The New York Rapid-transit Subway

Proceedings.] CORRESPONDENCE ON NEW YORK SUBWAY. 131 works. On the other hand, account must be taken of the frequent Mr. Tait, interruption of the works on account of labour-troubles, the intervention of the “strike-marshal” and so on. A good deal of the work, especially on the “ down town " section seemed to him to be very light in design, and in view of the ever-increasing traffic overhead he could not help thinking that any renewals which might be required in future would be very troublesome to carry out. The sharpness of the curves at some stations, particularly at the one near to the Mayor’s office, seemed to be objectionable and not altogether suitable for platforms which were liable at any time to be crowded. The long carriages which were in use necessarily left a considerable versed sine. No such arrangement would satisfy the Board of Trade. From American newspaper accounts of the flooding of the subway which took place in December, 1904, after the bursting of a 3-foot water-main at 86th Street, it was quite clear that this burst did very considerable damage in the subway, and for a whole day prevented the running of through traffic, as water accumulated to a considerable depth; indeed, at one station it appeared to have been running over the level of the platform. This water could only be removed by pumping in view of the gradients of the railway in the neighbourhood of the burst. Opinions differed as to whether underground railways should be deep or shallow, but it would seem not to be a point which could be decided off-hand. The lifts at several of the stations upon the London tubes were very inconveniently placed, and only brought passengers near to the platforms and to the street-level without bringing them actually to either. There was room for considerable improvement in this respect, though possibly a little additional expenditure on property would have been required if the widths of island platforms had been increased to make the necessary provision. In the cases of some underground railways, particularly the Caledonian in Glasgow, there was a great deal to be said in favour of a shallow railway. It was not likely that better tunnelling ground would have been obtained by going deeper on the line of streets, etc., actually chosen, while, on the other hand, the large sums spent by the Caledonian Railway Company on sewer-diversions had assisted materially in carrying out the works for the purification of the Clyde. Mr. F. J. WARING, referring to the statement (p. 16) as to the Mr. Waring. 3-inch horizontal rods forming the tension-member of a longitudinal truss on the top of the walls, failed to see the object of such a truss in that position: perhaps the Author would further explain the matter. As the subway was specially designed for rapid transit, and much should therefore be subordinated to obtaining this, Mr. Waring