HE 
 
 iBoy 
 
 H 
 
 
 1. 
 
 
 
 UC-NRLF 
 B ^ SflE 170 
 
 
 J 
 
 

 
 iV^ii'*' 
 
 h 
 
 m 
 
 urn 
 
 ."S^i!><M 
 
 
 Si 
 
 
 i^!i^^ 
 
 
 ^.:^: 
 
 
NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT 
 
 I IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED IN THE OPERATION OF 
 
 EXISTING TRANSIT FACILITIES 
 
 II IMPROVEMENT IN CONSTRUCTION OF EXISTING 
 
 UNES 
 
 III EXTENDING OR COMPLETING EXISTING LINES 
 OR LINES UNDER CONTRACT 
 
 IV TYPES OF TRANSIT LINES 
 V GENERAL INVESTIGATION 
 VI SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 
 
 GIFT 
 AUG"^@ 1926 
 
 0FTH3 
 
 A MEMORANDUM v.^'NlVEP^ 
 
 ADDRESSED TO THE 
 
 PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION 
 
 OF THE FIRST DISTRICT 
 
 THE^ITY CLUB OF NEW YORK 
 
 July 22, 1907 
 
/V67 
 
'y<>c. 
 
 The City Club of New York.I 
 55 West 44th Street, \ 
 
 New York, July 22, 1907. I 
 To the Members 
 
 of the Public Service Commission 
 of the First District: 
 
 Gentlemen — We beg to send you herewith a memorandum, 
 in behalf of the City Club, in relation to the transit situation in 
 New York City. 
 
 For several years the City Club has observed closely transit 
 conditions and has endeavored to secure their improvement. In 
 this work it has had the benefit of expert assistance. The recom- 
 mendations embodied in this memorandum are the results of the 
 Club's study along these lines. The facts in regard to the present 
 operations of various transit lines have been collected, in the main, 
 within the past three months, by trained assistants, and illustrate 
 conditions now existing. 
 
 We trust that the facts herein set forth will be of value to you, 
 and believe that a full investigation on your part will indicate that 
 the measures proposed are feasible and that they would, if carried 
 into effect, materially improve transit conditions in this city in 
 the very near future. 
 
 In behalf of the City Club. 
 
 Homer Folks, Chairman. 
 John P. Fox, 
 Frederick Palmer, 
 Henry C. Wright, Secretary, 
 Committee on Transit Facilities."'- 
 George McAneny, 
 
 President. 
 
 * FRANK L. BABBOTT, also a member of the Committee, has been absent from 
 the country during the preparation of the memorandum. 
 
 630029 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS* 
 
 1— IMPROVEMENT NEEDED IN THE OPERATION OF EXIST- 
 ING TRANSIT FACILITIES. 
 
 RELIEF OF BRIDGE CRUSH. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Changes in the operation of bridge cars 5 
 
 Sub-surface terminal at Brooklyn Bridge for all trains and surface 
 
 cars 5 
 
 Diagram of lush hour travel at Brooklyn Bridge terminal 6 
 
 Surface line between Williamsburg Bridge and City Hall 7 
 
 Traffic agreement desirable between the Interborough and B. R. T. 
 
 for free transfers at Borough Hall to and from Brooklyn tunnel. 7 
 
 Subway. 
 
 Diagram of north-bound rush hour travel 8 
 
 Extent of overcrowding g 
 
 Diagram of south-bound rush hour travel lo 
 
 Diagram of local track rush hour and Sunday travel 12 
 
 Need of new type of equipment 13 
 
 Diagram of side-door cars 14 
 
 Side-door cars the quickest and cheapest method of relieving con- 
 gestion T5 
 
 The Illinois Central side-door car 15 
 
 Diagram of cross sections of types of construction 16 
 
 More and better destination signs needed ig 
 
 Better lighting of cars 21 
 
 Elevated Roads. 
 
 Extent of overcrowding 21 
 
 Diagrams of north-bound rush hour trains 20, 22 
 
 Advisability of inclosing vestibules 2.\. 
 
 Cleanliness of cars 24 
 
 Surface Road.s. 
 
 Diagram of north-bound rush hour travel on Madison avenue 26 
 
 Overcrowding on Madison avenue 27 
 
 Traffic conditions on Twenty-third street 27 
 
 Diagram of west-bound rush hour travel on Twenty-third street. . 28 
 
 Transfer .system 2g 
 
 Need of vestibules 29 
 
ii TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Accidents 30 
 
 Power brakes 30 
 
 Fenders 31 
 
 How to f iirnisli more scats 32 
 
 Cross seats 35 
 
 Montreal fare system 35 
 
 Miscellaneous suggestions 36 
 
 II.— IMPROVEMENT IN CONSTRUCTION OF EXISTING LINES. 
 
 Sue WAY. 
 
 Concrete floors ■^'] 
 
 Improvement in ventilation 37 
 
 Need of fire hydrants 38 
 
 Need of more emergency stairways 38 
 
 Elevated Roads. 
 
 Reduction of noise 3g 
 
 Need of drip pans 39 
 
 Sl'RFACE Ro.\DS. 
 
 Electrification of all lines 40 
 
 Better method of electrification 40 
 
 Removal of unused tracks 41 
 
 Protection o f car houses against fire \\ 
 
 III.— EXTENDING OR COMPLETING EXISTING LINES OR 
 LINES UNDER CONTRACT. 
 
 Completion of subway loop 42 
 
 Extension of subway to Prospect Park 42 
 
 Need of P'ourth avenue route in Brooklyn 43 
 
 Line from Times Square south 43 
 
 Third track on Second and Third avenues 45 
 
 IV.— TYPES OF TRANSIT LINES. 
 
 Consideration of the adequacy of the present types of rapid transit 
 
 lines 17 
 
 v.— GENERAL INVESTIGATION. 
 
 General investigation suggested 49 
 
 VI.— SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS. 
 
' I. IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED IN THE 
 OPERATION OF EXISTING 
 TRANSIT FACILITIES. 
 
 I. TRANSIT BETWEEN BROOKLYN AND MAN- 
 HATTAN. 
 
 Are the bridge cars operated during rush houis so as to 
 minimize the crush as much as possible? ■ 
 
 Ol;SERVATX()NS 
 
 Diagram I gives evidence of the crush at Brooklyn Bridge, 
 as observed May 14, 1907. It shows that between the hours of 
 5 and 5.30 p. m. 3,971 passengers were unable to get seats, be- 
 tween 5.30 and 6 p. m. 6,696, and between 6 and 6.30 
 p. m. 4,364. Though the number of standing passen- 
 gers is very large, yet the danger of the crush lies not so 
 much in this condition as in the ruthless crowding while board- 
 ing the cars. Passengers during rush hours in the evening 
 are all loaded from one platform having 5.172 square feet of avail- 
 able surface. It has four stairways, with an aggregate width of 33 
 feet. All trains before reaching this one platform stop beside one 
 of two platforms, one having- an available area of 6,070 and the 
 other 5,830 square feet, or an aggregate area of 11,900 square 
 feet. The aggregate width of the stairways leading- tO' these 
 two platforms is 60 feet. These platforms are used for loading 
 or unloading passengers in the slack hours, but not used 
 during rush hours, though every train stops at one or the other 
 of them. I 
 
 Is it feasible to have all elevated trains crossing the Brooklyn 
 Bridge run into a subsurface terminal, thereby doing 
 away with excessive stair climbing? 
 
 Or-SERVATIONS 
 
 A passenger at the present time transferring from a subway 
 train to an elevated train at the bridge terminal must climb four 
 
flights of stairs, an aggregate height of SSV^ feet. A subway sta- 
 tion adjoining the present subway station is now under contract 
 for construction as a part of the subway loop. If this were en- 
 larged, so as to enable all of the elevated trains to run into it, 
 stair climbing would be reduced to one flight of sufficient height 
 to permit crossing over or beneath the tracks. This stair climbing 
 is a consideration very deterrent to citizens contemplating Brook- 
 lyn as a place of residence. 
 
 Can surface cars be operated from the east end of Williams- 
 burg Bridge to City Hall and on the basis of one fare 
 from any part of Brooklyn? 
 
 OjiSERVAIIONS- - 
 
 Surface car tracks of the New York City Railway L'ompany 
 extend continuously from Williamsburg Bridge, through De- 
 lancey street, the Bo\\er}' and P'ark Row. By traffic agreement 
 between the companies, Brooklyn Rapid Transit cars could be 
 run over this line if equipped with detachable plows to make 
 connection with the underground trolley, which equipment would 
 cost not to exceed $200 per car. Only a small number of 
 cars would be needed for this short run service. Transfers could 
 be issued between all Brooklyn Rapid Transit cars running to 
 Williamsburg Bridge and the cars running to City Hall. The 
 run could be made from the east end of Williamsburg Bridge to 
 City Hall in 22 minutes. Were such a line established, no doubt 
 many now coming to Manhattan via Brooklyn Bridge would use 
 the Williamsburg" Bridge. 
 
 Can some traffic agreement be arranged between the Inter- 
 borough and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company 
 that will permit transfers between their systems at 
 Borough Hall and beyond, thereby using the new 
 Brooklyn-Battery tunnel to its fullest capacity, pend- 
 ing the completion of the Manhattan Bridge? 
 
 Observations — 
 
 The physical equipment for immediate and certain alleviation 
 of the " bridg-e crush " both in connection with the elevated trains 
 

 n § 
 
 
 lb 
 
 
 ^2? 
 
 cc: = 5i 
 
2. THE SUBWAY: 
 
 and the trolleys, will be at hand the moment the Brooklyn-Batterv 
 tunnel is completed. The only thing lacking is a traffic agreement 
 at least temporary, between two transit companies (the Inter- 
 borough and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit) to make unnecessary 
 the payment of two fares by persons going from any part of 
 Brooklyn to Manhattan. The carrying capacity of the tunnel will 
 be about 30,000 per hour in one direction, which nearly equals the 
 number per hour being carried across Brooklyn Bridge on bridge 
 cars. As the tunnel will probably be opened this fall, " the crush " 
 would be almost immediately solved by such an agreement. 
 
 Each of these companies will be an applicant before the Com- 
 mission for additional privileges of various sorts; in connection 
 with the consideration of these applications we submit that in the 
 development of the situation traffic agreements of the nature indi- 
 cated above might very properly be demanded. 
 
 To what extent are trains overcrow^ded during the rush hours? 
 
 Observations — 
 
 The following provisions are contained in Contract No. i 
 governing the operation of the present subway : "The Contractor 
 shall, so far as practicable, meet all reasonable requirements of 
 the public in respect of frequency and character of its railway 
 service to the full limit of the capacity of the railroad." "The 
 Contractor covenants to and with the City that the Contractor will, 
 during the term of the lease, operate the railroad carefully and 
 skilfully, according to the highest known standards of radway 
 operation." (Page 168.) "The Contractor shall at no time and 
 in no event be at liberty to object to the plans or specifications 
 upon which the railroad has been constructed, or the manner of 
 its construction, maintenance or operation." (Page 168.) 
 
 Is the Interborough living up to its contract as quoted 
 above? 
 
