The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-11-30

mecnanlc OF the Detroit Ohi'eu
Railway.
for several years the ID. u. r. has
I'm experimenting with heaters and
ntilators for its cars, and Sylvester
Ueter, the master mechanic OF the
nnapany, told The Times, Monday
ktornoon, that the problem is not
ouch nearer solution now than at the
TART. II is about the hardest ques-
ION the road has to solve, he says.
Just now. at this season or the
ear.. said Mr.. Potter, 1.-THE question
heating and ventilating the cars be-
hines uppermost in our minds we
<mow that there are complaints about
HE way the cars are heated and Ven
Mated, but 1t is most difficult JoD
fo know just how to remedy the mat
Her. II Is much different than heat
Hug and ventilating a house, where
ntre are only the members or q fam
TO please. With us, in one street
for instance, we may have repre-
natives from 80 or 60 families 10
- with.
q What win suit one person will not
~ Tor another Yet, l think the air
1Durity, as there Is so much circu-
Mon OF air that diseased-laden at
nOsphere could scarcely have
5th&nce TO remain In the car. Inc
walls, floor and roof OF street car
|hra very thin. The car Is twice Ell
'Efrcled by glass windows. In cities,
tho doors, front and rear. are opened
with great frequency. The cars, OF
Ecourse, are used by people In every
degree OF health. The unusually tuli-
|bIooded ones complain OF too much
.heat and lack of ventilation; the un-
usually thin-blooded ones complain OF
( zoo much cold and over ventilation.
\ we must confess great difficulty In
otNking q happy medium.
However, the ID. u. r. Is apparently
y making an earnest effort TO arrive at
\ Gone solution of the difficulty. At the
I. pYSsent time it Is experimenting with
to kinds OF hot air heaters and about
every kind OF ventilating device on
~ ho market. For seven years the com
nony has been using on some cars a
syotem OF its own, whereby hot air is
sent from the stove in the motormans
yeetibule through an opening at the
frUnt or the car. This device has been
y ID operation on many of the double
truck cars On other double-trucK
cars. chiefly on Woodward-ave.. the
company has been trying an artificial
system of forced hot air from front
yestibule stove. The hot air Is forced
by tanning process through galvan-
lied iron pipes along one side OF the
cars. This scheme, In operation since
last spring, also serves az ventilator,
the hot air being intended to force
the foul air through the open tran
SONS. While this plan appeared to be
giving satisfaction TO a certain extent
In regard to heating at least, the COM
pany Is now receiving complaints to
the effect that the heat Is objection
able to passengers who happen to sit
near where 1t Is forced through the
openings In the pipes. Seventy-fve
of the ITO woodward cars have this
system OF heating, while one Jeffer-
SON and one Michigan car have the
same contrivance. The other hot air
method is used on 4S3 cars, while up
wards Of 800 cars are still heated by
the old-fashioned stoves.
In the matter of ventilation, the
company has system of it's own, In
\ addition to the devices furnished by
X manufacturers all over the country.
On most of the double-truck cars
8 there is an opening above the rear
door, In which is inserted screen OF
small wire squares. Then, besides
4 THIS. there are the transom windows,
which are generally open. The COM
pany, however, is anxious to find out
just what Is the best system of ven
tilAting, and II has cars ON different
!. lines equipped with different ventilat-
ors. simply for experiment.
AL the ventilating apparatus sup
piled works on the principal OF draw
ing the foul air from the cars, thus
producing q vacuum. Some of these
devices operate from two to eight
y windows on either side of the car.
while others are OF the smoke stack
\ variety, sticking up through the roof
Of the car like chimney with a hood
on II. Another make gives the car the
appearance of an aeroplane as it
comes bowling along the tracks. The
ventilator protrudes from the top
windows of the car like a pair OF
wings. The new ventilators are being
tried on the following lines: Fort,
Sherman, Fourteenth, Michigan, JEFF
ferson. Brush and CrosstoWp