The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-09
SIDE DOOR CARS In SUBWAY
COMMISSION TO ORDER INTER-
NET TO MAKE THE CHANGE.


Free. but HOw's Tie Going 10 Do 10?
One result Of the investigation Of the
local railroads by the Public Service Com
mission. IL can be asserted upon good su-
! thority. will be an order TO the lnter-Met
to chang. the type Of car in the subway
Sufficient evidence has already been brought
out to convince the commission that cars
with end entrances only are not applicable
to the traffic demands
The Commissioners are inclined TO believe
that the Illinois Central type OF car is best
adapted 20 the conditions OF the subway.
This car has twelve side doors and 1t Is
considered more efficacious in handling
passengers than the Boston car. which has
only one side entrance.
To compel the lnter-Met TO equip its sub
way lines with the Illinois Central car would
mean the imposing of an expenditure OF
50, DOC on the company, and the prob
ability Is that the commission. instead OF
ordering ar entire change in the rolling
stock Of the subway. will demand the run
ming Of cars with at least one side entrance.
President Shonts Of the Inter-Met has testi-
fed that the new stee! cars now under
construction to take the place Of the SUBJ
way wooden or composite cars are being
so built as to be readily convertible into
side door cars.
4 large part OF yesterdays session OF
the investigation was given to discussing
the ad~visability Of changing the type Of thu
subway cars. and although General Man
ager Frank Hedley OF the Interborough
company sought to combat the suggestion
that the side door cars would essen the
congestion in the tunnel he was forced TO
admit that the only objection he knew Of
to the type was that Il would be dangerous
TO operate them because of the curved
platforms at some Of the stations. Chair
man Wilcox thereupon asked him IL he
was not aware that there were curved
platforms on the Boston system and that
those curves did not interfere with tbs
operation Of side door cars. Mr.. Hedley
replied that all he knew was that there wero
some curved platforms on the Boston system.
Twins tackled the witness. who said finally
that he thought one station platform on
the Boston system had a sharper radius
curve than any Of our elevated station
platforms
80 gO' H'O Nc - W VI ~
that the operation Of these side door cars
is made any more difficult by virtue Of that
particular curve and the way In which II In
handled? A.. l am not familiar enough
with the manner in which the Boston road
In its details operates the device supposed
to protest those curves.
y. Don't you know there is a shooting
platform which comes out and covers what
would be the vacant spacer A. Yes. sk.
] know that they have Il sliding platform
that they slide out.
Q. Have you examined that particular
shooting or sliding platform for the purpose
OF seeing whether 1t works satisfactorily
there? A. don't recall that l gave any
special attention to their sliding platform.
q. You have a sliding platform at Sowing
Green. have you not? A. Yes. sir. a short
section OF it.
Q. Does that work satisfactorily A. No.
1t does not work satisfactorily.
Q. Why not2 A. Wherever the car stops
on a curve and a station is built on that curve
this sliding platform lie a mechanical device
which IL liable and does at times get out OF
order: the necessity OF adding a mechanical
device for the purpose OF closing up that gap
between the station platform and the car in
order to prevent passengers from being in
jured Is an additional risk both on the part
! Of the passeng gers and the railroad company.
and 1t is quite a serious question as to whether
a mechanical device has yet been evolved
that will do that work satisfactorily with q
reasonable risk. y
Q. You have no doubt about the serious
ness Of that question. have you? A. No. sir.
10 is a very serious question as to how that
mechanically can be done.
U. And yet you admit that you have not
examined the Boston system. where IL is be-
ing done throughout the entire system, and g.
where i, simply as a man OF the world, under
stand, and as an occasional visitor 10 Boston
49, aAl NAaN 10 L. lxl~ ANanloN aaNta-
faction and quite eliminating the risk OF
which you speak, A. l have no knowledge
that moving platforms along the side OF the
cars tend to eliminate a risk that does not
exist IL the station platform is straight.
q. DO you know any way OF acquiring
such knowledge without seeking II? A. We
have made a very careful study and expert
mentcd with mechanical devices with the
hope that we would be able to get a mechsn-
icai device that would satisfactorily close up
that gap.
Q. Well A. We have constructed de-
vices in our own shops, made models and
set them up; l have examined them with
our engineering force. and | have not yet
evolved anything that will cover up that
gap entirely satisfactorily and pre- vent acct
dents absolutely.
q. Do you prefer or intend to 20 on in
Jperpetuity waiting until you have evolved
something yourself rather than examine
n system diTeduy IN operation where " may
have been already evolved? A. No. sir. ! did
nor say anything Of that kind.
O. But you declared your ignorance Of
that particular matter so far as concerns the
Boston system. A. have not examined
carefully and personally the Boston system
In that particular.
o. So that in order for this commission
to find out whether that system Is adequate,
awaiting your evolution Of one either in
time or eternity. It will be necessary for the
commission to make those inquiries. instead
Of being able to get them from you? A..
have not all the data at hand regarding the
various things that have been done by the
Boston elevated. I believe. however. that
a set OF the plans Of the Boston elevated
device are in the hands Of our engineer now.
Replying to Mr.. Wilcox. the witness said
that should the commission direct the
replacing Of the existing cars in the subway
there are 49l Of them-with an entirely
new character OF car the change could be
mad in twelve or fourteen months. Mr..
Hedley added that az least one-half OF the
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