New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-10
STEEL CARS IN
SUBWAY SEEM
YEAR DISTANT
Company That Has Had
lnterbOrOugh Business
Can't Fill Order.
MAY RESULT IN
POOR SERVICE
Perkins Anxious to Know
How Employees Are Told
to Act in Peril.

~ hCl III Perll.
The statement Of the Interborouch
Rapid Transit Company that it will re-
place wooden subway cars with steel
cars provoked yesterday an unofficial
investigation which showed that if the
Intorborough placed the order with the
company from which it had bought
steel cars more than year would be
consumed in filling the order.
The American Car and Foundry Com
pany, Of Berwick. Penn. has enioved
the lnterborough steel car. business. II
Is said that the only steel car order sent
by the lnterborough to that concern is
one for twelve cars for the Steinway
tube. The American company has an
order for two hundred steel cars. an
order which originates from the Brook
lyn Rapid Transit Company, for use in
the Fourth av. lBrooklynl tunnel.
This is most important when it is
considered the promise of the INTERIOR
ough 10 take from the subway to the
elevated all the wood-and-stcel cars
now in service. They number AIS. The
subway has $50 all-steel cars.
A pretty trick may be played on the
public and the Public Service Commits
sion if the latter body proclaims that
only trains of all-steel cars may be run
in the subway. In view of the car fac
tory situation the Interborouch will
have to disorganize the service 10 com
ply sincerely with the Service Boards
order. For this Reorganization the
Public Service Commission will OBJ
viously be blamed by the public. II
will be asserted that the commission
should have demanded all-steel subway
cars months ago.
The statement that the INTERIOR
ough will put the composite cars on
the Second and Third av. elevated
lines is more or less surrender to
public opinion. Frank Hedley, vice
president and general manager OF the
.Interborough, contendeJ that wooden
cars were safer for elevated railroad
patrons because in the event OF a col
lision the wooden cars absorbed the
shock, whereas experience had shown
that in collisions between steel cars the
cars in direct impact forced the crash
ing ends to an apex, subjecting, so the
story runs, the passengers to much
greater peril.
The Interborough has promised TO
install all-steel cars IN the subway by
Nav /. Unless Mr.. Shonts has par
celled his order with other steel car
makers the Interborough cannot iulni
that promise. The output OF the Amer
lean Car and Foundry Company is
about thirty-five cars month. On the
order of the B. X. T., ffty-one cars nave
been delivered, which means that the
Brooklyn company's order viii monopo-
lize the work of the American until
some time after May l.
Composite cars will not be put on
the Sixth and Ninth av. elevated lines
bocause the structures cannot be made
strong enough. To permit of their use
on the Second and Third ay. lines the
elevated structures will have to be
strengthened, which, according to In
terborough officials, will not require
much time, labor or expense.
The investigation Instituted by DIS
trict Attorney Perkins has not made
much nrogress because the witnesses on
whom he depends for valuable informa-
,;on are still in a state of health which
inbibits the giving of clear testimony.
vr Perkins will make much OF a
noint which has been quite neglected
IN the injuries at their present stage.
Ue is anxious TO learn what authority
train crews assume In distressing mo-
ments. Mr.. Hedley and man haiheu
Keegan, according 70 some OF the con
6uctors and guards, are the only per
sons TO whom subway employees loon
for advice in times OF trouble on 'He
system. There have been instances
where motormen anc conductors oI al
fected trains have been compelled TO
seek SuDGGeSllOHS lIOIA NANHNN - ~
beinq unable to get into immediate
touch with either Hedley or heegan.
The question Of quick decision seems
never to have beer explained 20 the
men in the subway who need temporary
authority most.
The lnterborough officials said yes
.erday that the guards and conductors
tnew well that there was no reason 10
keep passengers in the cars when the
seriousness Of their plight was as on
Wednesday, apparent as the volume
- SMOKE and gas showed. The officials
.aid that they did not believe that any
car doors were locked. District Attor-
~ 90 indicate that passengers were
Via in the cars against their expressed
Tn The next important step in the in.
yestigatiOn into WEDNESDAY aec'deh, ,ht
We W. core again before the Public Ser
80 Commission.