 Diagrams II, III and IV illustrate the condition of cowding 
 as it exists to-day in express trains. In these diagrams each col- 
 umn represents one train ; the distance between the columns, the 
 
m 
 
 Ui 
 
 < 
 Pi 
 o 
 
 < 
 
 -He 
 
 5' 1 I 
 
1 1 
 
 headway between the trains; the width of the columns, the ap- 
 proximate stop at the station ; the black portions represent ])er- 
 sons standing in excess of the total seating capacity of the trains. 
 In Diagram 11, which shows the conditions of tlie evening rush 
 hour trains on the express track, it will be noted that between 5 
 and 5.30 p. m. but eleven trains were run, carrxinc; an excess of 
 3,211 passengers over the seating capacity. In tlie period from 6 
 to 6.30 p. m. also, but eleven trains were run and the standing 
 passengers reached the large aggregate of 6654, while but 4-57^ 
 had seats. In the morning hours, as shown by Diagram III, be- 
 tween the hours of 8.30 and 9 a. m. the standing passengers were 
 5,669, while but 5,824 were seated. 
 
 The subway cars are more seriously overcrowded than any 
 others in New York City. Even Brooklyn Bridge, with its fright- 
 ful crush, furnishes 53 per cent, of its passengers with seats be- 
 tween 5.30 and 6.30 p. m., while the subway express trains during 
 this hour seat but 41 per cent, of their passengers, according 
 to the observations on the days indicated. This great disparity is 
 due, no doubt, to the fact that the trains on Brooklyn Bridge are 
 run on one minute headway, or 60 trains per hour, while during 
 the worst rush hours the subway had but 22 trains an hour. Even 
 the larger trains in the subwa\' furnish but 176 cars an hour, 
 while 300 per hour leave Brooklyn Bridge terminal. The com- 
 pany has 28 trains per hour scheduled, but seems unable to run 
 them. It is quite possible that it cannot run manv more trains 
 until shorter stops can be secured b}' the introduction of a differ- 
 ent type of car. 
 
 The capacity of the tracks cannot be the excuse on the part 
 of the Compan}' for not furnishing seats on Sunday. By refer- 
 ring to Diagram IV it will be noted that between the hours of 10 
 and II a. m. but 13 trains were run, and all but three of these 
 trains carried more passengers than could be seated. Between 
 the hours of 2 and 3 p. m. 19 trains were run, but even with the 
 increased number of trains and an additional car on each train 
 only three of the trains furnished sufficient seats. What possible 
 excuse can the compau}- offer for such a condition? 
 
 Even the local trains that are not supposed to be in great de- 
 mand are badly overcrowded, as will be seen by referring to Dia- 
 gram IV. But 26 trains were run in one hour where at least 30 
 
> 
 
 < 
 
 o 
 
 < 
 
 8 
 s 
 
 i 
 
 C 
 J. 
 
 -i' 
 
 Hi 
 
 II 
 
 1 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 !§ 
 
 
 1^ 
 
 
 1.5- 
 
 
 
 § g 
 
 f 5^ IS s 
 
 
 -;.i: 
 
13 
 
 should have been run. If more trains cannot be run then the 
 platforms of the local stations might well be lengthened so as to 
 accommodate eight car trains, their present limit being five cars. 
 
 Are as many trains as possible being operated? 
 
 Observations — 
 
 Before the subway was opened the Interborough Company 
 announced that they expected in time to run express trains every 
 two minutes, or 30 an hour, and local trains every minute, or 60 
 an hour. The existing schedule appears to provide in the hours of 
 heaviest travel 28^ express trains an hour and 27 locals an hour. 
 Th.e number of trains actually running, however, has been found 
 at times much less than the schedule, as low one day as 19 ex- 
 press trains and 22 locals in an hour, while on April 9, 1907, only 
 8 express trains were run in half an hour. The largest number 
 actually observed was ly expresses an hour. The usual cause 
 of delay does not appear to be the signal system, which on the 
 express tracks would allow trains to follow each other at full 
 speed a minute and a half apart, or less, or 40 trains an hour, pro- 
 vided the station stops were reasonably short. To run at full 
 speed express trains appear to need to keep about four signals 
 apart, and at the slack hours trains have been observed to pass 
 through the four blocks at successive stations in even less than 
 a minute and a half. The local tracks have fewer signals than the 
 express tracks, but the headway is about as limited, owing to ex- 
 cessive station stops, so that the number of local trains is less than 
 half that originally intended. The limiting feature is the long 
 stop at stations, especially at the Grand Central, due to the 
 length of time required to get passengers on and off trains 
 with the present type of car. It does not appear possible to 
 run many more trains at rush hours than at present unless 
 something is done to make the station stops shorter. 
 
 Altering the present cars or providing new car bodies for use 
 with the present trucks and electrical equipment, which will allow 
 quicker loading and unloading, would allow more trains to be run. 
 A change in car seats and starting signals would help somewhat 
 and should be tried at once, but for final and satisfactory relief 
 more radical changes seem unavoidable. 
 
> :: 
 
 -l■-fJ^-i-i.- 
 
15 
 
 Is not the quickest and cheapest method of relieving over- 
 crowding the adoption of A TYPE OF CAR THAT 
 WOULD PERMIT OF QUICKER LOADING AND 
 UNLOADING? 
 
 Or.SEKVATIONS 
 
 The following provision is contained in Contract No. i, 
 page 158, relative to the type of cars required to be operated in 
 the present subway. " The cars shall be so constructed as to 
 facilitate to the utmost a quick discharge and loading of pas- 
 sengers." Do the cars now in use meet the recpiirement of 
 this contract in the above particular? 
 
 The Illinois Central Railroad, with the heaviest suburban 
 traffic in this country, operates cars of 100 seats, with 12 doors 
 on each side. The seats face one another in pairs and a door is 
 placed between each pair of seats. The maximum stopping 
 time of a train composed of these cars is conditioned only by 
 the time that it requires eight people to pass out and eight to 
 enter, eight being the number served by one door. In practical 
 operation these trains stop on an average but 7.07 seconds. 
 Owing to the fact that the guard who closes all the doors of 
 a car stands at one side of the car, so that he can look along 
 the whole length of both the outside and inside of the car, 
 very few accidents occur. Mr. W. D. Dunning, an official 
 of the road, made the following statement in a letter written 
 to the Secretary of the City Club : 
 
 "The side-door cars have been in daily use since 1903, and dur- 
 ing the three years of their service under my direct charge and as 
 a result of my intimate experience v/ith these cars, I can unhesi- 
 tatingly say they are a success in every phase of the service in 
 which they are used, and T believe they fully meet every require- 
 ment of a dense passenger traffic under conditions where quickness 
 of operation is an essential requisite. The cars each seat 100 pas- 
 sengers, and have standing room for a large number in addition, 
 without interfering with rapid entrance and exit. No diffi- 
 culties have been found in their operation, the perfect control 
 of the side doors by the trainmen preventing passengers from 
 getting on or ofif the cars while in motion. The doors work 
 freely, with but Httle effort, and no trouble has been experi- 
 
0) 
 
 0) o 
 
 .2 ^g§ 
 
 o o S! S c 
 h-S-^.2 "! 
 
 P:S ^ 
 
 1* rt (U o'c 
 
 o rt -2 
 
 -9 <L> 0) JJ li 5 
 
 o 
 
 01 n 
 
 o 
 
 oftr 
 
 
 
 
 
 P c 
 
 *i V 
 
 "O _ <U C c 
 
17 
 
 enced in keeping the cars warm during the coldest weather. 
 The time saved in their use over the end-door type is most 
 noticeable during the hours of heavy travel, and has resulted 
 in the average stop being reduced from 30 seconds to 7 
 seconds. All of the side-door cars are framed throughout of 
 steel and were built new at the company^s shops. None of 
 the old cars were reconstructed. No platform men are re- 
 quired with the side-door cars, the doors being operated from 
 within the cars by the regular trainmen. As to the accidents 
 to passengers with the side-door cars, I have consulted with 
 our Claim Department officials, and the conclusion is reached 
 that the use of the side doors has reduced the number of acci- 
 dents about 90 per cent. In fact, with the exception of an 
 occasional slight mishap, the element of personal injury has 
 been well nigh eliminated." 
 
 The Illinois Central cars were in use the year before the 
 subway was opened, but they were not thought feasible in the 
 subway because, for one reason, of the presence of curved 
 station platforms. This difficulty, however, could have been 
 obviated by projecting the car body over the platform, as is 
 done on a number of European subway and rapid transit roads, 
 which practice would probably leave less of a gap between car 
 and a curved platform even on the worst curves than is found 
 to-day at some of the stations. (See Diagram VI.) 
 
 It is obvious that the continued use of the wooden cars is at- 
 tended with grave risks in case of derailment, collision or fire. 
 They already show signs of deterioration. Even the steel cars as 
 at present constructed have not proved strong enough to with- 
 stand severe collisions. New side-door car bodies might be sub- 
 stituted on the present trucks with the existing motor equipment. 
 One result would be a large increase in the number of seats possi- 
 ble in a car. In order to provide a large amount of standing 
 room in the present cars, only 52 seats were provided. New 
 cars could have 90, 100 or even, possibly, 120 seats each, with 
 from 9 to II doors each side. (See Diagram V.) The most 
 feasible number of seats in a car should be determined by ex- 
 periment. 
 
 Trains of side-door cars ought to be tried at once in the sub- 
 way, having different numbers of seats in the different trains. 
 
i8 
 
 with a lest of various other improvemients, in the way of better 
 lighting, ventilation, signs, starting, signals, etc. The suggestion 
 that such experimental trains would delay other trains is not se- 
 rious, in view of the remarkably short stops of the Illinois Central 
 side-door cars. 
 
 Not only would more seats be possible in each car of side- 
 door trains, but more trains could be run. As the signals on 
 the subway express tracks are adapted to a minute and a 
 half headway, probably 40 express trains could be run even in 
 rush hours. As 60 locals an hour were planned for by the 
 Interborough Company at the outset, 48 would not seem an 
 excessive number possible with new cars, and they could be 
 handled even with a complete block signal system. The total 
 number of seats furnished in one rush hour one way under 
 the present schedule, including both express and local trains, 
 appears to be 18,876 seats. But the actual number furnished 
 has run as low as 13,624 seats an hour when the traffic has 
 been very heavy. The more passengers there are to handle 
 the fewer the seats that can be provided, because of the in- 
 creased delays at stations. If side-door cars were used, with 
 100 seats each, the number of seats furnished one way in one 
 rush hour, with the present length of trains, would be 56,000, a 
 capacity beyond the present needs of traffic. 
 
 From a count made at the Grand Central subway station, 
 Tuesday, April 9, 1907, it appears that between 5 and 6 p. m. 
 only 21,134 passengers were carried north in all trains. Of 
 these only about 14,300 were seated. It appears then that the 
 subway is being utilized only to about a third of its possible 
 seating capacity. If station platforms were lengthened to 
 allow ten-car express and ten-car locals, the capacity with side- 
 door cars would be increased to 88,000 seats an hour. 
 
 The possibilities of side-door cars suggest that their in- 
 stallation would be the quickest and cheapest way to gain 
 greatly increased facilities. It would provide for the increase 
 in traffic until additional subways could be built. 
 
 The side-door car has, in addition, financial advantages. A 
 large saving might he made by utilizing tlie shorter stops to in- 
 crease the schc(hil<? speed, there!)}- reducing tlie number of cars 
 and men neecknl. 
 
