The Washington herald., 1917-12-30
City's Trackless Trolleys
Prove Success Id England

proved n success in Bradford, Eng
land. and has been operated at q
profit by the municipality. The low
capital expenditure (one-tenth that
required for the ordinary tramway
system) has enabled many rural
and suburban communities to OBJ
tain a passenger service at mod
crate cost.
The trackless motor car IL re-
garded as a pioneer service pre-
cedinE the installation of an ordi-
nary trolley route. and serving as
a feeder for Bradford's main cleo
trio transportation service. Its pri-
mary function 10 to tap the thinly
populated areas, serve them until
their development requires a per-
manent way. and then move on to
new areas. Another important func-
tion performed by the trackless
cars Is in forming connecting links
between the terminals of existing
trolley lines and facilitating rapid
intercommunicati0n in the network
OF lines operated by the munich
pality.
The first trackless trolley service
III was III
1911. There are now ive such
routes operated by the municipal
ity, comprising a total mileage OF
9.5 miles. The statistical return for
1916 showed car mileage on the
railless system of 322.3s0. as against
1853 in 1915. The total operating
cost for the eighteen cars in use
0ncluding interest and sinking
fund charges) was 1876 cents pei
car mile, and during 1916 the mum.
her of passengers carried wal
3.i02.sS5. Half fares are charged
before 0 q. m. the lowest charge
being l cent. and special reduced
fares apply to children going tC
and from school. The route Is di.
vided into stages. and the fare &
according TO the distance travelled
The average fare per mile Is L.
cent.
|, Each car has a seatipg capaeit,
Of twenty -uine persons, and a crew
OF two. consisting of motorman anC
conductor. The current II obtained
from overhead trolley wires. ant
the vehicle runs along the high
road on solid rubber tires. At tn,
| terminus the cars are turned, with
out removing the trolley connection
by means Of an overhead troIle!
reverser Of triangular shape.
The machines cause considerabl,
damage to the roads over whicl
they run. and the highways requir
regular attention aud care,
smooth road being a prerequisite
to successful operation. The ma
cadam and concrete types Of roa'
construction are favored in the en-
vfrons Of Bradford. where larg
supplies OF good road-making ston
are available.
! Although raiiless traction is n
nancially success in Bradford
an exact statistical return is mis-
leading. inasmuch as the "feedin,
value" is not and cannot he takeI
into consideration in the account
for railless traction In contradis
tinction from the municipal system
as an entity. The routes along whicl
the cars run are sometimes route
upon which rails could not be lai,
without heavy capital expenditure
and this method of Transportation
II Is stated, was adopted original,
because of cheapness in construc
tion and operation rather than b.
reason of any other advantage owe
the alleged superior service afford
ed by ordinary electric railways.
No freight business or goods an
parcel-delivery system is in opera
tion on the railless trolley line.
However. it may be pointed out tina
on the electric street railways O
Bradford an excellent parcel-deliv
cry system has been in successful
operation for a number of year!
and an innovation in the matter o
goods transportation recently ha
its beginning in the use of a motto
truck. operated between the sched
ule 'of ordinary trolley-line servic,
This motor truck is run ont tn
trachless- trolley principle, but a
important additional feature is tina
1t is fitted with storage batterie
which will take their supply of cur
rent from the overhead wires an
enable the vehicle to leave tn
tramway route at any point in OF
der to reach its destination and de
liver goods. The vehicles are de
signed and In some instances act
ually made from the chassis @
motor trucks. They are intended I
engage In heavy hauling for In
dlVlduals as well as for the mu
nicipal departments. The ordinnr
electric car system of parcel deIiy
cry In Bradford limits the weigh
OF any package to fifty-six pounds
ana the new scheme has in view tn
delivery OF heavy and bulky good