The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-04
SUBWAY SHUTTLE
TO Be SIMPLIFIED
Terminal Stations Will Have
Passage Ways to Prevent
Confusion.
NO SERVICE UNTIL READY
Discomfort at Opening At
tributed Largely to Mis-
takes of Public.

II was announced yesterday by the
Public Service Commission that when the
subway shuttle service under Forty
second street Is reopened for passenger
traffic the terminal stations will be
equipped with arrangements Of plat
forms and passageways which will elimi-
nate any possibility of the confusion
and disorder which marked the inaugu-
ration Of the new II system on Friday.
The shuttle service was discontinued
at midnight Friday night and will re-
main closed until all the changes con-
templated have been fully installed.
Some of the changes were included in
the original construction plans and are
nearly complete. Others were never
thought OF until the stress and conges-
ton of the first day showed their neces-
sity.
The faith OF the marlborough officials
and the Public Service Commission is re-
Elected in a statement issued last night:
1T Is firmly believed that the new
East and West Side subways with their
capacity practically double that of the
old marlborough line, will provide an
infinitely superior service and that pas
sengers will find the routes shorter. the
trips quicker and the comfort of travel
materially increased as they become IA
miliar with the routes"
. It was explained also that originally
4. was not the plan to open the shuttle
service on the same day the through
trunk lines were opened but that the
full II service was opened all at once
purely out of consideration for the pub
lie. But the Commissioners still hold the
view that the opening would have been
accomplished smoothly IL only those pas
sengers had used the shuttle service who
actually were obliged to transfer at
Grand Central and Times Square.
Many Didn't Understand.
In their statement of last night the
Public Service Commissioners said in
pors:
Months ago attention was given to
the matter OF not attempting shuttle SER
vice from Grand Central to Times Square
until a part of the reconstruction was
completed at these two stations, but the
inconvenience to n considerable percent
ago of passengers led to the conclusion
that the shuttle service should be at
tempted Immediately upon the Inaugural
ton Of through service on the East and
West Side subways. 1t is still felt that
such shuttle service would have handled
the passengers who needed to make such
'swamped by tremendous numbers of
Passengers who in reality did not need
Ito transfer had they understood better
how to use the two new subways.
In the district south of Chambers
street II is actually more convenient for
passengers who live ON the west side Of
Central Park to take the Seventh avenue
trains AZ points in William or Green
wtch streets than to take the old sub
lied. however. and consequently thou
sands Of passengers from this district
took the old subway in lower Broadway
ana then undertook to transfer at Grand
Central station and Times Square
Temporary wooden bridges across the
tracks OF Times Square have now been
completed so as to allow the operation
OF three shuttle train pockets, and with |
IN the next three or four days. at Grand
Central station. temporary wooden ex-
tensions will be built from the east end
OF the present station platforms directly
eastward to the south end of the new
diagonal station. This will be used ex-
ciusively by passengers coming from
Iimes Square DESTROYS of reaching the
East Side subway on the Greensboro
subway.
Lexington avenue subway towards
Times Square will use the passageway
adjacent to the New York Central sta |
tion which is the passageway which has
been in use both ways for the last two or |
three days causing considerable con- |
sestion. With the opening of the new
temporary wooden passageway south |
ana parallel to 1t the separation of the |
cast and west bound passengers will |
be possible, and therefore relieve con-
Sestion."
Prevention OF Confusion.
profusion Of sign boards and the
presence of $50 policemen and nearly |
twice that number of special guards |
mustered into emergency service by the I
lnteroorough prevented a repetition |
yesterday of the confusion and disorder
OF opening day.
During the morning and afternoon
rush hours the police formed lines
along the centre OF each of the main
platforms at Grand Central and Times
Square stations and kept the crowds
moving in the direction In which they
should go. Assisting the police were
the special company employees, none
OF them in uniform, but each man
wearing In hts hatband card with
the word Information" printed upon II
IN large type. Some OF these men were
high priced employees who had been
summond from their desks to help Ir
the emergency. Others wero men who
had been picked up ut random any
where. Among them they represented
every degree of sartorial elegance and
6artorial dissolution.
Also the signboards were a great
help. They had been prepared hastily
over night and the paint was still wet
on number OF them. But they were
in conspicuous type and at close inter-
walls and set forth concisey the infor-
nation as to stairways. aleyways,
trains and platforms which passengers
had wanted so badly the day before.
Conditions were helped also by the
fact that it was a Saturday in August
and the fact that, apparently. only those
rode IN the subways who had to ride In
them. But whether a large part OF
New York had gone out OF town for the
week end or was riding TO its Offices In
the surface cars the police estimated
that at least 100000 fewer persons used
the service yesterday than had used ii
the day before.
Mayor HyIan Makes a Tour,
Mayor Hylan made a tour OF inspec-
ton over the shuttle lines lust after
noon and upon his return to City Hall
expressed the opinion that-although he
was no eng!neer-the stations at the
shuttle terminals might have been ar
ranged better for the accommodation
OF the people OF this great city. On his
inspection trip he was accompanied only
by Grover A. Whalen, his secretary.
He said:
Although the congestion will not bs
40 great tonight az II has been, because
OF the Saturday half holiday, the condi-