The New York Rapid-transit Subway

Proceedings.] PARSONS ON NEW YORK RAPID-TRANSIT SUBWAY. 25 etc., and about 30 feet by 45 feet in area. In front of this space and symmetrical with the axis of the station, the platforms extend 100 feet each way. Where possible, the platforms for the cen- tral portion and for a length of 100 feet are 20 feet wide, and for the remaining 50 feet at each end they are narrowed to a width of 10 feet. A plan of a standard local station is shown in Figs. 16, Plate 6. To the central space, and on each side, lead four stairways, two for ingress and two for egress. There being two platforms, there are thus eight stairways in all to each standard local station. The entrance-stairs lead directly by the booking-office, so that incoming passengers continue in a direct course always forward from the moment of entrance until they board the train. The other staircases for exit are closed, except on the arrival of trains, by sliding iron gates operated by the attendant at the ticket-box. These stairways open on the platform facing towards the train, and thus form a direct passage from the train to the street for outgoing passengers. The incoming and outgoing passengers are therefore en- tirely separated, except immediately along the edge of the platform where they enter or leave the train. As a general rule, the stairways lead to and from the street foot-pavements, which in New York are usually 15 feet wide. The stairways are thus limited to about 5 feet in the clear, but as there are two for exit and two for entrance, all of them short, no serious congestion occurs. The stair-open- ings are covered by kiosks, the main portions of which are of cast iron with plates of wire-glass with copper flashings and copper leaders throughout. As the lavatories are usually situated below the staircases, one of the columns of the kiosk is used as a ventilating chimney. In some instances the owners of abutting property have obtained the privilege of constructing entrances from the stations to their buildings, which can be easily effected, as the platforms and basements are nearly on the same level. Shopkeepers have also built show-windows facing the platforms. The stations of type B, which are arranged for the stoppage of both express and local trains, have one main feature in common, in that they have two island platforms situated between each pair of tracks, using the word " pair ” to designate the two northbound and the two southbound tracks. There are five stations of this type, namely: Brooklyn Bridge, 14th Street, Grand Central, 72nd Street, and 96th Street. In addition to the island platforms, side platforms exterior to the local tracks are added to the stations at Brooklyn Bridge, 14tli Street, and 96th Street. These island platforms have a uniform length of 350 feet, the widtli varying as follows:—