a.
awakened and sees the cause OF tue uHe rn, or ,he
,ba fender now I'm use. and demands cur y. -. ~
cnun,nics their officers and their stocEhoiuss'
that sonnet thing else must be sunstitu.tin !" IL
want TO he exempt from constantly iaSiuf TO
rnnrssen,lne an indignant yet patent Pup.io' ,ao
~ roechsnical mind there Is only one way 10 s.Op
10 des,rucfi ION of lite by the present ie"uet
used on streetcars and that Is ior .oihe tos.aad
mind 10 produce a fender that VIII save 'i'e '
OF taking H. $3.50 l., rs,o,od m tho truck
~ 80 ar so that II can be adjusted 10 rice IT, W
four inches above the rail. In TINS cast aivs,ai
fastened 10 the axle OF the car az a." ,a,,ar
height II will ride showing no oscItt,,ol sir,nla
. Combine with this truck -iastehlI's d snf =,
,,.,co 90 that when the fender strikes person i.
i Instantly drop to the rail-. locking itse.i tmg ,
,he nerson is at once rolled into IT. IL Is i"po'''
for him to get under ,,.,. foo. lover for
2 Add to the dropping principle a l9os - droD
,,,o ,no,ornan to touch, that the leh"ti NJ: r
AT his pressing. thereby opNla.ins ~ ono ard not
,na rruel blow he seeing the prostratr o't a. ,,o
taing ahe TO stop the momentum OF ms car ~ h,.
Ia. the foot pedal action VIII prevent '""~"
taking the person into the net ouir, s,,r-
n a hill il TO he passed IN Alpany cv'p'n - b., oil
TOGO car companies to adopt fenuer' Iet 49, con
lsce d , aboye lines: no other mechanical con,
s,rur,ion VIII save life. II rothlnR - uo, ha n,,h
,taf source let newspaper men n,s ret our
IL 70 such a necessity. At any ia," s,sd az
s,reo,car uagns,es. who are as mu'n H'tcLttt1 -
any seek such "A life-saving dev,re u ~ .acord tho
go tho newspapers are again Obliged 70 seco,' ha
.Goctine details " another ltfe crushci %
n ,notS csr wheels GEORGE b. +. CoOfhH
N.w-York April 4, $50