Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-30
GASOLINE CAR
FOUND FEASIBLE
SOUTHERN PACIFIC OFFICIALS
lNDoRsE IT
Mondays Test VIII Probably Result
In Permanent Run 10 and From
Long 6eaeh--Not a Troll
ley Competitor

Southern Pacific officials have de-
cided to keep the gasoline motor car
now being tested here and It will prabo-
bly, be put on run between Los An
geles and Long Beach.
c. S. Fec, passenger traffic manager
OF the Southern Pacific, with head
quarters at San Francisco, Ia In Los
Angeles and said yesterday that It is
rot a question of how many cars will
be put into service between Los Angeles
and surrounding towns, but Ia a ques-
tion as to how fast the cars can be Sc
cured
The railroad officials feel that It is
UP to them to find a means of con-
veying passengers between local points
that will be chea per than steam power.
1t Is proposed to put this car into
service between Los Angeles and Long
Beach, not TO compete with the electric
lines, but for the purpose of conveying
passengers whose destination is not Los
| Angeles.
Trailer for Baggage
This car will connect with trains 60
ing to San Francisco and will have a
day for tho purpose of carrying bag
gage. As 1t is now, passengers from
Long Beach come to Los Angeles over
the electric road IL they wish to con-
meet with trains for the north or east
and have to pay for having their bag
gage transferred between the two
places
The car was put through It's PAGES"
yesterday morning over the road to
i nd IN a
afternoon a trip was made to santa
Ana, Newport Beach, Huntington
Beach and Smeltzer and return.
The men who accompanied the car
on the trip were G. s. Fee, passenger
traffic manager of the Southern Pa
cific; T. A. Graham, assistant general
freight and passenger agent; w. r.
McKeen, jr., superintendent OF motive
power for the Union Pacific. with
headquarters at Omaha, and secretary,
II. P. Van Arsdale; II. V. Platt, su-
perlntendent Los Angeles division;
Thomas McCaffery assistant superin-
tendent Los Angeles division; Service
Inspector Galloway; N. P. Martin. dis
trict passenger agent; P. Sheedy, su-
perintendent motive power. j. z. Fin
ley, master car builder, and j. w.
Small, master mechanic.
FteaSGu WIFI ISoto
All of the officials were highly sat
fed with the tests that were made, and
said that they believed that the car
would solve the problem OF branch
roads which are not paying expenses at
the present time.
The car left the Arcade depot yes
terday afternoon at o'clock for Santa
Ana. 1t was the original intention to
return to Los Angeles from that point,
but the plans were changed and the
run was made from there to Newport
Beach and thence to Smeltzer. The
trip was not for the purpose OF test
ing the speed, but rate Of over nifty
miles an hour was reached at various
Ioints.
The people along the line had been
informed of the approach Of the car
and at different points the fence was
lined with interested spectators, who
watched the coach from the time IL
came In view until 1t faded away in
the distance.
At the towns where stops were made
the car was boarded by as many peo-
pie as could crowd on and off, and ev-
cry one marveled at the elegance of the
interior.
Spectators Marvel
"What is it, a gunboat?" asked a
farmer as he gazed open-mouthed as
the car stood in front of the depot at
Santa Ana.
"By gol. Does look like torpeder
boat, don't it?" said the man at his
elbow as he rolled a quid of tobacco
from one side of his mouth to the
other.
The car is constructed more on the
principles of a boat than Of coach.
A person riding in 1t can almost think
he is in the cabin of trim boat, ex-
cept that the rolling motion Is absent.
There is hardly square corner In any
part
The car is pointed at the front and
the rear resembles very much the DOW
of a ship. 1t is finished in black wal
nut and upholstered In red leather.
The seats are on each side Of the car
and are arranged crosswse with a
large aisle in the center. They are
roomy and could easily seat three per-
sons.
Car Seats Fifty
Counting two persons to the seat the
car has a seating capacity Of fifty
with curved seat in the rear which
will hold six persons. This seat is
used In the cars that are in use In the
east for a smoking parlor.
II am proud of those lights" said
W. r. McKeen, jr., yesterday.
The car is beautifully illuminated at
night with an acetylene light in each
seat. These lights are covered with
an opalescent glass shade and, while
they give plenty of light for person
to read by, yet they do not hurt the
eyes when looking directly at them.
The car was given test with the en-
rxt,a fro, - DAo nI, 70