Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-18
DECISION DEFERRED
ON 0NE-MAN CARS
Citizens Council Seeks Light
on Use of Vehicles
Elsewhere.

After delving into the original cost
Of one.man cars and the difference in
the expense OF operating them. as
against two-man cars, the CITIZENS
Advisory Council, meeting at the Dis
trict Building last night, decided to
postpone its decision until information
now being gathered from other cities
Is received.
Edwin S. Hege, a member or the
council, announced that at his sugges-
ton the American Automobile Asso-
citation has sent QUESTIONABLE to au-
tomobile clubs in 100 cities, asking
what effect one-man cars have on trat-
fic and safety, whether any such cars
have been abandoned after being used,
and whether that type of car is used
in the congested section of the city or
confined to suburban territory.
1853 Cities Use One Man Cars.
Earl V. Fisher, executive secretary
Of the Public Utilities Commission,
who attended the meeting to give the
council the benefit of material col-
lected by the commission, stated in
answer to a question that 1863 Ameri-
can cities are using some one-man
cars. In few of those municipalities,
he said. the equipment is all of the
one-man type.
Replying to another query, Mr..
Fisher expressed the personal view
that the old type OF one man car drag
ged" the lines on which 1t was used,
but that he felt certain the latest type
being used on Wisconsin avenue does
not slow up the line. The new type
car, he explained, accelerates faster
after a stop and the automatic rear
exit eliminates the necessity OF all
passengers leaving by the front door.
The whole question Of the one-man
car comes up at this time on the re-
quest of the Anacostia Citizens AS
ISOLATION for substitution OF the new
type for the old on the Anacostia line.
Fisher explained that there are only
10 of the old oneman cars on that
line now, but the decision Of the COM
mission to reroute the Anacostia line |
up Eleventh street and to run the |
Brookland line to the wharveS will |
mean an increase in service, neceSSi |
tating use Of 10 OF the new one-man
cars on the Anacostia route. Since |
the question has been under considera |
ton, Fisher explained, the commission !
has considered the ACCESSIBILITY of APP |
proving purchase of 80 OF the new |
type cars in order to improve service |
where oneman cars are used.
Answering series Oh questions Dy |
James G. Yaden, chairman Of the |
council, Fisher said 80 Of the new one |
man cars would cost sass, 900, and that |
they would replace II Of the old one |
man type and Is two-man cars. Esti- |
mating that the substitution of a one |
man for a two.man car saves 81 900 a |
year and pointing out that only Is of |
the new cars would replace two-man |
cars. Mr.. Yaden observed that the saw |
ing would be 5000 year.
Contends for Service.
On the basis OF these figures, Mr. |
Yaden contended it would take the |
company Is years to save the cost of |
the 80 new cars. without allowing TO- |
interest on the investment. Yaden |
asked Fisher il the company needs |
new cars at this time, irrespective of |
the change in type, and the latter re- |
Piled in the negative.
Mr.. Fisher pointed out, however, |
that the public would get greatly i'm |
proved service by an increase in the |
number of cars If the pending proposal
b sanctioned. He also pointed out that
the company has had 25 per cent in
crease In patronage on the Wisconsin
avenue line since installation of the
new type one-man car on that line.
Members Of the council questioned
whether this increase is due entirely
to the use Of the new one-man car.