New-York tribune., 1907-12-02
RUSH HOUR REMEDIES.
PRESCRTBED BY EXPERT.
q. j. 4rnoId Suggests Changes for
Subway Operation.


mort submitted to the Public Service Commission
or Saturday by Bon J. Arnold, who has been max
ing an exhaustive study of subway conditions and
equipment. These changes simple and can be
,,ut into effect within d time by the Inter
borough. Mr. Arnold's report has been transmitted
10 the Interborough Rapid Transit Company for
consideration and "A speedy answer
But this report only preliminary to the re-
port which must make recommendations for some
corlprehensve plan Of relieving the subway crush,
and was submitted 10y Mr. Arnold that the COM
mission might decide question of public pohcy-
Conditions he analyzes them present TINS queS-
fioH:
Shall all the people who want TO travel by the
subway with speed carried. if some suffer
temporary discomfort: shall portion Of the
number be carried in comfort and the rest turned
away &c slower means OF transportation
That having been decided as nearly as the ever
varying circumstances will permit. M Arnold VIII
GO on with his study as to the adVisablIty OF Ia
staliing sideioor cars and OF making other changes
3n equipment and operation, which would oePeiiu
on the commissions view 10 the publics chle-
desire in transit faciiities-speed or comfort
On October Mr. Arnold began his study OF SUD
way conditions. with view TO ans"erIns q 4 9
lis. Of questions propounded by the Pubhc Ser'Iee
Commission His work. he says. has lncIuueu az
investigation of the stations, cars. uacAS' e4e
system ventilating system, terminal ano shop 10
cilities and the method OF operating ue Htu 1
His Investigation will require conslderApIe uiiIe
yet his report goes on but the changes sussesteu
at this time viii result in considerable improve
rent in the service and IN the degree OF coiniorl VI
passengers during rush hours.
SUBWAY WELL CONSTRUCTED.
The subway, NJ. Arnold says, is one Of the best
constructed and equipped railroads In existence
hut the demands il are SC great uls' "lihe
there is officially two minute heac"aS ouii1e
rush hours, actually the headway Is noi 4iiG4is
twelve to thirty seconds longer Inns ieeui -
,zentv-five expresses instead OF thirty an Ilout'
ATuc, Of this is due TO delays in unloading a1o oa
.nS the trains. These delays, says MI Arnolo' -
Que to the policy OF holding the Trains a. N
stations until all the cars are Jarhneo lu4i VI Pc
xenrers" The policy, he argues, shoulo oe cianso
a. one of starting the trains within Q nXed uiNe
after they have stopped preferably a tortS-Ile
second inrerval-fcrty for loading ano nVe ior Cio
ing doors and signalling to the motor1nan 10 OF,
rsin the scheduled two minute hedueo@ I'LL S>
makes these reconlnenoauoDs'
First. ln view of the fact that no1 noTtlluO 81 ~
evening express trains leaving GranG Gra- more PAS
eneeTs tnan are brought into thus stat5oIh Ioaing
18th - s5opssd S6Teed wSies viii Tegate loa!ng I az
Brookyn Bridge and l4th street IN IN the cars Tor
tbe increase of load al Grand Central StgSOh N'-1
'nas I the Top presen come dE51 insS e rahe the
Central station fully ioadead fa aTeeIy E by The pas
station ppefine off slowly from crowded cars ana
The cglts iniS Gf Pe oaT Shoh S are fun
The delay caused by ts e6aiion 6 te Of the cars al
4Taad Central station backs the trans ms t Se
1nsns n Sn aTe hsd At 18th street they are natgr t5
loaded more fully, and thus aoIo1 m 1 6e RENE
5ied hy a combination Of systematic loa0lhs anu
IN other words if part Of the passensess VINO 2e
are 1adf 3 +reirs can be moved on time. and, there
fore more trains operated than at presenf 49o foS
al Of the patrons CT subway by small sTa9TrS ssi1
OF 81 tslting the cars at 14th street and
on pcPg Of tie gressteSd5 sn5d Fe0a &c adopa sS sai
o3 on each BffG5 PTo7ded taeTs With do two
t & Ttfrf7es one for the local, the other for the
Tress with Instructions 70 gYS a6 the f6ry S
seconds after The train has come me ooas 20 s5099 09 5art 1qt
qio~lng 5se ran NV within foTty-ive second period
indSatGTs c wis yfieS soW 70 them i the time
IN seconds remaining before the closing OF tne
Third: The guards the cars should ID be Sin in
sTuetsd one &c 0 TeTe rHe o10T ow at times notoeae
delay in getting these doors opened ae st+en @
lively for the closing signal and ,s at once one gslf make
every Effort to afoS eoSn tne denGan= and when the
doors once closed eg sh9oa Ps to let OF
selinSuent pessenger-
eO FOu; Tza aa+dS ae and sGp5o proPly to
the starting signal forward II Is I9uno 10 tP9s ms
natter sSnang pEoPtIy = may ts.ta be ae9es
svenfuailE to require an ee1r'cs i eef the
ssi istat the last door IS IS close Gosed bo5 bu5
This electric system al the present time ,--o.
positive instructions 70 act rroInptlv wen ei III .s
signal is given for CLOSING fhs doors nn Ihls car
he aone pE Ee,.erinr fhe car SO tfat the last pas
senger in Will not obstrrct the closing OF te
believe the railway cornany's officials viii put
rhese Suggestions into effect. provided the co
rperation Of your commission and the PUBLIC can
f,c secured.
NJ Arnold then takes Up the question Of po-
ricinz the subway stations. which Mr.. Shonts al
ready has rut into effect, and makes various
suggestions as TO the reduction Of the interval be-
tween trains by changes in the block signal sys-
fem. These he urges the commission TO take Up
with the Interborough pending his complete re-
mort Until a headway OF less than minutes
g. making any marked changes at the eSth street
station.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF CARS.
1t is when he comes discuss the type Of car
which should be used obtain best results that
Nr Arnold finds himself in somewhat troubled
water. Now about twice many persons are
forced TO stand as obtain seats during rush hours
he says. To put in more seats would displace two
ptandees for each passenger who thus obtained
seat Thus either the carrying capacity would be
reduced or the cars would be more crowded than
present, which practically impossible"
AS soon the service is improved. continues the
engineer more people win ride by the subway. so
present DAY conditions practically win be main
tained.
The righteousness OF the principle that every
passenger should have seat. Mr.. Arnold says
undisputed, but its futilty may be observed
casually any evening during rush hours. The pol
ley CT providing all who ride will dtmn-
ish greatly the number Of riders in given time
His report continues:
If the principle OF slight reduction in the seat
as rer:,nissible and a5opfe5 increased csYrVine ts
pscity can be obtained by eliminating all or part
these seats makes IL practicable TO introduce
GENRE side doors into the present cars. should this
change be found necessary later. In case IL is
fo;.so that the trafic cannot be properly handled