19 
 
 Or. with shorter station stops and the same average speed as 
 now, the power consumption might be reduced with new cars 
 perhaps sufficiently to save each year enough money to equal 
 the fixed charges on new side-door car bodies. 
 
 Should not destination signs in the subway be more conspic- 
 uous? 
 
 O SERV ATIO N S 
 
 The destinations of trains are now indicated by colored 
 marker lights in front and a few small signs in some of the 
 car windows. The insufficiency of these is shown by the 
 number of questions that are asked of the guards, resulting in de- 
 lays to the trains. 
 
 Three rapid transit roads in Europe have large destination 
 signs on the front and rear of every train, with large, con- 
 spicuous letters ; in two cases these are brightly illuminated. 
 Illuminated route numbers are also found in Europe, and are 
 a great convenience. In Berlin one can find on the front of 
 cars the route color, route number and name of destination, 
 all illuminated. The subway trains in New York should be as 
 well marked. 
 
 There should be conspicuous destination signs on the outside 
 of every train, so located as to be clearly visible to all passengers 
 standing on the station platforms. Signs also should be on the 
 inside of every car, so located as to be in view of all the passen- 
 gers. The names of stations should be more conspicuous on the 
 iron columns or station walls. The calling out of station names 
 by the guards is not distinct or loud enough. A test might well 
 be made of the loud speaking telephone system for announcing 
 stations in trains. 
 
 Indicators showing the destination of approaching trains are 
 found at all the stations in Boston, Berlin and the Mersey Tunnel 
 in Liverpool, the Metropolitan District Railway in London, and 
 should be considered for New York stations. In the Grand Cen- 
 tral subway station there are no signs on the platforms pointing 
 out the nearest way to the railroad station, and as a result strang- 
 ers loaded with baggage daily leave the subway by the exit far- 
 thest from the railroad depot. 
 
> 
 
21 
 
 Are the cars adequately lighted? 
 
 Observations — 
 
 The present lighting of the subway cars is deficient in 
 three respects. The lights are all bare. The light furnished 
 is sometimes too dim. There are no emergency lights in the 
 cars. 
 
 The large amount of newspaper reading in the subway 
 demands good lighting to prevent eye strain. The light should be 
 more diffused and softened by the use of frosted globes, holophane 
 globes or reflectors, cutting off all direct rays from the eyes, as 
 used in electric Hghting elsewhere. High economy lamps would 
 tend to make up for the low voltage. The absence of emergency 
 lights is a source of danger, and they should be supplied in every 
 car. The new cars in the Hudson Companies' tunnels will each 
 have such emergency Hghts burning' all the time. They are to be 
 supplied by storage batteries, kept charged automatically. 
 
 3. THE ELEVATED ROADS. 
 
 To what extent are the elevated trains overcrowded during 
 rush hours? Can more trains be run? 
 
 Observations — 
 
 The elevated roads are crowding their trains nearly as 
 badly as the subway. Much has been said of the crowding 
 on Second and Third avenues. Diagram VH shows the condi- 
 tion of Second avenue on the day indicated. Every Bronx 
 train between 5.30 and 6.30 p. m. was badly overcrowded. 
 There were, however, but 14 of these Second avenue trains 
 that passed beyond the Harlem river. On the same day and 
 between the same hours 35 locals and 10 expresses were run 
 north on the Third avenue. These were all badly over- 
 crowded. The claim has been made that as many trains as is 
 possible are being run across the cross-over at the south end 
 of the Harlem River Bridge. On this day but 42 passed north 
 and but 6 Second avenue trains passed south during one hour. 
 This makes a total of 48 trains using the cross-over in one 
 
> 
 
 r 
 
 ■ 
 
 1 
 
 : 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 : 1 
 
 ; 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 Hi 
 
 -2— 
 
 ^?* 
 -1— 
 
 1 
 
 is 
 
 ; 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 : 1 
 
 !t 
 
 ' 1 
 
 : 1 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 1 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 ^^■1 
 
 ^^^^M 
 
 "i 
 
 ^^^^^^■■■T 
 
 ^^^^^^^^B 
 
 'i 
 
 ^■H 
 
 ■■■■^^^B 
 
 ^^^^^^^H 
 
 ,; 
 
 ■■^■^H 
 
 ^^^^^^H 
 
 ^^^^^^^H 
 
 « 
 
 "s 
 
 ^^■■H^^H 
 
 ^^^^^^^^^1 
 
 1 
 
 ■ 
 
 ilD 
 
 11 f| 
 
 ■j. i ■/: J^ 
 
 ;i 
 
 ^^^^^^^H 
 
 ^^^^^^^^1 
 
 
 
 ^^^^^^H 
 
 ;■. 
 
 ^^1 
 
 ^^^^^^^H 
 
 ^^^^^^^H 
 
 > 
 
 I 
 
 ■ 
 
 ^^■^^^^^^1 
 
 'M 
 
 ^^H 
 
 ^^^^^^^H 
 
 ;•< 
 
 ^^^^^^■■H 
 
 ^^^^^^^^B 
 
 ". 
 
 ^■H 
 
 ^^^B 
 
 ^■■i^H 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^^^^^^^H 
 
 ^^^^^^^H 
 
 •^ 
 
 ■^■^■■■■~ 
 
 ^^H 
 
 '. 
 
 ^^^^H 
 
 n 
 
 li 
 
 1 1 
 
 Hi 
 
 > 
 
 1 
 
 ■? 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 ,J 
 
 i: 1 
 
 :, 1 
 
 ^ .> 
 
 -; 1 
 
 -.: 1 
 
 t :> 
 
 ?; 1 
 
 1 
 
 _ f^JiiL ^ 
 
 ^s 
 
■23 
 
 hour. As the limit of such a junction has been proven by ex- 
 periment to be 80 trains per hour, it is difficult for the ordinary 
 observer to siee why more trains cannot be operated across 
 this point. If more cars can be operated, surely the company 
 cannot claim that either Second or Third avenue is being oper- 
 ated to its full capacity. 
 
 Not only can more trains be run, but by extending the station 
 platforms, trains of eight or more cars, instead of seven as used 
 on Third avenue or five on Second avenue, could be run, thus 
 largely increasing the capacity of the present lines. 
 
 Sixth avenue furnishes another illustration of overcrowd- 
 ing-. By referring to Diagram VIII it will be observed that be- 
 tween 5 and 6.30 p. m. 34 Harlem trains were run and every 
 one was badly packed. Between 6 and 6.30 p. m. but 12 trains 
 were run, furnishing 3,456 seats, carrying 5,252 passengers. It is 
 claimed that above One Hundred and Sixteenth street, where the 
 trains, both Ninth and Sixth avenue, run on one track, that there 
 is room for no more trains. We find, however, a maximum of 
 only 58 trains in one hour on this single track, where previous to 
 the operation of the subway a maximum of 81 trains were 
 operated, according to the company's own statement to Mayor 
 Low. 
 
 On the Fulton Street line in Brooklyn, June 20, 1907, but 2^6 
 trains ran east from 5.30 to 6.30 p. m. The average number 
 standing in each car was over 30. There is urgent need of 
 more trains. It evidently is possible to run more, judging 
 by the 58 trains that are being run on the Ninth Avenue 
 Elevated above One Hundred and Sixteenth street, or the 42 
 trains run on the Third Avenue above the Harlem river. The 
 other lines leaving Brooklyn Bridge carry jointly but about 
 40 trains. There is more excuse for this, however, owing to 
 the fact that they must all pass out over one line, and a very 
 crooked one at that. 
 
 Every elevated line in the city is distressingly overcrowded, 
 and every line could accommodate more trains, and longer 
 trains. 
 
24 
 
 Are inclosed vestibules advisable? 
 
 The elevated cars all have open platforms, while subway 
 cars, running under cover most of the time, have their ends 
 completely inclosed. Open platforms might not be so serious 
 were it not for the fact that the overcrowding of trains re- 
 quires passengers to stand on the platforms in all kinds of 
 weather. Fifteen or more passengers are often found on one 
 platform. 
 
 The Boston Elevated Company, in the last few years, vol- 
 untarily remodeled all its old cars, so as to do away with 
 exposed platforms, inclosing the space as a part of the car 
 body, similar to the New York subway cars. The framework 
 of the New York and Brooklyn elevated cars is similar to that 
 of the Boston cars, so that tliey could be transformed in like 
 manner. 
 
 There is only one apparent reason for not making such a 
 change on all cars, and that is the possibility of adopting side- 
 door cars on the elevated lines as well as in the subway. 
 Elevated clearances would permit of a lOO-seat car. or possibly 
 of a i20-seat car, if the latter were needed. If cross seats were 
 placed in all the present cars, however, and longer trains and 
 more frequent ones run, perhaps all the passengers could be 
 seated. But if itjvestigation should show that all passengers 
 cannot be furnished seats in the rush hours by placing cross seats 
 in the present cars, it would seem well to try at once trains of 
 side-door cars in New York and Brooklyn, as suggested for the 
 subway. 
 
 Are the cars kept in a sanitary condition? 
 
 Observations — ■ 
 
 Section 173 of the Sanitary Code requires each car to be 
 " carefully and thoroughly cleaned " every day it is used. The 
 accumulation of dirt, chiefly observable on Second and Third 
 avenue lines, is evidence that cleaning is not done every day. 
 
 What is a reasonable sanitary requirement? On the Central 
 London Railwa-\- ail car floors are swept and sprinkled at the end 
 
25 
 
 of every rush liour trip. Smooth floors are being adopted on 
 many new cars in this country. 
 
 As to the sanitary aspects of travei in the city, a most impor- 
 tant investigation of the condition of the subway was begim by 
 the Board of Rapid Transit Railroad Commissioners. This in- 
 vestigation should be continued and extended to all the surface 
 and elevated lines in the first district. We would strongly 
 urge that the Commission should have a permanent sanitary 
 expert to advise constantly on matters that concern health. 
 One important matter that concerns all lines is the sanitary 
 aspect of the over-crowding of cars, especially in view of the 
 serious increase of respiratory diseases in the city. 
 
 The danger of disseminating contagious diseases through 
 closely packing people in cars is admitted, and should receive 
 the most careful consideration of the Commission. 
 
 4. SURFACE ROADS. 
 
 To what extent are the cars overcrowded? Can more cars be 
 run? 
 
 Observation s — 
 
 It is hardly necessary to call attention to the fact that surface 
 cars are overcrowded in all the boroughs, and frequently dan- 
 gerously so. Even on lines in the Bronx and Richmond, where 
 there is abundant room for more cars, one can find the accommo- 
 dation so insufficient that at times it is almost impossible to get 
 on cars at intermediate points. In Manhattan a number of careful 
 counts were made during the rush hours of the traffic on different 
 lines to determine the extent of the overcrowding, and the results 
 for two lines are shown in Diagrams IX and X. Diagram IX 
 gives the numbers of cars, passengers and seats northbound on 
 Madison avenue, grouped in five-minute and half-hour periods. It 
 will be noted that from 5 to 7 p. m. there were only three five- 
 minute periods in which there were more seats than passengers. 
 Six cars had over 100 passengers each ; one had 120. The irreg- 
 ularity of the running of the cars is very marked, the number 
 passing in five minutes varying from 3 to 12. This is a matter that 
 
X 
 
27 
 
 evidently needs serious attention, and something should be done 
 wherever such irregularity occurs to remove the causes, whether 
 by better traffic regulation or better car regulation. 
 
