Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-05-22
Transportation
Continued From First Page.)


gram, which will cost about $1,700,-
600, was mapped out after careful
study of the new company's track
layout.
When the two old companies were
in active competition there were
numerous instances of duplicated
track service, poor planning and. in
some cases, inadequate trackage.
These conditions contributed
materially to improper spacing Of
street cars, particularly in the down.
town area.
Short Cut Is Provided.
Probably the most important of
all the rerouting programs is that
now under way on Fourteenth street
from New York avenue to Pennsyl-
vania avenue. At this time there are
two sets of tracks on Fourteenth street
from New York avenue to H street,
and two sets on New York avenue
from Fourteenth street to Fifteenth
street-both hold-overs from the days
when the street railway companies
were active competitors.
The first step in the change at this
point is the construction of double
tracked turn from Pennsylvania ave-
nue. north into Fourteenth street.
This will eliminate the present neces-
sity of sending the Fourteenth street
cars around the block to Fifteenth
street-a condition which has result
ed in much traffic congestion and
consequent delay in the street car
service.
The surplus tracks will be removed
from Fourteenth street and New York
avenue and stub-end lines in 6 street
will be eliminated by construction of
turn into Fifteenth street so the cars
may be sent west on Pennsylvania
avenue
Changes have been made at Wis
consine avenue and M streets. includ-
ing installation of a turn there and
elimination of the dead-end cross-over.
The improvement on that line has
been enhanced by installation of a
turn at Washington Circle. permitting
empty cars to turn back there instead
of going all the way across the Key
Bridge.
Installation of a cross-over at Sew
enth and U streets now permits
Georgia avenue cars to continue on
down Seventh street instead Of turn
ing into U. thus providing direct serv-
ice down that line.
The C street loop is another i'm
portant change, enabling cars to turn
between Sixth street. little Seventh
street, c street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue. instead Of going around the Peace
Monument. This loop also furnishes
a badly needed reservoir for extra cars
during rush hours.
The standee order, according to the
commission, provides adequate room
for standing passengers and prevents
excessive loading found in other cities.
A maximum permissible load is speci-
fed for each bus in the company's
service and the posting of sign stat
ing the maximum load is required.
The company also has been required
to paint a line on the floor in the
front of each bus, standing passengers
not being permitted in front of this
line.
The commission issued its ventila-
ton order after making careful SCI
entific study of the presence of car
in, r.. hue The
order, requiring forced draft ventila-
ton apparatus, is effective at once for
new buses purchased and must be
installed by October 81 on buses now
in service, with the exception of few
old ones which leak air in so many
places that the supply Is adequate.
The order requires provision Of min
imum of 10 cubic feet OF fresh air per
minute for each passenger seat.
Seek Modern Equipment.
Although realizing that the transit
company is not in good financial
condition, the commission believes it
should replace old street cars and
buses with modern equipment
1.-The assertion that the company
does not have the cash on hand to
buy this new equipment is no answer
Commissioner Richmond B. Keech
said. New cars and BUSES can be
bought under equipment trusts which
are similar to conditional bills of sale
for private cars, and would permit
the use of the new equipment on
the streets here while 1t was being paid
for"
In the past. representatives of the
company have said they did not favor
the purchase of new street cars be-
cause improvement in the cars had
not been marked and the new ones
then available were little better than