Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-09-27
FUNNEL VENTILATION.
A eipaple Engineering Problem
Which Has Beeu Solved.

Which Has Been solved.
But must the passengers of the New
York Central 60 on suffering "atroclous
tortures" and must the Park avenue
dwellers take their air diluted with 10
connective gas to the end Of time? by
no means. The remedy for the condi-
tons complained Of Is to be found. not
in any revolution IN the system of mo-
tive power used In the tunnel, but in tn.
adoption of q system of tunnel ventila'
tion which will ventlate.
There is nothing experimental OF
doubtful or visionary about this. The
application of power to move air is now
as common and as well understood as
the pumping of water. and the engineer
can work in one field with as much GER
tainty Of success as in the other. A;
present the tunnel Is constantly fouled
by the discharge of frequently passing
locomotives, and the only change of air
is that effected by natural air currents.
some of the time aided and some Of the
time hindered by the currents caused by
the movement of trains. Such gases as
finally escape from the tunnel are dis
charged at the street surface, where they
are readily blown into the windows o!
houses on either side Of the streets. This
is hit-or-miss ventilation, and under the
conditions existing in the Park avenue
railway tunnels is a good deal more miss
than hit.
Mr.. Franklin, the manager Of tn
Grand Central station and tunnel, Is
quoted as saying:
I'VE have employed some of the most
expert civil engineers in the world to
solve the problem satisfactorily, and SO
far have failed to get a satisfactory solu-
ton. 1t is not question of expense
with the New York Central, but ques-
ton of being able to do that which Is
best for both the road and its patrons"
1t would be of interest to the public
or at least to the engineering portion Oh
ito know who were the engineers
who "fell down" oa this problem, and
whether they were really given fair
limit as regards expense and an oppor
tunity to recommend the best as re-
CARDS methods.
We have said above that the problem
is really a simple one, and we are
strongly inclined to believe that the
New York Central engineers will bs
ready with a solution whenever real
demand for it is forthcoming from the
management. The principles INVOLVED
are really so simple that even layman
can grasp them. The foul gases ought
to be discharged, Of course. at the
height Of the chimney tops and not ~
the street level. This means the cree
ton of shafts or chimneys over the tun :
mel openings. The flow Of the gases up
these chimneys and Of fresh air into
proper inlets to the tunnel should be as
sisted by fans operated by electric
motors. These inlets and outlets should
be 30 disposed that the movement OF
thains in the tunnel will assist rather
than retard the air movements. The
air passages throughout should be mado
so large that great volumes OF air can
be moved with moderate velocity; If this
is borne in mind, a moderate amount OF
power only will be required to operate
the fans and to keep the tunnel reason
ably clear of smoke and steam at all
times.
There is just one way to ventilate
room; bring fresh air in and carry the
foul air out. The same rule applies to
a railway tunnel. When the engineers
have failed in attacking matters of tun-
mel ventilation 1t has been because they
have handled the matter on too small
scale. The locomotives throat is six
teen inches in diameter, and it dis
charges gas and steam from 1t at speed
CT several thousand feet minute. A
great volume of air must be removed to
offset this pollution, but If 1t Is moved
at low velocities this can be done with
very moderate consumption of power.
AS an illustration we may mention the
ventilating apparatus of the Pennsyi-
yaia Railroad tunnel in the city OF Bal
timore, erected in 1892 Here 45-horse
power motor changes the entire volume
of air in double track tunnel 3.6OO
feet long every five minutes and dis
charges it from the top of a lOO-foot
chimney. More rapid changes than this
are doubtless needed in the Park avenue
tunnel, with its frequent trains, but
they can be made with no extravagant
of power.
II the railways using the Park avenue
tunnel should provide for 1t an efficient
system of ventilation, so as to render
its atmosphere breathable, 1t is quite
within the possibilities that the stimu-
lus given to their suburban traffic might
more than repay their expenditure