 As to the accommodation furnished on Madison avenue, the 
 number of cars is evidently conditioned by the fact that they have 
 to run on Forty-second street on the same tracks as crosstown cars. 
 Between 6 and 7 p. m. 82 cars vv^ere run north on Madison ave- 
 nue. On a similar branching line in Boston 134 cars are run per 
 hour each way, with a maximum of 220 an hour on a street cor- 
 responding with Forty-second street. 
 
 Moreover, it appears from a count made by the company that 
 on Madison avenue on December 29, 1902, about 126 cars were 
 run north from 6 to 7 p. m., or 53 per cent, more than on June 
 17, 1907. It is true that the traffic was heavier in 1902, about 
 7,540 persons being carried, against 5,927 in 1907. But until 
 there are enough seats for all passengers the public certainly has 
 a right to expect and require that a company shall run as many 
 cars as it can and has in the past. A similar reduction in service 
 has occurred on Lexington avenue, where from 6 to 7 p. m. there 
 were 52 cars run north on June 17, 1907, against about no on De- 
 cember 29, 1902. The total car mileage in Manhattan is less now 
 than it was six years ago, especially on the Third avenue system, 
 where the mileage was cut down over one-half in eight years. 
 
 Diagram X illustrates the overcrowding on Twenty-third 
 street in the afternoon rush hours. In some five-minute periods 
 less than half the passengers were supplied with seats ; in one 
 period only 40 per cent. The irregularity of the cars is very 
 marked, 14 being run in one period and only two in another. 
 Fourteen cars in five minutes is at the rate of 168 cars an hour, 
 whereas only 95 cars were actually nm. 
 
 As to the limiting effect of junctions on the number of surface 
 cars run, it is noticeable at all such points that the tracks are not 
 being fully utilized. At Broadway, Thirty-fourth street and Sixth 
 avenue, where three lines cross, a recent rush hour count showed 
 cars passing at the rate of 478 an hour in all directions. Four 
 years ago as many as 525 cars were found passing at this point. 
 To-day cars are run as many as 11 in one minute, which is at the 
 rate of 66c an hour, and shows what can be done if enough cars 
 are furnished. The company once stated that 1,070 cars were 
 
X! 
 
29 
 
 scheduled per hour for this crossing. In a later statement they 
 said that 975 cars had been operated and that 731 per hour was 
 a reasonable number, so that the 478 found to-day is far below t'le 
 company's own standards. 
 
 Is the transfer system satisfactory? 
 
 Observations — 
 
 There is comparatively little ground for complaint as to trans- 
 fers between surface lines in Manhattan, though there are yet 
 several points where they are not given, especially between the 
 Forty-second and One Hundred and Sixteenth street lines and 
 some of the avenue lines. There seems to be no excuse for these 
 exceptions. In the Bronx the privilege is not universally extended 
 between the New York City Interborough Railway Company 
 and the Union Railway Company, though the Interborough Rapid 
 Transit Company owns one company and a controlling interest in 
 the other. Surface lines give transfers to the elevated road for 
 three cents extra. Why should this extra fare be charged, since 
 these lines are all operated by one company? At one point, viz.. 
 One Hundred and Forty-ninth street and Third avenue, transfers 
 are given between the subway and the elevated road. They are 
 not given, however, at Sixty-sixth street and Broadway, and their 
 use at that point would be a great convenience to many passengers. 
 
 In our judgment it would be for the financial interest of 
 the Interborough Company, as well as a great convenience to 
 the public, if transfers were given between all of their lines — 
 surface, elevated and subway. 
 
 This universal transfer plan has been in practice in Boston 
 for six years with great success, the company giving free trans- 
 fers between trains and surface cars at every station, finding it to 
 their advantage to encourage such transferring as much as pos- 
 sible, owing to the fact that they can carry a passenger more 
 cheaply on a train than on a surface car. 
 
 Should not all surface cars have inclosed vestibules? 
 
 Observations — • 
 
 For years efforts have been made to compel the companies to 
 inclose the platforms on the surface cars. In Manhattan, so far. 
 
30 
 
 tliey have complied with this pubhc demand in but a few in- 
 stances. A large proportion of the Bronx cars and nearly all of 
 those in Brooklyn are now thus equipped. The company in Man- 
 hattan has declared its intention to make this change, but up to 
 the present little has been accomplished. Why should New York 
 City alone of all northern cities fail to protect the motormen on 
 surface cars? 
 
 Cannot the number of accidents be reduced? 
 
 Observations — ■ 
 
 One of the most serious aspects of transit at present is the 
 number and cost of accidents. According- to the State Railroad 
 Commissioners' report for 1906, on the surface, elevated and sub- 
 way lines of Greater New York the total number of persons killed 
 in the year was 321, against 227 in 1905, an increase of 41 per 
 cent. The total amount of damages paid out amounted to about 
 $2,301,125 in 1906. Legal expenses in connection with damages 
 amounted to a further simi of $1,159,295, making the total cost 
 of accidents, excluding damag-'e to rolling stock and propert}', 
 $3,460,420, against $3,103,903 for 1905, an increase of ii>2 per 
 cent. In proportion to the traffic, the ntuuber of persons killed 
 by the Nev/ York transit lines is eight times as great as in Liver- 
 pool and the cost of accidents is about 40 times as great as in 
 Hamburg in proportion to the car mileage. Even without such 
 comparisons the figures for New York are alarmingly large and 
 the precautions clearly inadequate. A study of the causes of acci- 
 dents shows that the number and expense ought largely to be re- 
 duced by the introduction of better brakes, fenders, car mainte- 
 nance, training of employees, etc. 
 
 Should not all cars have power brakes? 
 
 OnSIiRN'ATIONS — • 
 
 The absence of power brakes on so many of the surface cars 
 in New York City accounts partly for the appalling frequency cf 
 collisions with people and vehicles. The air l)rakes on the Third 
 avenue cars were taken oil wlicn the road was absorbed bv the 
 
31 
 
 Metropolitan Company, the reason assigned being" that power 
 brakes were dangerons and had caused serious accidents. It has 
 been suggested that the real reason for the removal was to avoid 
 the extension of air brakes to all the cars \n the city. The voluntary- 
 adoption of power brakes on the new cars of the Brooklyn Rapid 
 Transit Company is in marked contrast to their absence on cars in 
 Manhattan and The i'.ronx. The excuse for many accidents is 
 slippery rails, but this is an admission of defective sanding or a 
 failure to use this precaution. In England great emphasis is laid 
 on keeping rails clean by continual scraping and washing, espe- 
 ciall}^ on grades. Hand brakes or air lirakes may fail if rails 
 are not kept clean or sand applied in an emergency. There is, 
 however, a type of brake available which is equally effective on 
 dry or slippery rails. It is the latest form of the magnetic brake 
 as now used on thousands of cars in England and somewhat less 
 in this country. At ordinary speeds this brake has been found 
 twice as effective on a slippery rail as an air brake on a dry rail, 
 and its great success in London is a strong argument for its adop- 
 tion in New York. With a brake that can stop a car running 
 eleven miles an hour in thirteen feet, there appears to he little 
 excuse for colliding with either a person or a vehicle. This brake 
 might also allow cars to be stopped automatically at any point, 
 like a fire stop or the top of a hill, whether the motorman remem- 
 bers to apply the brake or not. It greatly reduces the danger of 
 runaway cars. The question of power brakes should be thor- 
 oughly investigated from the standpoint of safety for pedestrians 
 and vehicles on our densely congested streets and the need of 
 running cars at a satisfactory speed. 
 
 Should not all cars have safe and adequate fenders? 
 
 Observations — 
 
 Many of the surface cars of the New York City Railway Com- 
 pany have no fender of any kind. (Jn Broadway and Columbus 
 avenue. Seventh avenue and Fifty-ninth street, and on the Forty - 
 second street cross-town lines cars are not equipped with fenders. 
 On the Fifty-ninth street cross-town line there are fenders, but 
 they are usually folded up and not in use. Many other lines have 
 
3^ 
 
 and use fenders. There is no uniformity in fender equipment or 
 its use. While projecting- fenders are usually regarded in Europe 
 as of more danger than help, because by extending in front of the 
 car they trip people and also reduce the space in which to stop 
 a car; some protection in front is needed. The Berlin plan seems 
 the best one — of covering the dasher with a flexible wire mesh 
 which ])rojects sufficientl}' to cover up all sharp corners that would 
 inflict injury, and can be grasped 1)_\- a person who may be struci: 
 by the car. 
 
 Some wheel guard at least as good as the type used in Man- 
 hattan should be required on all the surface cars of the Ave 
 boroughs of New York; but even this wheel guard allows persons 
 to go under the wheels. There is one well known type of wheel 
 guard which has never failed in six years of service, and that is 
 the plow type in use in Liverpool, England. It is now being- 
 experimented with in Boston, Mass. It is an unpatented device, 
 adopted by the city, to put an end to fatalities under 
 the cars, and has attracted wide attention because, while 388 
 persons have fallen before the wheels, this wheel guard has 
 pushed them aside without seriously injuring them. Should not 
 tliis wheel guard be required throughout the city, so as to put a 
 stop to the killing of so many persons? Companies have made 
 the excuse that the rough nature of the pavement will not permit 
 of such, a wheel guard. This excuse is not tenable in view of the 
 fact that other parts of their cars are closer to the ground. 
 Should they be allowed to neglect such practical and feasible 
 safeguards, even though they do not maintain their pavements as 
 required by law? But the best way to avoid injuring people 
 is to run at safe speeds, to use power brakes, to keep brakes 
 and other mechanism in order, and to train motormen to be 
 careful. 
 
 How can more seats be furnished on surface cars? 
 
 Observations — 
 
 It appears that the difficulty of furnishing sufHcienl seats on 
 the surface cars can be quickly and completely solved in New- 
 York City by adopting the practice successfully tried elsewhere of 
 
33 
 
 running car^ in pair^ in the rush hours, as in Washington, Bos- 
 ton and Columbus, and in Paris, Berlin, Vienna and other Euro- 
 pean cities. While the running of cars in trains has not been sat- 
 isfactory in Chicago, the trouble there has been faulty operation. 
 In Berlin and \'ienna, three-car trains even are run at the rush 
 hours, furnishing: as many as loo seats to a unit, with complete 
 safet}'. and- without interference with other traffic. Of course 
 power brakes are needed for such operation. With the Liverpool 
 wheel guard surrounding every truck, fatalities are impossible 
 under the second car, though on the Continent no special precau- 
 tions have been found necessary. 
 
 If the Brooklyn surface cars were run in pairs over the 
 Brooklyn Bridge, keeping the same space as now between the rear 
 of one unit and the front of the next, over 22,000 seats could be 
 furnished in one rush hour for the 17,000 or i8,ooo passengers 
 that are now packed in single cars. Cars run in pairs would have 
 time enough to unload and load on the terminal loops in one stop 
 instead of the two stops now needed. There is sufficient room if 
 Jong and short cars are combined on the present loops for this 
 method of operation, and the railings could be so adjusted as to 
 insure safety to the people. The New York City Railway Com- 
 pany has been running" two pairs of air-braked cars on the 
 Twenty-third Street Crosstown line. The cars on all surface lines 
 are so infrequent to-day as to allow a large increase in the number 
 of cars, if not double the number, if they were run in pairs. 
 
