Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-03-25
0NE-MAN CARS
!. FOR TRI-CITIES
PLAN OF CHIEF
. John 6. HuntoOn Of Railway Com
pany Recommends New Type
Trolley for Local Use.
TO COST MORE THAN MILLION
Faster Service for Patrons Possible
and Reduction in Operating
Expenses Positive.

To cut the cost of operation
which has now arisen to an alarm
ing figure Vice President and Gen.
eraI Manager j. G. Huntoon of the
Tri-City Railway company has
recommended the use of "one-man"
cars in Rock Island, Davenport
and Moline. Purchase of these
cars for the tri-cities. would cost
$1,000 900.
Mr. Huntoon has just completed
a comprehensive investigation OF
1.-THE use of these cars in several
large cities in the United States
Not only has he interviewed Off
of large public service cor
porations on their use but has con-
suited mayors of cities in which
they have been installed.
- Economy of operation and fast
er and better service for the trav-
-eling public would be secured by
the 'one-man' or 'Birney type
car" said Mr.. Huntoon. 1T cuts
the cost of labor one-half. con-
sumes one-half the power at pres
lent necessary to operate car, and
reduces the time lost in stopping
and starting so greatly that it will
: be a great time saver for the pub
lie.
. These cars have been a success
wherever they have been install
Jed" says Mr.. Huntoon. AT Fort
Worth, Texas, for instance, city
of 10000 inhabitants, oLe-half the
is equipped with the one
man and the other half with the
-old cars. The two types can be
seen working under the same con-
-.ditions, and the comparative re-
suits are greatly in favor of the
=.one-man' car. At Topeka, Kan,
Atchison, Wichita, Kan, these cars
have been tried out and found sue
The Wichita lines are
now equipped throughout with the
new cars. A few of this type are
now being tried out at Kansas
City. The municipal-owned SYSTEM
lat Seattle has put them on. Ma
son City, Clinton, Waterloo, Mus
catine, Iowa City and Oskaloosa
are cities in Iowa which have in
stalled the new type trolleys.
= 1t is only after a thorough in
yestigation of the use of the one
man cars that General Manager
use in the tri-cities.
The traction company has not
acted on Mr.. Huntoon's recommen-
dation. 1t is believed that if the
opinion of the general manager
were put in operation here the
prcsent cars would be used and
the new type introduced gradually.
With sufficient cars the schedule
frf RnIlI6
be lowered from the present Is
minute plan to a 10-Ininute sched-
-ule.
= The "one-man" cars have mo-
ltorman but no conductor. The
! passenger enters and leaves the
car via the front platform. The
"one-man" cars are single truck
trolleys carrying 80 passengers in
stead of AZ as at present. The
: weight of the car is from 10000
5 to $4,000 pounds as compared with
: a weight of the present cars of
from 10000 to $4,000 pounds.
The reduction of weight means
! cut of at least one-half in power
consumption. One of the greatest
: advantages is the ease with which
: tho new car can stop and start.
This cuts off many minutes in
: run from one end of the line to an
other. AS far as comfort of pas
sengers and safety devices is con-
. cerned the "one-man" car is ahead
) of the present type in use. The
! car is equipped with a dead
. mans grip" which stops it imme-
diately in case the motorman
: should be suddenly overcome with
sickness. The car was invented
: some five years ago.
Cities Wire Endorsement.
Mayor Charles Davies of FL
: Paso, Texas, says: THE one-man
cars in use on our streets are Civ
ing very decided satisfaction. They
. are quick to start and easy to stop.
. The one operator has an undivided
responsibility, which think,
makes for safety. l can see no
objection at all to these cars and
believe that they are the greatest
: improvement in street car service
! that has been brought about in
: several years"
The same enthusiastic indorse-
ment comes from Terre Haute,
Ind; Bridgeport, Conn; Tampa,
: Fla: Kansas City, Mo-: Tacoma.
Wash. and many other cities that
have been asked through their
public officials to telegraph or
write their experience with the
-one-man cars.
Grave Situation.
The serious menace which con-
fronts every traction company in
-Ghe United States is instanced by
-today's advices that the Inter
borough Rapid Transit company
: of New York has gone into the
hands of receiver. The Brook
Ign Rapid Transit company re-
5 ownership calls attention to the
same fact.
: Traction company officials say
that they cannot operate on the
present fares and that a fare of at
: least z cents with a 1-cent trans
: fer charge is necessary. Officials
! of the Tri-City Railway company
: state that the situation here is as
serious as anywhere else in the
traction industry, that failure to
get a fare increase will bring ser
-ious results.
The one-man car is one Of the
avenues open by which il is hoped
to cut a part of the cost of opera
! ton and enable the street rail-
ways to reduce an item which is
assuming threatening proportions.