The New York Rapid-transit Subway

Proceedings.] DISCUSSION ON NEW YORK SUBWAY. 99 way. It might be that it was on account of the possible risk of Mr. Bury, fire; but there were other means of treating sleepers in order to prolong their life, and in a subway where trains were running almost continuously it would appear highly desirable to use every possible means of prolonging the life of sleepers. As to the rolling stock, he noticed that the trains running on the slow lines had five cars, each car being 52 feet long and carrying 52 people, or 260 people in the whole train. If more than that could not be carried in a Great Northern train the Company would be doing very badly. The fast trains on the Subway, which were 408 feet long, carried 416 people. An ordinary Great Northern suburban train was composed of eleven four-wheeled coaches, parti- culars of the seating accommodation, etc., being given in the first line of the accompanying Table (p. 100). A short time ago the coaches were widened by sawing them down the middle and putting in an extra panel, thus adding about 20 per cent, to the seating-capacity. It was not possible to lengthen the trains; they worked into Moorgate over the Metropolitan line and were as long as the platforms there. When it was found that the trains running into and out of King’s Cross were crowded, the length of the train was increased, in order to take full advantage of the long platforms on the Great Northern main line, and the second line of the Table gave particulars of such a train, which seated 816 people. The Great Northern Railway Company still desired to electrify their system if possible, and they had invited various firms to send in tenders for electrification. The third line of the Table gave parti- culars of a train proposed by an eminent firm for an electrified railway. The train was as long as that shown in the second line, but it would only carry 496 people seated; and there were 939 lbs. of dead weight per passenger, against 639 lbs. (including a 60-ton engine) in the train immediately above. The next line showed a proposal by another firm who sought to meet the case half-way, retaining the existing coaches and side doors ; and the next line was of the same nature. The last line but two was a Great Eastern suburban train, not one of the longest, some of which carried about 1,000 passengers. The last line but one represented a Great Northern and City train very similar to the trains on the Rapid-Transit Subway, but with seven coaches, the fast trains on the Subway having eight. The last line showed a North London train such as those which ran into Broad Street. There was a considerable loss by having an empty guard’s van at either end, and therefore the proportions were not quite so favourable as on the Great Northern and Great Eastern lines. When the Great Northern invited tenders H2