 In all the places mentioned with the exception of Columbus, 
 Ohio, and the two pairs on Twenty-third street, the additional cars 
 are trailers. The latter are much more economical to provide and 
 run than two motor-cars coupled together, but are not so easily 
 reversed. Still, even in Manhattan, trailers seem feasible, if 
 made light enough, and if reversed on the side streets, where 
 loops are not feasible. Heavy disabled cars are constantly pushed 
 itp the steep grades in Manhattan, and even four cars have been 
 coupled together. Light cars are suitable for trailers. Tlie 
 latest type in Berlin, has room for 32 cross seats, and weighs less 
 than 5 tons, while the smallest size New^ York motor car, with 
 36 seats, weighs over 16^ tons. 
 
 On the Continent, as in Berlin, no cars are thrown away, but 
 all are saved to furnish sufficient seats as trailers in the rush 
 
34 
 
 hours, being kept clean, painted, and in perfect repiiir ; and they 
 make far easier and quieter ricHng- cars than the heavv modern 
 electrics. 
 
 Double deck cars are nnich more economical to operate than 
 cars run singly or in pairs with the same seating capacity, as even 
 TOO seats can lie carried on a single truck. As operated in Eng- 
 land to-day witli inclosed roofs, double <leckers \vi mid be very 
 well adapted to the American climate, 'idieir stops can be as 
 short as single deck cars. They can make better time on slippery 
 tracks, and are stopped more {|uickl\- if electricallv braked, as in 
 London. Their larg-e seating capacity has made lower fares profit- 
 able in Europe, and they can be run as fast as is safe for anv cars 
 in city service. Idiey liave often been nrged for Xew York City, 
 and a trial of them might be worth while on such routes as Broad- 
 way or the crow^ded crosstown lines, though some elevated railway 
 girders would need to be replaced in order to albnv the use of a 
 higher car. b"or. while double deck cars have been designed low 
 enough to pass under most overhead obstructions in New York, 
 a head room is desirable which allows a cross seat car. A great 
 advantage of the type is the small amount of street space occupied 
 by cars furnishing a large seating capacity, as a double deck car 
 seats about three times as many as a closed car of the same length 
 and twice as many as an open car. Where streets are crowded 
 or junctions are congested, double deck cars might afford much 
 relief to traffic by alb^wing a large reduction in the number of 
 cars run, without reducing the supply of seats. The present 
 Manhattan closed cars could be remodeled so as to seat lOO pas- 
 sengers, while new cars of a narrow^ type could seat io8. 
 
 In view of these methods for largely increasing the seatmg 
 capacity of surface lines, it seems time to require the traction com- 
 ]:)anies of New York to stop the overcrowding of their cars and to 
 furnish at the earliest pcjssible date sufficient seats at all hours for 
 all ordinary traffic. Many practical railwav men do not believe 
 that congestion pays or is necessary. Overcrowding of cars tends 
 to reduce traffic, to increase accidents, to cause loss of fares, loss 
 of time, and other disadvantages to a company. That it does not 
 pay tr) furnish, seats is a tradition tliat is fast disappearing amon^ 
 railway men. That enough seats cannot be furnished in the 
 rush hours is another tradition which no longer has any basis. 
 
35 
 
 In Europe, companies have been compelled to give sufficient 
 seats and have found ways to do it. In this country some 
 companies have realized the mistakes of the past and are volun- 
 tarilv providing" sufficient accommodations. It is tinie to take a 
 firm stand on this matter in New York, and to accept no excuses. 
 
 Should not all cars have cross seats? 
 
 Observation. s — 
 
 The standard seat in the Manhattan closed cars is still the 
 longitudinal seat, which is also too frecjuent in other cars, 
 being often ver\- uncomfortable, with the high rates of accel- 
 eration and braking common in the city. As cross seats are 
 feasible now. even in narrow cars, should they not be required, 
 at least in all new rolling stock, whether subway, surface or 
 elevated? If all cars had the maximum number of cross seats, 
 there would be no difficulty in providing enough seats for all 
 passengers at the rush hours ; the excuse of the need of standing 
 room is no longer a reasonaljle one. 
 
 Should the Montreal system of collecting fares be adopted 
 here? 
 
 OuSERXATIOjXS — 
 
 The manager of the jMontreal Street Railway system has 
 recently worked out an improved system of collecting fares 
 which appears to have marked advantages, and is under con- 
 sidcratir)n in Xew York. The conductor stands always on the 
 rear platform, where he can see passengers getting on and off 
 and so prevents accidents. After passengers have got on, just 
 before they enter the body of the car, they deposit their fares 
 in a fare box in front of the conductor, just as they drop tickets 
 in the gate box at elevated and subway stations, a practice 
 from which the idea came. The conductor does not touch the 
 fare money, but merely makes change and issues transfers. 
 The platforms on the Montreal cars are now made longer, 
 so that they will hold as many people as are likely to get on 
 at anv one point. A car can then start as soon as the pas- 
 
36 
 
 sengers are on the platform, and fares be collected while the 
 car is getting under \va}'. lY^ople in Montreal have two places 
 to get on and two to g^et off a car^two places to board at the 
 rear and one to leave ; also a door and step for leaving at the 
 front end. The advantage to the public of this fare system is a 
 reduction in accidents, as the conductor is always on the rear plat- 
 form to watch the steps. The entrances and exits are wholly sep- 
 arate. The advantages to a company are. a reduction in the loss 
 of fares, as none can be missed and none stolen by a conductor. 
 The reduction in accidents means a decrease in the cost of dam- 
 ages. Several types of cars are suitable for this fare system and 
 a trial of it seems well worth while. 
 
 Miscellaneous — Some other matters that need improvement. 
 
 0;3SERVAT10NS — 
 
 Besides the points already mentioned, a number of other 
 matters appear to need attention. None of the surface cars 
 have sufficient or satisfactory signs, especially as compared 
 with the cars in Berlin. Lights are not bright enough; 
 seats are not comfortable enough ; names of streets are not 
 regularly and clearly called out ; not every stopping place 
 is distinctly marked by signs as in some other cities ; employees are 
 not well trained nor supplied witli pocket guides of local informa- 
 tion, such as are fm"ni?hcd to the police; no jacks and other 
 emergency tools on every car, as in Berlin and other cities ; cars 
 are far too noisy ; interruptions of power too frequent : flat wheels 
 are still too common. 
 
37 
 
 II. IMPROVEMENT IN CONSTRUCTION OF EXIST- 
 ING LINES. 
 
 I. THE SUBWAY. 
 
 In the interest of good sanitation, should not existing and fu- 
 ture subways have concrete floors? 
 
 Observations — 
 
 It is very evident to the lay observer that the floor of the 
 present subway, owing to the rough surface of the ballast, is 
 becoming very foul and unhealthful. particularly at stations. 
 Such a condition should not be permitted. 
 
 The Philadelphia subway has carefully drained concrete 
 floors without any ballast, and a track construction which 
 appears safer and more permanent, as well as cleaner, than the 
 track in the New York subwav. 
 
 Is the ventilation being improved as fast as possible? 
 
 Observatjons — 
 
 People still complain that the subway air is not good, though 
 chemical tests have shown nothing injurious, and the increased 
 number of openings to the outer air has caused decidedly better 
 ventilation. In winter, draughts of cold air from the street 
 down into the stations are still unremedied and constitute the 
 chief danger to health in the subway, especially in the case of 
 the employees working in the stations. All the entrances to 
 the Boston subway are provided with doors, and these are 
 needed in New York, at least in the winter. In the Berlin sub- 
 way and elevated stations the ticket takers are sheltered in 
 glass enclosed booths. There appears to be only one such 
 shelter in the subway. 
 
 There would be no need of such excessive draughts down the 
 New York subway stairs if there were adeciuate openings to the 
 streets nearby. No steps have been taken as yet to reduce 
 the excessive amount of heat given off by the subway trains. 
 
38 
 
 The most effecti\'e remedy would Ije the introduetion of side 
 door cars, since they wouhl take far less power for the same 
 schedule. The shorter stojj at stations would reduce the speed 
 
 re(|uired in maintain the schedule. 
 
 Should not fire hydrants be placed in all parts of the subway 
 for protection? 
 
 Obser\atio-\s — 
 
 The suljway as at i)resent constructed has no lire hydrants, 
 and in case of fire it is necessary for the regular Fire Department 
 to hring- its hose to the subway, attach it to hydrants nearest the 
 station in the vicinity of the tire, and then to drag the hose 
 down the station openings and along the subway to the point 
 of conria^ration. It is highl}' important that there should be 
 hydrants with hose attached in the subway itself, so located 
 that the\' would be within easy reach of fire caused h\ an^' 
 accident and ready for instant use, as they are in the I'oston 
 sul)waA-. 
 
 Should not emergency stairways be placed between all 
 stations? 
 
 Obsern'atioxs — 
 
 Stairways have been built in connection with some of the new 
 ventilating chamjjers. Such emergenc\' stairways should l)e placed 
 between all stations where not already installed. Without such 
 stairways, in case of an accident it would be necessary for passen- 
 gers in some places to walk at least five blocks bef(jre finding an 
 exit. Passengers obliged to go this distance would be likely to 
 be suffocated if there were a rapidl}- burning fire in the sub- 
 waw as on the occasion of the Paris disaster. 
 
39 
 2. ELEVATED ROADS. 
 
 Why should elevated roads remain noisy? 
 
 Observations — • 
 
 ]\Inch of the noise with which Xew York is afflicted 
 comes from the vibration of the elevated roads. In Berlin 
 twentv-five years ago an effective remedy for this vibration 
 and noise was fonnd in the use of ballast on a solid floor. This 
 remedv has since been adopted with great success on the ele- 
 vated lines in Berlin, Paris and Philadelphia, and is widely 
 used on steam railroad bridges and trestles in this country. A 
 recent test of the eft'ect of ballasting an ordinary elevated 
 structure showed that the total noise was reduced at least 80 
 per cent. The cost of such an alteration would be about a 
 tenth or less of the original cost of an elevated road. The 
 added weight is regarded as no more injurious than the exist- 
 ing vibration. Existing tracks and ties need merely to be 
 raised and a concrete floor with ballast inserted. The Burling- 
 ton Railroad has recently been doing this with its l)ridges 
 while the tracks were in use. The structure can ))e painted 
 white underneath, like tbe Xew York Central viaduct on Park 
 avenue, making th.e street brighter l^elow. All new elevated 
 structures and elevated portions, if any, of future subways 
 should, of course, be noiseless. In Berlin, Paris and Philadelphia, 
 where the elevated roads are ballasted, no damages have had to be 
 paid to property owners. 
 
 Should not drip pans be required at all street crossings? 
 
 Ol'.SERVATIOXS 
 
 If solid floors were provided on the elevated structures no 
 drip pans would be needed. Pending such alteration no cross- 
 ing should remain without a protection to foot passengers. 
 The Manhattan lines have such pans at many crossings. In 
 Brooklvn there are but few. 
 
