New-York tribune., 1906-11-24
AIR BRAKES ON CITY CARS.
Correspondent Offers Reasons Why They Are
Not Needed with Those Now in Use

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir; Recently more newspaper articles
have appeared urging the adoption of air brakes
for the electric surface Of the metropolis.
Presuming the expressions be based a belief
that safety and perhaps comfort would be in
creased by the substitution OF air brakes for the
appliance now in use I beg to offer the reasons
for the widely held opinion to the contrary.
The known efficiency OF air brakes steam
trains leads to the inference that they would be
equally desirable on city A moments consid-
Grafton will show the wide difference In -condi-
tions. steam train is vastly heavier and it's speed
and momentum correspondinsly greater than
those Of any city car. and it must have enormous
power at command to stop it. Per CONTRA there
Is no car in Manhattan which cannot be stopped
from full speed within. nearly within. Its own
length, by the peculiar hand power brake now
used on every electric surface In that borough
The air brake on a steam train is IN the control
OF the engineer, man of trained Intelligence, IA
miliar with the device Comparatively few stops
made. and the brake is frequently examined
and tested. 1t will hardly be urged that the aver
age skill and intelligence OF motormen equal the
equipment Of engineers. however capable indlvid-
uals may be. Then. the number Of stops of New
York streetcar in a day Is probably from thirty to
fifty times many the average number of stops
of steam trains. The chances OF the brakes get
ting out of order and failing to work at critical
times increase IN proportion to the number OF
stops plus the comparative inefciency of the oper-
ator and the greater liability of streetcars to mis-
haps In general.
Even steam roads air brakes not infal-
uble. as the recent rear-end collision at Edding-
stalled by the brakes getting out OF order. a flag
man went back 175 yards 10 warn the next follow
seen him while at an equal or greater distance
from him [n or ABOUT % quarter Of mile & from 6 the
his best to stop his train but appears from the the
posed any Geek OK 's Upon it's speed Pc TRe Penns
yania Railroad was the drstt if I remember cor
equipment or management. but here were two con,
when most needed and on line of track crowded
with fast trains and where the utmost pains should
brakes always ready for service. This depiorabie
bearing on question Of air brake. for city cars
An earlier. Vanderbilt. the commodore. I believe.
brakes from his road that he could buy the brakes
but couldn't buy the brains with which to use them
roads have found 1t wise 10 limit the available
weight of the train If this is necessary on 0 steam
ns In CITY srees G9s aas Dde s9 on I run
men OF ordinary capacity Indeed, Is dpuDly
needful to protect the brake mechanism itself and
danger of passengers This necessity is due to the
which is done by merely turning a lever a few
inches. Motormen are apt to let the car
quickly as to make the wheels slide and thereby
paT Or her q ee thrOT y on 6he % from
motorman must expend some measure Of his own
6 he ne need M 10 not fssd Rs 50 @ PFSsa S S
logic is borne out by the pgsccs Wb tha' 6his
large degree prevails on the cars OF his city The
stops are certainly quick and they are smooth
g, subject to the minimum of joIting
II air brakes safer for city use why "a II that
IN certain cities, where all the have air
are also equipped with the hand power brakes used
hills? '-s "-' NioSo
Al. Ar brakes have no secondary safety device
MIhIe the brakes used In Manhattan are duplex
bne ordinary work is done by chain and If that
breaks an idly running chain IS Instantly in
service Last year IN another city threeyear-od
,sI cHaIh on such brake broke under heavy car,
with nearly hundred persons on It, while descend
ing q 10 per cent grade. The motOrrnan did NOT
know IL until afterward when he found the safetv
chaln IN place There also other safety feat
ures peculiar to this brake. l mention the above
mercy because some people may suppose the hand
orake they see used is the anttquated spindle brake
uas the advocates OF air brakes represenO which
Was sood enough for the hOrsecars bur mas NOT
the multiplied power to match electricity rTbs
Drake In question is used hundreds OF roads IN
the United states, Canada, Europe, South Amer
lca australia. South Africa and Japan.
A rev years ago the New York State Railroad
commission held a competitive test OF streetca-
brakes e9Fakes' extending over four months. IN which
hItSen devices contended. All the air brakes wera
badly, badly optclassed The commission recommended
several brakes which made good records incindIno-
the one used In New York City is
Newark n. J.. Nov Is 1906 STOWE