Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-28
Futuristic Transit
Proposed for DC.


carveyor system is projected
to replace the subway trains
shutting between the Times
Square subway station and
Grand Central in New York.
The car of the carveyor is
boarded from a walk moving
slowly-at ia miles an hour.
The 14-passenger car is NOV
ing along the loading platform
at the same speed. There is no
problem, therefore. in stepping
between the walk and the car.
AS the car with It's seated
passengers clears the loading
platform the door closes and
the car is accelerated to is
miles an hour. As 1t nears the
next station 1t is slowed again.
The carveyor and speedwalk
system would serve the down.
town area.
The carveyor system would
run around and across that
area. A cross Matching Of
speedwalks would carry a per-
son to within a short walk of
any downtown destination.
German Monoroil
The monobeam system is
Mr.. Stephenson's adaptation
of the project on which he
worked in Germany. 1t differs
from the memorial system in
use at Wuppertal, Germany.
where the car hangs from an
overhead rail instead of rid
ing on top of it.
The elevated structure with
its one rail would be simpler
and less costly than a conven-
tional elevated railroad struc-
ture and would shut of less
light and air. Mr.. Stephen
son said the trains would speed
along silently.
The beam would be two feet
wide and four feet high. The
platform car would be of
saddle type. The weight of
the car would be borne by rub
ber-tired wheels riding along
the smooth top of the beam.
In the structure extending
down on either side of the
beam like saddle skirts. would
be rubber-tired wheels press
ing against the sides of the
beam. They would drive the
car forward and also prevent
tipping. The car would be
powered by electricity.
To cross the Potomac the
beam could be carried on
structures projecting from the
sides Of the present bridges
Economical?
Subway costs would be
scaled down. Since all service
would be express, Mr.. Stephen
son sees no need for a four
lane tunnel for express and
local service. Carveyor tun-
nels would be narrower than
subway tunnels and speed
walks could be placed beneath
present sidewalks.
Mr.. Stephenson sums UP the
system this way: Fifty miles
of monobeam line. with Is
miles in subways and IS miles
on elevated structures. Twelve
miles of carveyor system in
the downtown area and Is
miles of speedwalks, for a to-
tai Of IS miles. He would also
add a 30-mile monobeam line
connecting National Airport
with Friendship Airport near
Baltimore by a Commute ride.
The mileage Of the feeder
buslines is not given, but it
would be high.
The system, Mr.. Stephenson
maintains, would attract many
more passengers than now
patronize the various transit
facilities. Many automobiles
would be left at home. The
downtown distribution system
would not only serve those
who arrive at the Ellipse sta
ton but numerous others who,
for a nickel fee, would be able
to go between any points in
the business-G Government dis
trict.
Less Congestion
Automobiles and delivery
trucks could move freely
around the downtown area.
The number of automobiles
would be reduced and there
would be no transit vehicles
on the surface.
Capital Transit estimates
that now about $500 buses
and streetcars enter the down.
town area daily. Virtually
every street carries transit
vehicles. compromising the ma
tural congestion Of the area.
Under Mr.. Stephenson's
plan these vehicles would dis
appear. giving the downtown
area more traffic space while
providing. underground, a
more convenient and logical
pattern of criss-croSS transit
service.
While the systems passen-
gers would mount In number
the number OF operators would
not rise so steeply. After a bus
driver puts his bus on the