40 
 3. SURFACE ROADS. 
 
 Should not all horse-car lines be electrified at once? 
 
 Observations— 
 
 In Manhattan, according to the State Raih-oad Commissioners' 
 reports, there are 341.43 miles of single track. r)n 75.59 miles 
 horses are still used as motive power. New York City is the 
 only large city in the Ignited States using such an antiquated 
 system. The public, on the promise of the companies, has 
 been expecting the transformation for years. Recently the 
 company again assured the citizens of the east side that the 
 horse cars would be replaced with modern equipment very 
 soon. There is ample justification for peremptory action on 
 the ]:)art of the Commission. 
 
 Cannot some method of electrification be found better than 
 the overhead trolley or the conduit system? 
 
 Op.si:R\A'rio:\s — 
 
 The obvious dra\vl:)acks of the overhead trollev system, with 
 its live wires and their annoying if not dangerous breaks, led to 
 the requiring of the underground trolley in Manhattan. This, too, 
 has drawbacks, as from short circuits, flooding by water, too much 
 metal in the street, besides being more than twice as expensive to 
 construct, as the overhead trolley system. This last factor 
 tends to reduce the mileage of track and delays electrification 
 of horse car lines, llie impossibility of operating a conduit 
 system along West street, on account of the possible flooding 
 of the conduit during high tides, emphasizes the need of some 
 other type of electric construction. The successful use of the 
 surface contact system in Wolverhampton, England, suggests an 
 investigation of its feasibility, particularly- as flooding by water 
 does not incapacitate it. This contact system can l)e installed for 
 about $75,000 a mile and appears to be safer and more reliable 
 for any surface lines than either the overhead or the underground 
 systems, judging by long and severe tests in actual t»])eration m 
 the above named cit\-. 
 
41 
 Should not unused tracks be removed? 
 
 Oe ser vat jo n s — 
 
 In Manhattan alone there are 19.67 miles of street car track 
 practically unused. They are a hindrance to traffic. A careful 
 examination should be made of the assumed right of the com- 
 panies in the franchises they are attempting to keep alive. If 
 their franchises are still valid, a compromise might be reached 
 which would permit the company to take up the tracks and 
 still retain their rights. 
 
 To what extent are car houses protected against fire? 
 
 Obser\-ations — 
 
 In Manhattan foiu' car houses have been burned in the last 
 year, one fire consuming over 300 cars and requiring the run- 
 ning of open cars even in April to meet the needs of the traffic. 
 New car houses in other cities are now made fireproof, and 
 those that are non-fireproof are protected l^v automatic 
 sprinklers, so that a fire starting in a car is put out before it 
 spreads even to another car. Should not existing as well as 
 new car houses in New York City be equipped with effective 
 sprinkler systems and partition walls, and all new structures 
 be made fireproof? 
 
 III. EXTENDING OR COMPLETING EXISTING 
 LINES OR LINES UNDER CONTRACT. 
 
 The present luisettled financial conditions, which seem 
 likely to continue for some time, and the fact that no bids 
 were received when through subway routes were recently ad- 
 vertised, indicate that it may be difficult and perhaps impossi- 
 ble to provide in the immediate future for the construction 
 of new through lines. This should not delay, however, 
 the construction of minor and comparatively inexpensive ex- 
 tensions to existing lines, where such extensions will greatly 
 improve the service. These extensions should, in our judg- 
 
42 
 
 ment. be constructed by the City, and subsequently leased for 
 operating" purposes. 
 
 Should not immediate steps be taken to complete the subway 
 loop? 
 
 OCSEIUATIOXS 
 
 The Brooklyn-AJanhattan sulnvay loop as at first planned was 
 designed to include, besides the portion now under contract 
 extending from the Williamsburg to the Brooklyn Bridge, a 
 line down AA'illiam street, thence via tunnel from Old 
 Slip to Montague street in Brooklyn, thence under Fulton, VCW- 
 loughby. Flatbush avenue, Lafayette avenue and Broadway to 
 Williamsburg Bridge, completing a loop. The Court Commis- 
 sioners failed to recommend William street as a feasible route, so 
 that portion was abandoned and the loop was temporarily ended 
 at Brooklyn Jlridge. 
 
 In our judgment Nassau street rather than William street 
 should ha\'e been used for this loop route, since it runs in 
 front of lirooklyn Bridge and would allow trains to pass from 
 it on to the bridge. As now planned Route No. 3 (Third ave- 
 nue route) is plotted for Nassau street, but it might be pos- 
 sible to secure from the court a permit to change Route No. 
 3 to \\'illiam street and Route No. 9 (the sul^way loop route) 
 to Nassau street. In this way an extension of the loop could 
 be contracted for at once to continue south into the office 
 district, wlience it could return to Brooklyn by a new tunnel. 
 Without this extension all passengers will be delivered at the 
 Brooklyn Bridge terminal, already the most congested spot 
 in the city. In our judgment this extension should be under- 
 taken at <3nce. 
 
 Should not the extension to Prospect Park be undertaken? 
 
 ObSI:K\ ATloXS — 
 
 When Contrp.ct No. 2 (the Brooklyn-liattery tunnel) was ad- 
 vertised it wa.^ tlie intention not only to build the subway up Flat- 
 bush avenue to the Long Island Railroad station, but to continue 
 
43 
 
 it to the south side of Prospect Park. The contract for this 
 section, however, was not awarded. This extension would 
 accommodate a very large and populous territory that is not 
 now well served by transit lines. It seems unfortunate that 
 anything should have arisen to delay the awarding of this 
 contract, and the matter should be reopened for further con- 
 sideration as early as possible. 
 
 Should the contract for the Fourth avenue route in Brooklyn 
 be advertised at once? 
 
 Observations — 
 
 The Board of Rapid Transit before going out of office decided 
 to proceed with a subway in Fourth avenue in Brooklyn. Ap- 
 parently no section of Brooklyn needs a rapid transit line more 
 than does this territory. It not only would accommodate a 
 large resident population, but would serve as a rapid transit 
 line to Coney Island, and later a branch could be extended to 
 Staten Island, opening up one of the most beautiful resident sec- 
 tions in the vicinity of New York. The question of letting con- 
 tracts for this line will no doubt be one of the first matters to 
 come before the new Con.imission, and in our judgment it should 
 be undertaken without delav. 
 
 Should not an additional subway line be contracted for, run- 
 ning from Times Square south to the Battery? 
 
 Observations — 
 
 In April, 1907, the Board of Rapid Transit advertised for 
 bids to construct a subway from Times Square south to the 
 Battery via Seventh avenue, Greenwich avenue, and West 
 Broadway, and also north from that point via Seventh avenue 
 and Central Park West extending into The Bronx ; also for a 
 through Lexington avenue subway. No bids were received. 
 
 The portion south of Times Square was advertised as a 
 separate section, and was so planned as to connect with the 
 present subway at Times Square, forming thereby a complete 
 north and south line on the west side, if the contract \\'^re secured 
 
44 
 
 by the Interborough Company. The necessity for an additional 
 Hne soutli from Forty-second street is occasioned by the large 
 number of people using the Grand Central Station. In all prob- 
 ability in the near future there will be as many people desiring to 
 go south from the Grand Central subway station as now go south 
 from north of that point. The large number of people at 
 present entering the subway at Grand Central Station conditions 
 the running of trains in the \\hole sulnxay, so that it requires a 
 much longer time for Ih'onx or Kingsbridge passengers to reach 
 the Kattery than it woukl if their trains could run south from 
 Times Square b\- a new line. 
 
 According to a count taken on ^lay 25. 1907, there were 
 3,001 people entering the subway from the Grand Central 
 Station during one hour, all going south. Within a short time 
 the electrification of the New York Central and the New York, 
 New Haven & Hartford Railroads will undoubtedly greatly 
 increase the number brought to this point. In addition to this 
 increase the Belmont tunnel, running from Queens and mak- 
 ing connection with the present subway at Forty-second 
 street, will undoubtedly bring several thousands in addition 
 to this station, so that within three or four years there will 
 probably be required from 30 to 40 trains per hour to carry the 
 passengers entering the subway at the Grand Central Station. 
 If such a condition develops, it will retard the traffic coming 
 from north of Fort\-second street much more seriously than at 
 present. The quickest and chea]3est solution of this impending 
 difficulty — in addition to the installation of side door cars in the 
 present subv.ay- — will be to construct the proposed subway south 
 from Times Square so as to get an additional route for the trains 
 coming from The Bronx and Kingsbridge. 
 
 Since the construction of this line is very imperative, and 
 inasmuch as no bids were received when it was advertised, in 
 our judgment it is advisable for the Public Service Commis- 
 sion to undertake to build this line with City monev and subse- 
 (•[uently to lease it to some operator. 
 
45 
 
 Should a third track be installed on Second and Third 
 avenues? 
 
 Obsekvatioxs — 
 
 Repeated applications have been made for permission to 
 put a third track for express trains on the Second and Third 
 avenue elevated lines. These applications have been refused, 
 chiefly on the ground that to extend or develop the elevated 
 roads on the east side would tend to discourage bidders for 
 subways in that section. In addition to this main argument, 
 others were put forward that the additional noise and darkening 
 of the streets would be seriously objectionable. 
 
 Undoubtedly these applications will be renewed before the 
 present Commission. They will be told that the capacity of the 
 Second and Third avenue elevated roads would be greatly in- 
 creased by the addition of a third track on each, and that this 
 additional capacity is much needed. 
 
 In passing upon the application for permission to place a 
 third track on Second and Third avenues, the following con- 
 siderations should be borne in mind : 
 
 1. Can not the present tracks, with longer and more frequent 
 trains, accommodate the present traffic, and give rapid service ; 
 if not, will the third tracks afiford a large measure of relief? 
 
 2. Assuming that a third track could be placed on the Second 
 and Third Avenue lines on the level of the present tracks, as 
 far south as Chatham Square, what plan is proposed for the 
 third tracks from Chatham Square to Brooklyn Bridge and 
 to South Ferry? 
 
 3. If the third tracks would afford a substantial measure 
 of relief, and if a plan could be devised for carrying them to 
 Brooklyn Bridge and South Ferry without creating intoler- 
 able conditions, what effect would this enlargement of the 
 capacity of the elevated roads have upon possible future bid- 
 ders for subways under Lexington, Third and Second avenues? 
 
 To ascertain the bearing of these questions, we would 
 strongly urge that before the application is considered, the 
 operating company be required to submit a complete schedule 
 of the train service possible on the existing tracks, and the 
 schedule proposed on the combined tracks of the two routes 
 
46 
 
 when the third track shall have been completed, showhig the 
 number of trains, express and local, to be operated : the point 
 of departure and the point of destination, and the running time 
 of each : and the number of cars per train. Should the schedule 
 proposed for the system after the installation of a third track 
 show a marked increase in capacity and especially in speed, 
 over the greatest capacity and speed of the present road, and 
 should this schedule be found, in the judgment of the Com- 
 mission, to be a practicable one, and to afiford substantial relief, 
 there remains to be considered the means of its accompHsh- 
 ment. 
 
