MODERN TRAMWAYS

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 224, 9 June 1923, Page 3

MODERN TRAMWAYS

DEVELOPMENTS ABROAD USE OF ONE-WAY CARS AND TRAILERS

While abroad recently, Mr. M. Cable, Wellington tramways engineer, learned at first hand a great many things which will be of value to the City Corporation as opportunity serves to utilise that knowledge. Whilst the Wellington system of tramways is a good one, the principles followed are in the main those laid down when the system was instituted in 1905. Since then much progress has been made elsewhere in connection with cars, lay-out of plant, and depots, etc., and the information gained on These matters by Mr. Cable will be presented in a detailed report to tho City Council. One of the developments he noted in electric tramway traction abroad is the increasing utilisation of the one-way car, as against the two-way car (such as are used in Wellington). The oneway car is more economical in structure, in that it only requires half the motor equipment beneath its floor boards, and the whole of the time the car is being operated its motor equipment is at work, whereas on a twoway car only half its motor equipment is ever in action at one time. That is a big factor, in capital cost. Then again, the one-way car dispenses with the necessity of swinging the pole at dead ends, and of the motorman changing his seat. A necessary adjunct, however, to the use of one-way cars is that circular or oval loops must be provided at termini, or other places where cars are required to turn back. Two such loops are already provided on the Wellington system—one opposite tho “Zoo” gates and the other at Lyall Bay, where a circle is made round a. block of business places and residences.

Another development abroad is tho use of trailers, which Mr. Cable discovered to be coming into pretty general favour in America. In Toronto, for example, he found that great and increasing use was being made of trailers during rush hours. In that city, on Yonge Street—which forms a section of a straight run of 35 miles—there was a very large depot for the manipulation and stalling of cars. When occasion, arose for a car to pick up a trailer, it simply swerved into the depot, a little shunting car pushed a trailer up, and it was shackled on. In a minute or two, and away the car went on its journey, providing double the accommodation for passengers. The System at Toronto, which was under commissioner control, was admirable in every respect. In Cleveland, Ohio, where mixed commissioner and company control was in vogue, the system was very good indeed, and there, too, trailers were largely in use, not only for passengers, but for the conveyance of heavy material, such as sand, .gravel, metal, etc., needed for street works and in building operations. Such ser-

vices on occasion continued right through the night, utilising power which might otherwise go to waste. They were able to shift such material at as low a cost as 50 cents (2s. Id.) a yard, whereas it used to cost a dollar and over. In Cleveland the company concerned was only allowed to make 6 per cent, on its capital, any further profits going towards the reduction of fares and development. That was one of the four cities which had got back to the 5 cent (2sd.) pre-war fare. In other places the flat-rate fare ranged up to 7 and even 8 cents as the result of the increased costs of running and management. There were, too, noticeable improvements in car construction.