New-York tribune., 1912-03-22
"STEPLESS CAR" TRIED
Works Well and viii Be Used
Eventually on Surface Lines.
ONLY 10 INCHES FROM RAIL
New Type Resembles Torpedo,
Having Rounded Ends and
Doors on the Sides.

marily for ease I'm boarding and alightinG-
the body being only ten inches above the
I roadway-had a trial from the car barns
/ Of the New York Railways Company at
/ Lexington avenue and 99th street yostcr-
day afternoon. The car, which in appear
ance differs vastly from any others in
present use in tho city, - the crcs don Of
| Frank Hedley, vice-prcsident and general
manager of the company, and j. 5. Doyle,
superintendent Of the car equipment de
partment. and in time will be adopted
Outwardly the now car may -" said 10
resemble a torpedo. although the name tho
officials Of the company attach to it is the
"stepess car" II il forty feet I'm length.
The eXtremtics are rounded and the
wheels are incased. causing il apparently
to slide Along the tracks.
The principal feature is tho slight dis
tance the passenger is required to step.
either ia boarding aliEhtins from the
! car. as entering is like stepping from the
street to tho curb. There are several ether
( Innovations introduced in its construction.
There is no front on rear platform.
passengers enter and leave through side
/ door. The conductor sits at one side be-
! hind miniature desk, where ID" makes
| change for the passengers and issues
transfers. The doors are automatic and
cannot nc opened while the car i In mo
tion. on the other hand IL cannot he
started before the doors arc closed.
The seating capacity is nifty passenger,
and there is standing room for thirty
moro. The seats arc placed one behind
the other tho same as in railway coach,
I -, iU ff,t{-
circular seat. much the same a. that At
tho stern Of 2 launch. The floor beneath
these seats Is raised slightly above the
level at tho coutre of m" car 10 afford
sufficient space for tho trucks. The vhoels
though invisible, are beneath TN" cNtr"m-
tiles OF this curved seat, and IN" axle is
situated Just under the floor. The car.
with the exception Of the rattan Uphol-
stored seats and backs. is constructed Of
steel. the portions which como iu contact
with tho hands Of tho passengers being
covered with heavy white enamel
Fresh air is provided hy eight automatic
ventilatoTs in the roof In winter the
amount Of air will he regulated hy the
number Of persons in the car 4 d"ylc"
controlled by the weight Of tn" persons
inside causes the ventilatOrs to admit sur
flricnt air for the number Of persons i'm tho
car. As tho number increases or decreases
the ventilators open or close accordingly.
Special proyisiop is also made for warm
ing tho interior. the air being heated nc
fore it enters near the floor.
The car IS operated by tho moJorman
from an Enclosure ~ tho front but do
vice making it possible" for the conductor
10 stop the car from inside has been in
stalled Tho curved ends Of tho car are
provided with a new type Of fender and
there is also an automatio bumper. which
later will be constructed go that when th"
car comes in contact with a pedestrian or
any other object the brakes will bo
worked automatically. The curved surface
will tend 10 throw tho object from tho
tracks Illuminated signs proclaim tho
cars destination.
MANY persons visited tho barns A. ~"
Invitation of tho company yesterday in
cludinE several members of th" Public
Service Commission. a delegation ~ mem
bors NJ tho American Federation 81 Won
ems clubs and contingent ~ girls from
tho Winter Garden. Tho latter. a'tir"d IN
skirts of the "hobhle" variety. had several
pirfurcs taken chowiuE how easy II was
to board tho now car. Commissioner Eus-
,is was particularly impressed hy th" safe
tv regulating devices and spoke highly of
tho new car Thos" who accompanied MIN
we're Commissioner McCarrolI. tommis-
eioncr Maltbic tho transportation "nEi-
noer. = 9. Counotto. and his secretary.
charles y HALEY. jr Mrs William Grant
Brown. president Of IN" American FEEDER
alton Of Women's clubs. and nh" several
women who accompanied her declared that
the sfoploes car filled long felt want
II IS the intention Of the company to civ"
the new car thorough trying ont over
the Lexington avenue limo. noting every
poeslblo opening for improvement, ana
then. as tho old rolling stock wears "n''
mace cars Of the new type i'm operation.