New-York tribune., 1908-05-25
NEEDS OF THE SUBWAY
Bion j. Arnold Reports to Z. S. G.
Bad for Investors.

Though New York has the finest and most
efficient example of underground railway construc-
ton in the world. Bon ]. Arnold, the consulting
engineer OF the Public Service Commission, says
that owing to present lack of capacity the fnan-
cial returns possible the subway are not large
enough to guarantee the investment made In IL
Should the subway carry 2oo,ooacoo passengers IN
1903, Mr. Arnold says in report TO the commis-
sion. the gross income for the year would be
s1eooH,oo, thus giving return OF about ls per
cent the actual investment of $500 900 for con-
struction and equipment whereas the surface ana
elevated roads give return OF from 20 TO 70 per
cent their cost
o With an allowance Of 45 per cent for operating
expenses and maintenance Mr Arnold figures out
that the net earnings to be applied for interest.
depreciation, taxes, sinking fund and pront VIII De
only 7.S3 per cent on the investment without IN
tending any reflection the engineers who planned
the work be says the subway cannot accommodate
more passengers and so obtain larger return on
the investment a fixed scent fare basis. un-
less defects which could be discovered only after
the operation Of the subway remedied.
The capacity Of the present subway. he believes
can be increased, however from so to 10 per cent
without greatly changing the construction. with
the example of the present underground road ne"
subways be constructed so as to handle two
or three times the number of passengers carried
the existing With this improvement and
the possibility of operating future subwayS at
smaller expense and with lower fixed charges, a
satisfactory return the investment will be as
sured.
The chief trouble with the subway at present,
he finds. the question Of headway, due chiefly
the waits stations With the installation of
a automatic signal for the bell rope now used
for starting the trains, and speed control signal
system TO allow following trains to reach station
platforms mora promptly. and the provision of
extra doors in the sides of the cars and guide
ratings station platforms, the headway between
stations, which often reaches two minutes
and ten seconds. he reduced TO ninety seconds.
Mr.. Arnold also says that all the express trains
should be sent directly through to Brooklyn This
might be accomplished by having doube-deck
station at South Ferry. which would require the
changing of the present per cent grade of the
tracks between the bulkhead of the tunnel tubes
and Bowling Green station that would pro-
vide approximately level stretch OF road where
the trains would in of the failure of the
brakes Previous this change A shuttle train
service between South Ferry and Bowling Green
should be established and later moving plat
form might De installed between these stations,
either in the present subway in just
outside
Another suggestion for increasing the capacity
of the subway is to make the express trains OF
ten instead of eight. at present, and in
Creasing the locals from five TO No
extensions of the platforms would be required. but
attempt should be made TO load unload direct
ly from any platform except at 96h street. the
extra to be placed at the ends OF the trains
In this way the public would to regard them
as through" cars. and passengers desiring TO get
off south OF S6th street would not them.
As future subways. Mr.. Arnold says they
should be built where there sufficient density
of traffic to justify their being built. and they
should be designed to handle the volume OF
traffic through them in the rush hours.