New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-21
Trackless Cars
ToBe Tried or,
Staten Island
Seven Trolleys To Be Oper-
ated Over z-Miie System
Within Next Two Months.
Whalen A nm unce 3
Cost Less Than Buses
Lines TO Connect Small
Towns Greatly Reduce
Present Fare to Manhattan

Staten Island, the Hylan administra-
tion's laboratory for transit expert
n,erss, IL soon to have its own little
bonneville trolley that meets all the
trains But that isn't the most remark
able part Of it. The trolley is to be
without tracks. It will be the first
trackless trolley line in the United
States, according to Grover A Whalen.
Comm ssioner of Plant and Struc-
lures.
Anyone provided with q nickel may
be able, after September so, to board
one OF the trackless municipal trolleys
and ride up and down the unduiating
hill roads of Staten Island and inhale
fresh air free of charge. The new
traekless system is going to open up
competition in the way of rural travel
that will cast q shadow over those
Elyszan Fields advertised by the Subway
Sun Soft rubber tires. in lieu of noisy
tbamping steel rails, are to give the
passengers the sensation of being
waited into the country on wings.
Seven cars, Mr.. Whalen announced
yesterday, are to be put into operation
on the system within two months.
They are to represent the Hylan admin
istration's latest effort to afford amuse-
ment and recreation for the common
people.
To Extend Seven Miles
The trackless system at first will
extend over seven miles. The main
line will be from the village of Four
Corners to LinoleumvilIe. This will
be four and one-half miles long. A
two and one-half mile spur will extend
from Meyers Corners to Seaview Hos
pital The whole area includes popu-
lation Of about 10000. Many of the
residents now have to pay as much as
so cents to reach Manhattan ferry by
various bus lines, Mr. WhaIen SAYS.
Figures have been compiled by Mr..
Whalen to show that the operation of
trackless car costs only l71a cents
per mile, as compared to more than
q cents per mile for operating a gaso-
line bus. Hence, the commissioner
says, it is going to be possible for the
city to offer the benefits of this latest
achievement of the art of municipal
transportation at the old rate of S
cents a ride. 1t is not unlikely. Mr..
Whalen thinks, that the managers of
the elevated and subway lines wiz lose
sleep over this new trackless trans
portation, because, he believes, that in
time the whole city will be traversed
by trackless routes.
Runs on Any Roadway
Inc advantage or the trackless car
VIII be that 1t can run on any road
where there is a trolley wire over
head. If the motorman wants to get
out of the way of a market wagon or
baby carriage he can steer his ma
chine to any distance on either side
Of the road so long as the trolley still
clings to overhead wire. The buses
are each to accomm odate thirty-ive
passengers and are of the pay-as-vou-
enter type.
"The other places I have seen the
trackless trolley in operation were in
the outskirts Of London and Paris"
said Mr.. Whalen. "The experiment here
will prove a sensation in transporta-
ton. Not only will the system prove
success financially but it will demon
strate that it can easily be put into
operation in any rural district which
has good roads. The extension Of
trackless lines into many rural dis
tricts now isolated OR dependent upon
proAteering bus lines will prove boon
to untold numbers of people"