TRAFFIC CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 96, 27 April 1929, Page 27

TRAFFIC CONTROL

NEW YORK'S PROGRESS

HUMAN ELEMENT GOING ,

(From "The Post's" Representative.).:...'; NEW YORK, 3rd April. Tho establishment' of the New York method'of traffic/control in Melbourne and Sydney, and its' partial adoption in New Zealand -cities .will, .possibly,- enhance the interest there of the new development of Robot's functions in the American metropolis. The mechanical, man now controls 'traffiVon 75 miles' of streets at 440 intersections lu-the-. heart of the city. 'The new system replaces, eight manual .control ppiSits',,,. and .release?, from'■.■duty a large jpf:patrplmetf.'.'.:. It. is predietedHha? sri"is"very few year's the traffic system will be controlled entirely by radio. Eobot is flexible; rin the performance d^Y-his'-'.dnties. ■ Separate motors for eacfr'sir,eet* vc'an' be adjusted by him to vary'the time periods. Over a given time the traffic lights on" two main-■■■streets'.-Tvere- .Operated as ' an-'.ex-' .perinien''t'on--W: ey-ele 0 different I'from the" one operating the remaining traffic .lights, : -'at..;%he- end of the interval all"tlie''tsi^nals;^yn'ch.fonis% \ , '".SI The "Human element in traffic control is now entirely eliminated by Eobot. He can speed up or cheek traffic as he ; thinks best. In aiv- emergency, such,as ■ an accident, he can''close an'area to all traffic. . This is particularly useful in a phase 'of* New life that; happily. does not exist iril'Australiaor NeW/Zeatj land—the apprehension 'of a. bandit quickly 'after his exploit. It is estimated that Robot will save;£1,000,000 a; year in salaries. . ■ -.-; .■,■.■-*:■■ ■■'•'■'■ /•:' Kobot is a modest chap;, says his bio?, grapher, L. H. Bobbins, in the "New York Times." Approach the door of his plain little second floor inside room in Thirtieth street' and look at him. You may think.you see a glorified gas meter, with a battery of his fellows alongside. If .ySn>, think him overrated by publicity';';-take a glance at the maps of his kingdom o'n"hjis'i>walls; the chart ■of Manti'aititaiv will show at, a.' glance the wonders;*he is working. Emeralds flash fromVithe great Overhead; is a tSijJclock. A/s'vits second handicreeps'"r<nind the dialj a sharp; eliciting s'bSindjiji'('heard. The emerald flashes disappe^Xafe. is '-/dark. '-„ Another click, and {beh'olttj-'.'onie'ralds^havc turned into glowing rubies." "• ./!,.. Par to .ifcH-'Storth, in stately, Fifth; avenue, the limousine of the millionaire halts at Robot's v bidding. Miles . jpsay.to.,the .south.,Jopries .rolling-in andout of. ;lEb'-Holland.•'tunnel -that runs• under- th-e'-H'Udson^'Eive"!',' clamp "their" brakes'on and await his pleasure. The tide of the taxi in "Times" square is divided, and the pedestrian walks in safety through it. Crosstown trolleys' "step on it," smiting their cymbals in rejoicing.. , East and west go Harlain baby carriages unafraid. Elderly gentlemen with gold-headed canes saunter! across Fifth avenue aj the Metropolitan; Library as »quiet at ■||art »s tnc stone i lions on its steps. '/?j . t ,^.' ■•■. Eobot's batman sits, by liim.%iJ' r T-vAs; tlie master needs he gives hini'-fob'd—-. electricity. As he works, Robot hums a leisurely tune, and beams benignly t his map of his kingdom with his green eyes. By and by he closes his eyes, as if in reflection on the way of the world. Kve seconds' rest, and they are open again. He never rests more than five seconds at a time. Dressed -becomingly in brass, copper, porcelain, and rubber, greater than Aladdin's genie, he keeps order in a c.ity, capable of more chaos than any other spot in the world.