Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-01
How the Car Service
Could Be Improved

To the Editor of The Star:
The statement recently issued by the
Capital Traction Co. was most inter-
esting from my viewpoint, revealing, as
1t did, the railways attitude upon GER
tain matters OF vital importance to
WaShingtonians.
! The revenue loss OF the United Rail-
ways &c Electric Co. of Baltimore dur
| ing 1880, If am not mistaken. was not
| BAT per cent but l1.6 per cent. Now,
in its statement regarding the revenue
loss of Baltimore and the 20.6 per cent
loss of Detroit the Capital Traction Co.
| neglected to add that, despite these
losses (partly attributable to the bust
ness depression), the Baltimore street
| railways last year purchased $50 brand
new cars, modernized $50 old ones
and constructed 40 new articulated car
units, while in the same period the City
/ of Detroit ordered at least 40 new cars.
Besides all this, extensive programs for
the betterment of service were con-
Quoted in both cities.
| On the other hand the revenue loss
Of the Capital Traction Co. during 1880
was 8.6 per cent and that OF the WASH
| ington Railway g. Electric los per cent,
| both lower than either Of the two COM
panies above. Yet name, IL you can, a
single improvement, even minor one,
| that has taken place In washington
street railway service during the past
year, with the exception of the school
children's fare, which was compulsory.
1t is possible that the local COM
panies think that they are saving money
by keeping their old cars in use. A
committee appointed by the electric
! railway industry last year made study
Of Al companies purchasing new cars
and 40 retaining the old. to report at
the conclusion of their investigation a
definite saving in maintenance costs
appreciable gains in passenger revenues,
better schedules and more satisfied
patrons for those companies purchasing
new equipment The money spent by
the local companies in dolling up their
old rattletraps in a foolish attempt to
delude the public could be more profit
ably used in buying modern trolleys.
1t seems strange that depreciation re-
serves have not replaced such hideous
wrecks as numbers l to 20 on the Chevy
Chase route. The car companies here
must extend this expense over quite
long period.
Whether or not Washington street
railways are aware of the fact, there
are means other than the purchase Of
new cars by which service can be inn
proved. I refer specifically to the elm
ination of time points, relocation Of
ton of multiple point controllers and
the application of motors to four in
stead Of TO two axles in order to secure
greater adhesiveness and acceleration.
None of these principles is in its ex-
perimental stage, since all are, and
have been for some time, in successful
operation in st. Louis. Cincinnati, Bal
timore and numerous other cities.
The Capital fractions contention
- t. ~rxA hat
furnished by any other city is. to say
the least. ridiculous, although, Of course,
it may have been inserted merely for
It's effect upon the public. But If the
Capital Traction Co. actually holds this
belief, then it is, in my opinion, suffer-
ing from. severe case OF magnum
caput," commonly referred to as
''swelled head" The sad part is that
this particular case has nothing to have
a swelled head about, because, / assure
you, the street railway officials of, let
us say, Fl Paso, youngstown, Dies
Moines or Baltimore most certainly
would not welcome the suggestion that
their service is no better than that of
the Capital Traction Co.
It is quite true, 1 admit, that Wash
jngton street railways are unjustly taxed
for eXOrbitant amounts, but If they are
willing to accept these burdens without
protest and without attempting to re-
dnce them, they should not consider
said burdens as legitimate excuses for
withholding better service from the
public.
In closing would like to comment
upon the fact that the traffic system
of the District is about to undergo a
drastic revision-one that affords UNI
usual opportunities to a street railway.
Are the Capital Traction Co. and the
Wreco going to take advantage of this
change? Perhaps!
WILLIAM DOYLE JOHNSON.