The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1904-11-24
The NEW YORK SUBWAY
Features Of Great Underground
Rapid Transit System.
WHOLE ROUTE rs WELL LIGHTED.

Express Trains VIII Run Thirty
Niles an Hour-Automatic Device
Beside Track Will Stop Trains
That Fly Past Danger SigpaI-Com-
pIete Fire Alarm System Installed.
On Feb. Fl, 1900, John B. Mcdonald,
the civil engineer, signed the contract
to build the underground rapid transit
system in New York city. He was
backed by August Belmont and a syn
dictate. The Interborough Rapid Tran
sit company was formed in the spring
Of 1902 to operate the subway. Ground
was broken for the tunnel March %,
1900. John B. McDonald's contract
was to build the road for $50, 900, 900,
he to have the right to operate It for
fifty years, with the privilege Of re-
newal for twenty-five more. The prac-
teal operating heads of the. subway
are e. P. Bryan, the vice president;
Frank Hedley, the general manager,
and S. L. F. Deyo, the chief engineer
lasted. OF the forty-eight stations thir-
ty-three are underground and eleven
above ground. The stairways are Of
concrete, REINFORCED by twisted steel
rods At One Hundred and Sixty
eighth and One Hundred and Eighty
first streets and at Mott avenue, where
the stations are from ninety to a hun
dred feet underground, there are ele-
vators for the passengers. At twenty
Of the underground stations 1t has been
possible to use vault lights 70 such an
extent that very little artificial Light is
needed.
The power house for the subway Is
located at F1fty-ninth street and North
river, where 100000 horsepower is to
be generated. The furnaces are fed
with coal automatically
Each express train in the subway
will consist Of five motor cars and
three trail cars, eight in all. Each To-
cal train will have five cars, Of which
three will be motor cars. The motor
car, loaded with passengers, will weigh
$4,000 pounds. The trail cars, loaded,
will weigh $4,000 pounds. Some Of the
cars will be Of steel, others of wood,
sheathed outside with copper.
The plans adopted provide electrical
equipment at the outstart capable Of
operating express trains at an average
speed approXimating twenty-five miles
an hour, and the maximum average of
speed will be thirty miles an hour. The
speed of local trains between the city
hall and Seventy street will aver
age about fifteen miles an hour and
north Of that On both branches eight
cen miles an hour
The third rail has a guard over it in
the form of wooden plank, so that
passengers can leave train in the
subway between stations in emergen-
cies without danger from the third
rail-
The Interborough company officially
states that the maximum speed of ex-
press trains between stations will be
forty-five miles an hour. Every motor
car has controller so constructed that
when the train is In motion the motor
man is compelled to keep his hand up
on it; otherwise the power is automat-
ically cut off and the brakes are ap-
piled.
No part of the subway is dark. Be
tween the stations there is a single
row Of incandescent lamps set against
the pillars on either side, the lights
being on the side of the pillars oppo-
site to approaching trains, so as not to
shine in the motormen's eyes. There
Is a complete fire alarm system in the
subway.
The subway cars are fifty-One feet
long and seat fifty-two passengers.
The cars are four feet longer than the
81" cars.
The signal system works by COM
pressed air, electrically, and is what is
called overlapping. There are pneu-
matte devices by each signal which,
as the train passes the danger signal,
come in contact with the truck, re-
lease the current of electricity and set
the dir brakes. In case of panic on
station platform there is an emer-
gency box on the platform. Pressing
a button in the box sets danger signals
for all approaching trains.
From city hall to One Hundred and
Thirty-seventh street in fifteen min
utes means a speed Of more than forty
miles an hour between stations. Such
a rate of motion on such sharp curve
as that at either end Of the Forty-sec-
ond street stretch of subway track
means a thrilling, loop the loop feel
ing on the part of those who take the
ride.
When the whole system is completed
it will extend to Bailey avenue on the
west side Of the Bronx and to One
Hundred and Seventy-seventh street
on the ease side. There will also be an
extension from the city hall to the Bat
terry and thence under the East river
to and along Flatbush avenue Brook
lyn. The total length of the line from
she city hall to Kingsbridge will be
thirteen and a half miles. From the
city hall to Ninety sixth street the sub
way is four tracked. Above that the
lines are variously two and three
tracked.
Mummfes of Dwarfs.