New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-06

cars in this city, may result In reVoiutioiiA-le
service OF the Neu-York subway. The hiai'As
-. ,. ,a,,,o5 % onerate wood asbestos cars IN
IL which IT'S engineers have long said were PL"oe
cally nreproof II was learned yes'eroa!' -,
ever that these cars may be super0eoeu % -
cars ,xbcb the electric current cannot ooNsu
- trt,+ entirely OF steel now on their
- f-o-, ~ Louis making the journey on theI'
own wheels one hundred and forty more VIII i0'-
low. IN, \, =. onsration
.coorsng 10 William Barclay Parsons inc Nn.e4
t-ao- ~ the Rapid Transit Commission, hot LOT
,,ubio traffic but for the testing OF cars ana the
block and signal system. For four months ualis
Ill De run along certain parts OF the road. as II in
actual operation. There will be experimental
.o,t5ants in order TO learn how 10 meet such
.rteencies Fires viii be built under the cars TO
see how nearly freproof is their CONSTRUCTION anu
the hydrants along the tracks will be tested Inc
contractors expect that IN March the SUBWAY Wiz
be open 10 the public.
Previous TO the recent Paris disaster an order
was placed for the building OF hVe hundred cars
for the New-York subway one hundred and nfty
OF these cars have arrived and are now in salts
factory operation the Second-aVe line or the
elevated system Although called freproof, they
consist Of large quantity Of wood, and even their
floors contain wood which is guarded against fire
BY layers of asbestos and sheathings Of copper
Nevertheless, there has been such agitation
recently concerning the danger from fires in tun-
pels caused by arcs Of fame between the ends of
broken electric light wires that OF these fire
PROCEED wood cars may be used in the subway. In
stead cars built entirely of steel may be operated
altogether the wood and asbestos cars viii be
used only trailers. propelled by the steel cars
equipped with motors
When one studies the character Of the New-YorA
subway one may readily how disastrous would
BE- a fire within its walls. Even the casual ex-
animation Of the subway stations such as the
ordinary citizen is able make by peering down
their stairways, is likely 10 arouse rather than
quiet his apprehensions. These stairways as may
be seen for example in front Of the City Hall or
AT Eighteenth Twenty-eighth ST. are only six
feet wide. Should a take fire one Of two results
would seem be inevitable Either the smoke
would choke or suficate the passengers from Its
inability to find any large vent 10 the street or
the crowd would trample itself in a stampede
I'd the narrow stairs.
officials OF the marlborough Railroad. however,
have hitherto sought 10 quiet all fears by saying
that collisions in the subway will be practically
impossible, and that their wood-asbestos cars are
hreproof. BY means Of safety devices, which
Eineers installing along the tracks. trains
VIII be stopped automatically, and because OF lay
ers Of asbestos and transte and of shesthings Of
copper and steel, the wood in the cars they have
said is made almost non-inhRmmable.
such holocaust occurred in the Paris tunnel
on August TO-" said e P. Bryan, vice-president and
general manager OF the marlborough company,
r-cen,lv would be impossible in the New-York
subway. ! suppose viii have some accidents.
II would be foolish TO expect no mistakes. Cars
may bump into one another or perhaps jump the
time hut we can never have train fire like that
Paris horror ] do not know yet whether will
use steel cars in the subway; but we are going to
experiment NTH them
In marked contrast the sanguine statements
Of iuterborough officials Charles 7. Yerkes, who is
building the electric subway in London. says that
no cars containing any wood whatsoever can be
regarded as absolutely safe. Sheathings and layers
Of non-combustible material may lessen but they
do not prevent danger. In case OF a crash. where
the wood is splintered and the sheGthings torn
apart the wreck is likely 10 burn like kindling
wood.
Fires occur" said Mr.. Yerkes shortly after
the Paris catastrophe, from short circuit IN the
wire connecting the motor with other parts Of the
train. These wires under the body OF the
car. and where there is something wrong, Ike
faulty splice which is generally the cause Of fire,
ignition Of The woodwork which surrounds the arc
Of fire must certainly take place Iron tubing fur
nishes protection. If the electric wire be COW
cred with rubber any other non-conducting
material placed in iron tubing. and a short
circuit be formed by the breaking OF wire.
the Insulation viii disappear the though
II were so much paper Asbestos or its compounds
will be burned destroyed. wherever exposed TO
the arc, and know OF no substance that will with
stand the heat OF electric arc
Colonel Ashley W Cole. formerly member OF
the State Railroad Commission, takes a still more
alarming view OF the probability OF accident In the
subway due 20 the operation OF cars containing
wood.
Il viii stake my reputation" he said recently,
son the prediction that within months after the
beginning OF traffic IN wood-asbestos cars in the
rapid transit subway a disaster will occur exceed
ing in horror any calamity known in this
city. Here is a subway train. for instance going
st full speed. One Of the axles breaks. The heavy
suddenly piled together. The crash breaks
wire and makes a short circuit and sends
through the Wreckage the full force Of the electric
current
Now, you can make the cars nearly nreproof
as you will, but this electric current IS strong
enough fuse the metal and set fire to the wood
work and whatever else is infammable inside the
cars. The whole ruin takes fire. II the passengers
with the smoke and fumes. The only escape for the
smoke, well for the passengers, is out OF the
sfoot stairways TO the street"
A cross section OF a subway car, such is now
in operation the elevated railroad is exceedingly
a interesting, 81 view OF Colonel Coles prophecy.
materials. but the greater part 10 wood. The floor
Is constructed Of rolled steel beams, with double
flooring Of hard maple. Between the two layers Of
maple. which painted with freproof paint.
there is quarter inch OF asbestos felt and
rhe bottom OF the there is a quarter inch strip
o. transite. a non-inhammabe material made Of
asbestos soda and magnesia Directly above the
motor there additional quarter-inch steel
sheets. The motor and control wires OF $50 volts
capacity all laid IN asbestos conduits and fss-
tened 70 the lower sides Of the floor with
The sides OF the Of copper, from the win
COWS 10 the bottom OF the The light wiring
10 The roof is also laid IN asbestos conduits. All
Ae wood framing IS painted with freproof paint.
t1sorants are being installed in the subway at in
pe'Fsls OF 100 yards Lengths OF hose wound on
es VIII be ready at each hydrant, so that water
oe carried 70 every part Of the tunnel
ouo an accident occur. however. as described
arKy ykere al rQ he