Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-06-21
Editorial The News-Leader
July 18th, 1921
WILL THE TROLLIBUS SUCCEED?

During the two weeks the trobus has been in opera
ton Floyd Avenue thousands of Richmond pcO-
pie have ridden it. Most of those who entered the bus
must have wondered if they not repeating an cx
pertinent interesting that of Nov. 7, 1887 when
group of Richmond men climbed aboard electric car
that to make through the city Streets the first trial
trip undertaken with eye to commercial traffic
1t was fitting that the first American trolibIs should
appear in Richmond the first electric did it was
natural that the public should ask Will the trollibus
succeed?
There seems to be why it should not. On
smooth paving even without pneumatic tires the tro
bus runs smoothly the average street any
except the most expensive track. The trollbus be
stopped easily automobile and in less space
than is required to bring onc-man to halt. The
problem of divcrtng the trollbus from straight line
has been solved. The bus in use on Floyd Avenue
can be stecred nine feet four inches either side of the
overhead wires and, with very simple changes could be
equipped to at will any part of sXtyfoot street
Operating costs are computed at slightly less than IS
cents mile compared with nearly IS cents for
gasoline bus of like capacity. Tire costs included and
guaranteed not to exceed cent per bus-mile. 1t
may not be necessary to employ pneumatic tires
because the wheel construction quite ingenious and
includes live rubber cushion within flexible ange,
in addition to the rubber pads of caterpillar tread
the outer circumference. If the seats wclIcushoned
the comfort of passengers smooth-pavcd highways
can be assured without pneumatic tires. Whether the
solid tires will do less injury to the roadbed
than would pneumatcs is part OF the larger question
upon which, in all likelihood, the of the trObus
depends. That question is whether the damage to the
street paving by the operation of troibs is sufficient
to justify the city in imposing special taxes the COM
pany to for the renewal of the streets If the injury
is serious, then the imposition of paving taxes might add
element OF cost that would make the trobs unput-
able. Time will be necessary in order to reach fair
decision 1t only be said at this time that the present
condition OF Grove Avenue indicates that the jitney traf
c is adding to the andear of the road-bed Con-
sequcnty, the robus is taxed for the damage to the
Streets the Jitney also must contribute.
1t may be added finally, for the reinsurance of those
who dread the appearance of the robu residential
Streets that the noise made by the bus now use is far
less than that made by the average motor truck
Perhaps the greatest for believing that the
trOllbus, in its present improved FORM will succeed
is that this other cheap form of urban transpor
taton must succeed The old style of service may be
maintained in crowded sections of city, but it will not
be extended, except where traffic is Dense Steel rails
and heavy call for too heavy outlay to be justified
where cities slow to allow decent return on CAPITAL
and show disposition to curb jitney traffic In the
belief that revolution in traction is close hand CAPT
tai is tmid Under the most favorable conditions of
franchises and fares, traction companies cannot
pete for capital against governments and industries that
promise greater security and larger return And who
can blame investors for declining to put their money into
an enterprise that may be starved by municipality, and
II forced to suspend will have assets but WORKOUT
cars and buried steel rails? If transportation to be
afforded the public, the outlay must be reduced it
not De reduced IN way materially by eliminating
the S6OOOO mile that must be spent to lay tracks, the
only type OF car that operate without tracks is
suc type as that of the trollbus. The engineers must
find substitute for the old-fashioned line and will
find it,