 There are already three tracks on considerable portions of 
 Second and Third avenues, and these could in each case be 
 extended as far south as Chatham Scpiare on the level of and 
 between the present tracks, and this could be done, in our 
 judgment, without a material increase of the existing menace to 
 public health and morals^ or restriction of the use of the street, 
 except in Allen street. Allen street being narrow three tracks 
 would cover nearly its entire width, which would be seriously 
 objectionable. Apparently,, below Chatham Scjuare. it would be 
 necessary, in order to secure safety in operation and to permit of 
 the operation of a through express service, either to provide a 
 double-decked structure or to run all Third avenue trains to 
 Brooklyn Bridge, and all Second avenue trains to South Ferry. 
 A double-decked structure below Chatham Square would unques- 
 tionably be seriously objectionable by reason of the additional 
 noise, the obstruction of light and air. and the disfigurement of the 
 portion of the city traversed by such lines, also by offering addi- 
 tional obstructions to adequate fire protection. In our judgment 
 such objectionable structures should not be permitted in an\- par. 
 of thf city. 
 
 Should a feasible plan be devised that would perniit of the 
 operation of express service through Allen street or below 
 Chatham Square without serious injur\- to property or persons, 
 there still remains for consideration the most importaiU jxtint of 
 all — the effect upon future subways. 
 
 When the recent Board of Rapid Transit advertised for 
 bids for a Lexington avenue subway, no bids were received, 
 either for the portion north of Forty-second street or the 
 
47 
 
 portion south of that point. Temporary causes may account in 
 part for this fact. To enlarge the capacity of the elevated 
 lines on the east side would undoubtedly further detract from 
 the attractiveness to possible bidders of a through east side 
 subway. The relief that would be afforded by the third tracks 
 would at best be partial and inadequate to the demands of the 
 near future. 
 
 If in the judgment of the Commission third tracks on the 
 present elevated roads would interfere with the early con- 
 struction of a through east side subway, a permit for such 
 tracks, in our judgment, should not be granted. 
 
 Should the Commission deem it wise on mature consid- 
 eration to grant permission for the construction of the third 
 tracks, it should only be, in our judgment, upon the agreement 
 by the company to make their structures comparatively noise- 
 less according to the best known methods. 
 
 IV. TYPES OF TRANSIT LINES. 
 
 Is it desirable, in future construction, to plan for the present 
 types of rapid transit lines? 
 
 The relief of congestion in New York City, then, need not 
 be delayed till new lines can be provided. It is, in part, a mat- 
 ter of operating present cars by up-to-date methods, and in 
 part of getting up-to-date cars and operating them by up-to- 
 date methods. If companies are compelled to furnish seats, 
 the long-fostered congestion, with all its brutality and danger 
 to health and life, will soon disappear, in spite of the claims 
 to the contrary. 
 
 In planning new lines, there is need of careful investigation 
 of all the various types of transit lines now in use in this 
 country and elsewhere. It is our conviction, as above stated, 
 that utilization of the present subway to its fullest capacity by 
 the use of side door cars will provide a great increase in facili- 
 ties at low cost. But the noise, the iron dust, the smells, the 
 heat, the gales of wind will remain. Can these be remedied in 
 the construction of new subways, or are they necessary ac- 
 
48 
 
 companiments of subway lines? And as to the cost — does the 
 failure to receive bids on new subways mean that further un- 
 derground construction is too expensive? In spite of high 
 profits, has the cost advanced to a figure too high to attract 
 private capital? How far, too, can subways be extended into 
 the suburbs and still pay? These cjuestions are not to be 
 easily dismissed. Some of the leading subway engineers in 
 this country and Europe have come to believe that under- 
 ground lines have proved too undesirable and too expensive 
 for future extension. But what alternative is there? The 
 construction of elevated lines, even in the suburbs, is admit- 
 tedly undesirable. When viaducts are made as beautiful and 
 iioiseless as in Berlin, it diminishes the evils, but even then, 
 the elevated road has disadvantages that cannot be obviated. 
 
 The mono-rail system has been advocated by some engineers 
 as having fewer disadvantages than the elevated roads and cost- 
 ing much less than subways. Though at least four types of such 
 roads have been invented, but one has been in practical daily 
 operation so as to prove its advantages or defects. This one is 
 found in Germany and is called the suspended mono-rail. A 
 seven-mile line has been operated in the cities of Barmen and 
 Elberfeld for over six years, and a new line is under considera- 
 tion in Berlin. 
 
 Those who have thoroughly examined this road claim these 
 advantages for it over the elevated road or subway : It is the only 
 mono-rail line that has but one rail ; the only one that has proved 
 its desirability for city trafiRc. Not a single passenger has been 
 injured in the six years of use. No train has been derailed, for 
 the construction permits of no derailment. No person can be run 
 over. The third rail is overhead, out of the way. It is quiet, has 
 no road bed to cut ofl^ light, and costs only half as much as c-.n 
 ordinary elevated road, only one-fifth as much as a subway. It 
 ofifers little obstruction to light and air ; it tears up no streets, 
 ■except for infrequent foundations ; it requires no open ditch, no 
 delays to traffic. There are no motors that shriek, no atmosphere 
 of heated oil and iron to breathe, and practically no danger from 
 fire and derailment. Its low cost would secure five times the 
 mileage possible with subways at the same cost, so could spread 
 a citv over a much larger area. 
 
49 
 
 There seem to be qualities and possibilities in this new type, 
 as a rapid transit road, not obtainable on our established two-rail 
 system. These apparent advantages should warrant a careful 
 study to ascertain whether this type of road would aid in the 
 solution of N"ew York City's transit problem. 
 
 V. GENERAL INVESTIGATION. 
 
 Should not a comprehensive investigation be made before a 
 general system of transit is adopted? 
 
 Observations — 
 
 Though New York City has the most perplexing transit 
 problem of any city in the world, owing to its topography, to 
 its rapidly increasing population and to the great number of 
 transients constantly in the city, yet a thorough and exhaus- 
 tive study of its transit problem has never been made. No 
 person can wisely lay out transit lines that are to be the main 
 avenues of travel for generations to come without answering at 
 least the following questions : 
 
 1. How many people ride to and from their work in New 
 York City; where, by districts, do they live; where, by districts, 
 do they work? 
 
 2. What has been the actual effect of new transit lines upon 
 the movement of population? 
 
 3. What unoccupied territory remains in the city and its 
 vicinity, and how should this condition the location of transit 
 lines. 
 
 4. Where are new business centers being established? 
 
 5. Is there a tendency to move factories to outlying districts? 
 
 6. Will the increasing- vehicle and pedestrian traffic necessi- 
 tate any changes in grades of street surfaces at street crossings? 
 
 7. What is the relative efficiency of bridges and tunnels? 
 
 I. How many people ride to and from their work in New 
 York City ; where, by districts, do they live ; where, by districts, 
 do they work? Transit lines cannot wisely be laid out in this city 
 X\n{\\ the number of people living and working in the territory 
 
so 
 
 that such proposed hires wiU serve is known ; not only the number 
 that hve and work in such territory, but also the kind of work 
 they do and where their work is likely to be. In the present sub- 
 wav, for instance, the morning- rush hour travel by half hours, 
 according to an observation taken on April 9, 1907, was as fol- 
 lows: From 7 to 7.30 a. m. the number of passengers carried 
 was 4,807; 7.30 to 8 a. m.. 9,211 ; 8 to 8.30 a. m., 9,481 ; 8.30 to 
 9 a. m., 11,493, which indicates that the mass of the people who 
 use the subway are not day laborers, but are people who' work 
 in offices. Thus the present subway, serving but one class of 
 people, has short rush hours. \\'ere it possible to so locate a route 
 that it would serve both the laboring class and the people who 
 work in offices, its carrying capacity would be largely increased, 
 inasmuch as the heavy rush hour traffic would begin as early as 6 
 and continue more or less steadily until about 9.30 a. m. 
 
 To wisely locate a line requires a knowledge not only of the 
 location of the homes of the people, but also of the factories 
 wherein they work, the nature of these factories, the floor space 
 utilized, the number of men employed ; also the aggregate amount 
 of floor space used for office purposes and the number of people 
 employed in the district the proposed lines are designed to serve. 
 
 A transit census should be taken once a year to ascertain just 
 how many people from each local district ride daily to their worK, 
 and what number go from each local district to each other district. 
 This might be done in some years in connection with the state 
 or possibly the school census. Such a census, though not so com- 
 plete, is taken twice a year by the Street Railway Company in 
 Berlin, and it might well be undertaken here by our Public Service 
 Commission. 
 
 2. What has been the actual effect of new transit lines upon 
 the movement of population? An exhaustive study of the effect 
 of the building of the present subway on the movement of popu- 
 lation has not been made. We know in a general way that the 
 subway caused many people to seek residence in upper Manhattan 
 and The Bronx where a large number of apartment buildings 
 were erected. The building of the line caused a decided increase 
 in real estate values. With all these larger facts we are familiar ; 
 but are the following facts known — the occupation of the people 
 who have moved to these new sections ; what effect the building 
 
51 
 
 of tlicse new apartmcnls has had upon rents in that vicinity; how 
 far ])eople ^\"ill walk to the sul)way ; how many use a surface line 
 in order to reach the subway ; what eiTect it would have upon 
 further niovement of ])opulation if people were given seats in- 
 stead of being packed into cars where they cannot even secure a 
 strap for support? A study of these questions should be of great 
 value in laying out other subway lines. 
 
 3. What unoccupied territory remains in the city and its 
 vicinit}' ; and Jiow should this condition the location of transit 
 lines? The existing subway was built largely through a populous 
 territory, Imt partially thrcMigh, an unciccupied district. It is thus 
 able to provide better transit facilities in districts where inade- 
 quate service was formerlv furnished, and it also ])rovided transit 
 facilities for a new territory. Two motives should govern the 
 location of future lines, b^irst, it should serve a district already 
 built up but poorh- furnishec' with transit facilities; second, it 
 should extend beyond such district into an unoccupied territory 
 so as to furnish an opportunity for people now living in congested 
 districts to move into the outlying territory. This involves a close 
 study of poi)ulation groups, and of un()ccu])ied territory, and its 
 character. 
 
 4. \Adiere are new business centers being established? At th.c 
 present time the lower end of Manhattan is the one main business 
 center of greater Xew York City, and the great bulk of passen- 
 gers using the transit lines daily come to this district. Should 
 new business centers be developed elsewhere in the city in tlie 
 future, a portion of this daily traffic would be diverted to them 
 and transit lines accommodating such new centers would bo 
 needed. A studv of the tendency to form new centers of busi- 
 ness activity is very essential in determining the location of any 
 proposed route. 
 
 5. Is there a tendencv to move factories to outlying districts? 
 Some hold that, owing to its large amount of water front, j\Ian- 
 hattan should lie largely devoted to manufacturing and to whole- 
 saling, and that people should live in the outskirts of tire city and 
 come daily to this one center of business. Others believe that 
 manufacturers will find it to their advantage to move to the less 
 populous districts because of cheaper land and taxes. Should 
 there be any general movement of factories to the outskirts of the 
 city, it would materially afl'ect the rapid transit problem. 
 
