The Washington herald., 1909-02-22
new CARS PROMISE
TO Be SUCCESSFUL
. Pay as You Enter" Plan Is
Now in Operation.
SCHEME MEETS WITH FAVOR
Fourteenth street Line First 10 Be
EquiBped-Delay L. Small Com
pared with Convenience-"Have
Your Tickets Readyr- Now the
SIOgan-Fifty Run First Day.

Despite q small amount Of confusion
incident 20 the new plan, the new pay
a aS-you-enter' cars put in operation yes
terday, promise to be a success. To be
sure, the unwary passenger who came
without hts nickle handy. grumbled, and
there were several small mix-ups. but as
a rule everything worked smoothly.
The new cars are marked Penn. ave.
and Fourteenth street" and are roomy
and comfortable.
The conductor stands in a small space
in the center OF the rear platform, and
passengers enter upon his right, or on
the far side of the platform. and leave
upon his left. Outside Of an occasional
step lively. please he has little 10 do
but collect fares and direct the various
eddies and currents OF traffic. He rarely,
If ever. enters the car
Little Inconvenience.
The collection OF fares at the threshold
CT the car should be fraught with no IN
pleasant complications. and none came
to the surface yesterday.
There was, however. the leisurely old
lady. with an impatient score OF people
crowding on behind her. who searched
long and anxiously in the depths Of her
bag, and then brought 10 light five-dol-
lar bill. calmly keeping the line waiting,
and there was the fussy citizen who al
ways objects 70 anything new
The hack platform Will easily allow ten
persons awaiting entrance. while the
leader is paying fare. so no great diff
Guilty need be expected IN the rush hours.
The new car may upset some weli-estab-
lished schedules. because, undeniably
longer stops are made at points where
traffic Is concentrated. but the counter
balancing ccnveniences more than make
up for this single point II weakness
At both the front and the rear entrance
this admOnitiOn greets the passenger:
Please leave by the front entrance" "
Although both influx and outgo is pro-
vided FOR on the rear platform, an iron
railing divides the two currents Of traffic,
and congestion in the rear of the car IS
guarded against.
No passenger IS allowed 10 enter by the
front platform. and the motorman. by e
lever within easy reach, controls the
operation Of the door. Il IS always
closed when not used Tor exit.
AiSIes Are Wide.
Inside the car the passengers auto
matically distribute themselves When
the interior is crowded, no attempt Is
made 70 enforce the rule Of leaving by
the from; door. The aisles are easily
wide enough 10 allow leeway for the in
coming and the outgoing passenger.
Under normal conditions the car can be
emptied without the least friction or irri-
tation. and IN marvelously quick time
When z long line Of persons IS croWding
upon the car. the system may seem slow
and labOriOUs, but the slowness IS more
apparent than real.
Nineteen passengers out OF twenty were
clasping their tickets il their hands when
they boarded the cars yesterday, and the
incident was rare when the conductor
was delayed IN his collection of them.
For the first time in Washington swing
ing doors were seen upon cars-swinging
doors with air cushions upon them 70
soften the slamming- The outgoing doors
are both operated By lever. but those for
entrance swing az the cost OF a little
muscular exeTtion Of the passenger
There were fifty OF the new cars in
operation yesterday, and their advantage
over the Old system seems apparent.