THE PEOPLE'S CARS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 26, 31 July 1911, Page 8

THE PEOPLE'S CARS.

RUSH-HOUR PROBLEMS. VARIOUS FACTORS DISCUSSED. VIEWS OF AMERICAN EXPERTS. Narrow streets compelling a narrow tramway gauge, sharp curves and steep gradients, give Wellington a special tramway problem. Methods found advisable elsewhere for the comfort and safety of passengers, conductors, and motormen do not necessarily apply to Wellington, bufc it ifl possible ior Wellington to get some light and leading from older countries in some important tramway matters. It should be advantageous for the local management to peruse the report of the Philadelphia Rapid Trausit Company, summarised in the Electric Railway Journal of 10th and 17th Jun«. This helpful magazine is stocked at the Public Library. THE PACKING PROBLEM. - Discussing the subject of "I'easonalje car loading," the Commission states': — "From careful studies of car capacities, it lias been found that four square feet of aisle and platform space per standing passenger allows comfortable standing space._ This would mean for the ■Philadelphia pay within (or prepayment) car two rows of standing passengers with sufficient space for passage between and a total capacity of seventyeix» of whom thirty-eight would be seated and thirty-eight 'standing. In other words, for a car with longitudinal or lengthwise seats the , standing capacity Would equal the seating capacity. For cross seat cais the standing capacity would equal 60 to 90 per cent of the seating capacity. . . This is believed to be a reasonable limit of car loading, and has been used in the calculations and recommendations, for rush-hour service." It has to be remembered, however, that the Wellington cars are narrower than the Philadelphia types. ' LIMITS TO CAR LOADS. • To prevent or lessen periodical overcr&wding caused by the bunching of cars or passengers the report says that it is desirable to limit the loading, of cars to the standard capacity determined. This, under ordinary, conditions of operation, can be accomplished with platform doors or gates, which close the entrance and exit when the car is in motion, together with, the Use of the "car full" sign. The reasonable use of the indivi- j dual car limit and th<* "car full" sign has been found beneficial by the American companies that have adopted , it. ! Engineers suggest the following devices •for improving the service: — (1) Careful timing of tripper cars to meet heavy loads ', (2) trailers 5 • (3) turnbacks ; (4) special routes for trippers ; (5) through routing. Here again it has to be noted that the types of car in use in Wellington do not' favour enforcement of a "car full" sign. Trailers are used in Christchurch, , but their use in Wellington, for the present at least, would be fraught with .difficulties. The matter of routing can bear some profitable study, according to recent criticism. THE HEIGHT OF STEPS. "The height of stepso n closed cars," remarks the report, "is dependent on the type of truck used, the diameter of the wheel, the design 6f the bottom framing, and tils size of motor. With the standard double-truck four-motor equipment the height of the car floor- from the ground (which /is assumed to be even with the^ead of the rail) is of necessity from 38 inches to 42 inches or more, and this involves a first step of about 16 inches. With the use of the Metropolitan type of maximum-traction oar it is possible to wdtice the total height of the car floor from the ground to 37£ i&ches, and to reduce the height of the first step to 15 inches,,* conyenient height of the second and third steps being . 13 inches and 9£ inches." The commission finally recommends in this matter i— "The height r of the first step should be from 14 inches to IS inches, the second step 13 inches, and third step 9 inches to ,10 inches. The first step should be folding or protected. It should be at least 11 inches wide, and •hotdd. be provided with a safety tread." PREPAYMENT CARS. Occasionally references have been made in The Post to the use of pr«payttient> cars in America. Obviously such, a system demands special types of cat. "A prepayment system of fares," comments the commission, "necessitates that the entrance should be on the rear platform, and that the entrance and exits should be controlled by the conductor or motorman. From the standpoint of safety and convenience to the passenger, businesslike methods of fare collection, fend proper control of the car operation by the conductor, the prepayment plan, with the use of operating doors, is a great improvement in car design. In Philadelphia 726 cars were' on order to bfe equipped •with the prepayment system last year."