52 
 
 6. Will the increasing- vehicle and pedestrian traffic necessi- 
 tate an\- changvs in grades of street surfaces at street crossings? 
 Some of our streets are becoming so congested by vehicle traffic 
 that it is almost impossible not only to operate surface lines upon 
 such streets, but even to accommodate the vehicle traffic under the 
 present conditions. To what extent will this increase? As an il- 
 lustration, consider the crossing of Park row. Chambers and 
 Duane streets. Here the wagon traffic is so heavy that it very 
 seriously retards the operation of surface cars on Park row. 
 If this traffic increases, how is it to be handled, especially at 
 this point, inasnuich as one street cannot be depressed and 
 the other raised, so as to abolish grade crossing, owing to the 
 fact that subways are or will be under Elm, Centre and Park 
 row. It seems very essential, therefore, before locating new 
 subways, to attempt to solve the problem as to whether the 
 surface traffic in the future is likely to increase to such an extent 
 as to require a change in the level of street crossings, which might 
 be rendered impossible by the presence of a subway beneath the 
 streets near the surface. The problem of accommodating pe- 
 destrians on the narrow streets in the lower end of Alanhattan is 
 daily growing more serious. Take, for instance, Cortlandt street. 
 At the present time it is badly congested. What will be the con- 
 dition when the new City Investment building and the Hudson 
 companies' terminal are completed, turning out into that street 
 at the closing of office hours many thousands of people in addi- 
 tion to the present number, which nearly fills the street? In the 
 not distant future we may be forced to use elevated sidewalks or 
 sub-surface moving platfonus in lower IManhattan to accommo- 
 date foot passengers. These conditions must be taken into con- 
 sideration in connection with planning any subway transit lines. 
 
 /. What is the relative efficiency of bridg'es and tunnels? 
 Exhaustive stud^- as to the relative efficienc}- of bridges and tun- 
 nels has not lieen made. Some engineers claim that timnels are 
 objectionable from almost every standpoint ; that they are inade- 
 quate for rapid transit and wlmlh- r.nservicealjlv for vehicle 
 traffic. Other engineers hold that tunnels are jierfectly practi- 
 cable, cheaper to build and the cost of maintenance is very much 
 less than that of bridges, blither more bridges or more tunnels 
 are pressingly needed across East River, and the relative merits 
 
of the two forms of spanning the river should he most exhaust- 
 ive!}' considered as early as possihle. 
 
 .\n investigation of the transit needs of London was recently 
 made bv a Renal Traffic Commission. The report of this Com- 
 mission was made in 1905-6, and covers 3,759 pages, with 388 
 plates and diagrams, and is embodied in eight volumes. Though 
 it could not be closely followed as a basis for an investigation of 
 New York transit conditions, yet it would be suggestive. 
 
 The welfare of New York City is dependent to a greater de- 
 gree upon rapid transit than that of any other large city. The 
 difficulty of getting to and from the lower end of Manhattan has 
 resulted in a congestion, in certain portions of this area, of 
 greater density than elsewhere exists. Close packing together of 
 people is destructive of moral as well as physical health. For 
 this reason above all others, it is imperative that every effort 
 should be exerted to secure rapid, el^cient and cheap transit. 
 
 The rapid increase in population may oblige large numbers of 
 people to live fifteen to twenty-five miles from the centre of the 
 city. V>\ the present means of transit a much shorter distance 
 than this, from man\' points, recfuires from one to two hours, thus 
 taking two to four hours from the day of each passenger. 
 
 The cost of transit to the people of this city is not measured 
 by the cost of construction of transit lines or the amount paid 
 to transportation companies ; a far more serious item is the 
 heavy demand made daily upon the time of thousands of per- 
 sons by our unnecessarily slow transit which consumes hours 
 which otherwise might be devoted to productive labor, to 
 recreation or the enjoyment of the home. 
 
 Arc we to develop a more rapid means of transit or is the 
 growth of the city to be conditioned or secured at the expense of 
 the moral, the mental and the physical health of our citizens? 
 
54 
 
 VI. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS. 
 
 Our Recommendations, based on the Preceding Statement of 
 Facts and Opinions, May Be Summarized as Follows : 
 
 RELIEF FOR THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE CRUSH. 
 
 1. For immediate relief 
 
 (a) Change the operation of trains in the terminal of the 
 Brooklyn Bridge during rush hours so that two or more plat- 
 forms will be used for loading the passengers instead of but 
 one, as now. 
 
 (b) Establish a surface car line from the east end of Will- 
 iamsburg Bridge to City Hall. 
 
 2. As soon as may be, 
 
 (a) Run all elevated trains crossing Brooklyn Bridge into a 
 subsurface terminal in order to distribute the crowd, to make 
 transferring easy, and to lessen stair climbing. 
 
 (b) Endeavor to effect a trafftc agreement between the 
 Interborough Company and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Com- 
 pany to issue free transfers at Borough Hall and beyond, to 
 and from the new Brooklyn-Battery tunnel. 
 
 SUBWAYS. 
 
 I. RELIEF FOR CONGESTION. 
 
 1. Require the installation of a new equipment of cars hav- 
 ing nine to twelve doors on each side, which will permit of 
 much speedier entrance and exit, and thereby a much shorter 
 station stop. A shorter station stop will enable the Company 
 to operate many more trains. 
 
 2. Require all cars to be equipped with cross seats, so that 
 the maximum number of sittings will be provided in each car. 
 
 3. See that the Company provides frequent trains and 
 enough seats during slack hours and on Sundays for all pas- 
 sengers. 
 
5: 
 
 II. ADDITIONAL CONVENIENCES AND SAFE- 
 
 GUARDS. 
 
 1. Require illuminated signs on the outside of every car of 
 all trains. 
 
 2. Require destination signs on the interior of all cars. 
 
 3. Require more station signs. 
 
 4. Require better light for reading in the cars. 
 
 5. Engage for permanent service a qualified sanitary ex- 
 pert. 
 
 III. MODIFICATIONS IN THE PRESENT FORM OF 
 
 CONSTRUCTION. 
 
 1. Require concrete floors throughout the subway to insure 
 sanitary conditions. These should be provided at once in the 
 vicinity of stations. 
 
 2. Require fire hydrants in the subway. 
 
 3. Require the building of more emergency stairways. 
 
 4. Provide additional means of ventilation. 
 
 IV. PROJECTED LINES THAT SHOULD BE COM- 
 
 PLETED. 
 
 1. Complete the Subway Loop by extending it south from 
 Brooklyn Bridge through Nassau Street, thence by a new tun- 
 nel to Brooklyn. 
 
 2. Consider the advisability of extending the line now being 
 constructed under Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, to the south 
 side of Prospect Park. 
 
 3. Contract for the Fourth Avenue line in Brooklyn. 
 
 4. Build with the city's money a subway south from Times 
 Square to the Battery, via Seventh Avenue and West Broad- 
 way, if private bidders cannot be found for this line. 
 
56 
 ELEVATED ROADS. 
 
 I. RELIEF FOR OVERCROWDING. 
 
 1. Cause additional trains to be run on all lines. 
 
 2. Cause trains to be lengthened on all lines. 
 
 II. ADDITIONAL CONVENIENCES AND SAFE- 
 GUARDS. 
 
 1. Compel the inclosing of platforms. 
 
 2. Enforce the Sanitary Code, which provides that cars 
 shall be " carefully and thoroughly cleaned " daily. 
 
 III. MODIFICATION IN THE STRUCTURE. 
 
 1. (a) Do not grant a franchise for a third track on Second 
 and Third Avenue lines unless a parallel subway has already 
 been contracted for or the Commission is fully satisfied that 
 the extra service thereby furnished will not deter would-be 
 operators from bidding on an east side subway line. 
 
 (b) Do not grant such franchise if it provides for a double 
 deck structure at any point. 
 
 (c) Even though the Commission becomes satisfied that 
 the above indicated conditions are met, do not grant such 
 franchise unless the proposed schedule submitted by the Com- 
 pany provides adequate and rapid service, and in addition the 
 Manhattan Elevated Company agrees to change its road bed 
 the full width of its structure and the entire length of the third 
 track, according to the best known methods for the reduction 
 of noise. 
 
 2. As soon as practicable require the same alteration of all 
 elevated lines for the reduction of noise. 
 
 3. Require drip pans at all crossings. 
 
57 
 SURFACE ROADS. 
 
 I. RELIEF FOR OVERCROWDING. 
 
 1. Require the running of more cars. More cars are pos- 
 sible upon every line. 
 
 2. Where necessary, require that cars be run in pairs. 
 
 3. On the badly congested streets require experiment with 
 double deck cars. 
 
 II. ADDITIONAL CONVENIENCES AND SAFE- 
 GUARDS. 
 
 1. Provide for universal transfer system between all sur- 
 face, elevated and subway lines. 
 
 2. Require inclosed vestibules on all cars. 
 
 3. Provide for the equipping of all cars with power brakes 
 so as to make possible a quick stop. 
 
 4. Require effective wheel guards to reduce the number of 
 fatalities. 
 
 5. Require cross seats on all cars. 
 
 6. Induce experiments with the Montreal fare system. 
 
 7. Require clearer destination signs. 
 
 8. Require that all conductors be furnished with pocket 
 guides of local information. 
 
 9. Require that a majority of the cars be supplied with 
 jacks and emergency tools. 
 
 10. Require that cars be kept clean. 
 
58 
 
 III. MODIFICATIONS NEEDED IN TRACKS, ROAD- 
 BED AND CAR HOUSES. 
 
 1. Require the immediate electrification of all lines now 
 using horse cars. 
 
 2. Cause the removal of unused car tracks so far as the 
 Commission may have power to do so. 
 
 3. Require that automatic sprinklers be installed in present 
 car houses and that all new ones be built fireproof. 
 
 TYPES OF TRANSIT LINES. 
 
 Investigate whether the types of rapid transit lines in use 
 in this city are the ones best adapted to future needs. 
 
 GENERAL INVESTIGATION. 
 
 Make a comprehensive investigation, before laying out a 
 complete system of transit lines, as to 
 
 1. How many people ride to and from their work in New 
 York City; where, by districts, do they live; where, by dis- 
 tricts, do they work? 
 
 2. What has been the actual effect of new transit lines upon 
 the movement of population? 
 
 3. What unoccupied territory remains in the city and its 
 vicinity, and how should this condition the location of transit 
 lines? 
 
 4. Where are new business centres being established? 
 
 5. Is there a tendency to move factories to outlying dis- 
 tricts? 
 
 6. Will the increasing vehicle and pedestrian traffic neces- 
 sitate any changes in grades of street surfaces at street cross- 
 ings? 
 
 7. What is the relative efficiency of bridges and tunnels? 
 
Jaylord Bros. 
 
 Makers 
 tockton, Calif. 
 
 PAT. JAN. 21, 1908 
 
 Sd^^M 
 
 U.C.BERKELEY LIBRARIES 
 
 COSEEDSSMtD 
 
 RETURN CIRCULATION DEPART/WENT 
 
 TQ_ I 9Q2 Main Library 
 LOAN PERIOD I |'^ f^ 
 
 HOME USE 
 
 ALL BOOKS MAY BE RECALLED AFTER 7 DAYS 
 
 rIwCs and Rechorges .oy be .ode 4 days pr,or to the doe dote. 
 
 Books may be Renewed by calling 642-3405 
 
 P^^CA^; STAMPED BELOW 
 
 FORM NO. DD6 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY 
 BERKELEY, CA 94720 
 
 ®s