New-York tribune., 1922-01-07
/ r. T. Expert
Calls Wood
Safer in Crash
Metal Coaches Lack Cushion
Effect During Collision,
G.. H. Pegran Testifies at
Transit Board Hearing
B. r. T. Using Some Steel
Menden Asserts Brooklyn
Bridge Cannot Support
Heavier Type of Carriers

George H. Pegram, chief engineer of
che marlborough, testifying yesterday
in the Transit Commissions INQUIRY
into the comparative merits of wooden
and steel cars for the elevated lines.
said that wooden cars were preferable.
in that they had better cushioninr
effect in case of collision, thus lower
ing the hazard.
". s. Menden, general manager Of
the B. r. T., testified that there was
little difference between the wooden
and steel types in fire risk to passcn-
gers in case of accident He said his
company was displacing the old wooden
ears with new steel ones as fast as
practicable. He said that the general
opinion was that the steel cars are
safer than the wooden ones.
Mr. Pegram said that the West Side
Elevated structures would have to be
supplanting the present wood cars
with stee! or with composite cars of
heavier type.
Steel Reduces Fire Risk
Mr.. Pegram said that steel cars were
reason for their installation in the
subways. He added that the present
wooden cars were fireproofed as we'll
IS possible by asbestos underneath and
copper on the sides. He said that the
company had never calculated the cost
of rebuilding its elevated structures.
because a steel car that could be built
cheaply enough and light enough for
practical service never seemed much of
a possibility.
Mr.. Pegram said that block system
could not be installed on local tracks
withor. reducing the capacity of the
lines 25 per cent 1t had been found
feasible on express tracks because the
headway was ninety seconds. In 1899
he found a block system in operation
on the Ninth Avenue line. but he had
it removed because it slowed up serv-
ice too much.
Mr.. Menden said that steel cars are
now being used on the Broadway ele-
yated in Brooklyn, on part of the Myr-
tie Avenue lines and on all the elevated
lines constructed on city contracts.
These new cars weigh from $4,000 to
10000 pounds. and, where it had been
necessary to reinforce some of the
elevated structures to bear the addi-
tional weight this had been accom-
pished without great inconvenience to
service.
Safety Signal Systems Alike
he said the safety signal systems
used by the 1ntcrborough and the B.
R. T. were alike in principle, one be-
ing operated by air and the other by
electricity. He disliked the present
system because it brought trains to an
sbrupt halt with consequent injury
@passengers. He said what the serv-
ice needed was an approved appliance
which would automatically reduce
speed in case the motorman failed AS
yet such a system has not been devel-
oped he added, but his company was
about to submit to the commission a
device on which it had been co-operat-
ing with the inventor, and would ask
permission to install it on the Four
teenth Street extension. Mr.. Menden
said that trains could not, with safety,
be run more closely than at an inter
val OF from 100 to 120 seconds.
installation of the heavier car could
not, however be effected with the
Brooklyn Bridge in its present shape.
sald MIR. Menden. as the bridge would
not carry the additional weight. So
long as the B. R. T. operated over the
Nrldge as at present the wooden cars
could not be reduced materially. The
witness said that the oldest wooden
cars had been rebuilt between 1902 and