New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-23
SUBWAY CARS COMING IN.
Aastcr Mechanic Says They Will Be
ABSOLUTELY Safe.

New cars for use in the Rapid Transit subway
and on the elevated roads are now beirg hurried
here. 10 be equipped and made ready for Six
teen new cars are being made ready for service on
the Second-ave. lire. and thirty more viii be de-
,ivered IN 4 few weeks BY the end Of September
the officials OF the marlborough company expect
10 receive two every day until all the
rolling stock necessary for the operation OF the
tunnel Is furnished.
The disaster in the Paris tunnel has led TO much
discussion rs 20 +he construction OF the be
used in the subway. For than six months
the engineers fl charge Of the equipment have
been studying the problem from every stand
point Many improvements have been made. and
Master Mechanic Thompson Is confident that all
the rolling stock Of the PETERBOROUGH company will
be the best of any road in the country.
The question Of fTeproohng all the
% the hardest problems to settle. The bodies Of
the cars viii be sheathed with copper. The floors
VIII be OF two thicknesses OF hard maple, with
asbestos fire iolt between them. The floor sheath
ing VII De Of one-quarter inch asbestos transite
board, which viii cover the whole undersurface of
the car body The undersurface of the car directly
over the motors VIII be sheathed with sheet steel
o1e-q2arter OF inch thick
The motor and the control cables will be incased
g. woven asbestos insulation. and asbestos moulded
forms VIII be used to cover certain parts OF the
machinery. and these forms will be attached TO the
floor with brass screws.
perfect system for the ms lation Of all mean
descent and heater wires has been devised. They
win be inc8sed in flexible metallic conduits, and
each lamp viii be attached to ventilated cast iron
outlet box. All heaters are incased in asbestos
lined metal boxes. Metal sheatning will be used
IN the platforms, and all the switches and fuses
viii De mounted a marble switchboard which
is TO be placed IN q steel compartment outside of
the
Sixteen incandescent lamps will be placed in the
ceiling Of each car and twenty-four electric heat
VIII be used, in addition to in the motor
mans compartment. The dimensions of the cars
VIII be: Length over the buffers. 81 feet inches;
inches: width ss. reet 3s4 inches. The seat
sng capacity Of each VIII be ffty-two persons.
one Of the hardest problems to settle the
adoption Of the best method for the exit and in
aress Of passengers At first it proposed 10
adopt IN addition 10 the doors at each end of the
car. appliance to operate sliding doors in the
centre of the This system adopted some
fore the Interborough oficaIs decided against using
the side doors the officials Of the Boston system
ton road said 70 an official OF the Interborough
II we had to do 1t all over again we would not
put in side doors in the centre Of our cars. There
a foot caught between the station platform and the
car People behind push to get OFF and broken
legs ana more serious accidents result"
handling Of passengers are now being studied by
when the time comes for the actual fitting of
me cars TO be used in the subway there is likely
to provide for quicker discharge Of passengers
than is allowed by the gates used on the elevated
one decided Improvement will be made in all the |
now cars to prevent tanning OF passengers while |
leaving and getting the platforms. Instead of |
the swinging gates operated by the brakeman. |
there viii be fitted sliding doors All the will |
be Vestibuied. and the guard viii stand inside, and
open and close the doors by a single motion of |
lever driving each door its full width into each /
The gates being used the elevated |
lines are inConvenient because passengers are
damned against one another when the platforms
crowded in trying to get off. and the same
thing happens when the guard starts to close the
gates after the passengers embark.
Master Mechanic Thompson. in speaking of the
Paris disaster. said yesterday:
The needed in New-York to protect the
lives Of passengers has apparently been found.
We may make many Improvements yet, but we
can congratulate ourselves designing rolling |
stock absolutely safe to travel in. No one need
fear ride in cars sheathed in copper. sheet steel
and asbestos. and with every mechanical con-
trvance adopted 10 safeguard against the tricks Of