The sun., 1918-07-18
MOTORMAN HYLAN
OPENS NEW SUBWAY
Work at Controller on Lexing-
ton Line Wins Praise
From Hedley.
OFFICIALS MAKE TRIP
Express Service Will Not BE
Started for Several
Weeks.
OFFICIALS MAKE TRIP

With little ceremony to mark the
event. the longest and most important
section Of tho new dual II subway sys-
tenn in Manhattan went into operation at
2 o'clock yesterday afternoon. This is
the Lexington avenue branch. from the
Grand Central station north to 18TH
street. where II connects with the Sixth
and Ninth avenue elevated and the Je-
rome avenue lines.
Two hours before the formal opening
a special train carrying city officials.
members and officials OF the Public Ser
vice Commission and the Interborough
Rapid Transit Company and newspaper
men left the diagonal station at the
Grand Central Terminal Mayor Hylan
held the controller, with Motorman
George A. Waidler, a veteran INTERIOR
ough employee, at his side to see that
nothing went wrong. The Mayor took
the train over the round trip in thirty
Ave minutes. and received the con-
gratulations OF General Manager Frank
Hedley and Chairman Oscar S. Straus Of
the Public Service Commission.
Ten O'Clock Cobb Present.
Before the start OF the trip the official
party was photographed and other ap-
propriate records made. Among the
passengers was John Gambler Cobb, the
Boston transit expert. who has lately
recommended that all subway. surface
and elevated trafic In New York city
cease at 10 o'clock at night.
In order to demonstrate the working
OF the signal and brake systems the
train was brought TO a quick halt in the
tunnel tube under the Harlem River.
The running time for local trains on
the new line will be about twenty-three
minutes. The express service will begin
in Few weeks. The express stops will
be Eighty-sixth street and 125th street
for the present, with all stops north of
! the Harlem River until the system is
more fully developed
The diagonal station at the Grand
Central Terminal Is reached by pas
sageway extending from the eastern
Wezzanine of the old station to the
mezzanine Of the new.
North of the Grand Central station
the local stations are as follows: Fifty
first street, Fifty-ninth street. Sixty
eighth eet-Hunter College. Seventy
seventh street. Eighty-sixth street.
Ninety-six street, 10Sd street. 10th
street, 116th street. l25th street In Man
haitian. Only one new station was
| opened in The Bronx, at Mott Haven.
North OF that point the stations are
! 149th street. where transfer is possible
to the West Farms branch OF the old
subway: 161st street and 167th street.
The Lexington avenue subway, when
completed. will cost about s5s.sO0. 900.
including the equipment furnished by
the operating company. 1t Is about 6.25
linear miles long and has 235 miles of
track.
Many Ohicials Present.
In addition to those named the fol-
| lowing were on the official train Public
| Service Commissioners Travis II. Whit
ney and Charles Bulkley Hubbell. AL
| fred Craven, consulting engineer to the
| commission; James Blaine Walker, sec
rotary; Daniel L. Turner. chief engi-
1eer: Robert Ridgway, engineer Of sub
way construction; Division Engineers
| John II. Myers and c. V. v. Powers.
! who were In charge OF the construction
OF the line: r. II. Jacobs, who super
| vised the installation of tracks: c. NJ.
| Kendall. who supervised the construC-
| ton OF stations: c. W. Wilder, eleCtri-
| cal engineer. and o, c. Semple, assistant
counsel.
The marlborough was represented by
Nice-President and General Manager
| Hedley. Vice-Pres!dents d. w. Ross and
| w. l.. Pepperman. George Keegan. as
sistant to Mr.. Hedley; George II. Pc
gram, chief engineer: A. l.. Merritt, SUI
! perintendent Of the subway; j. S Doyle.
superintendent % equipment. and ]. L.
! Quackenbush. general attorney. Frank
| Bowling, President of the Borough OF
Manhattan. and Murray Hubert, Dock
| Commissioner. were among the city OFF,
| cials president The group included