Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: [v. 90, no. 2323]: September 21, 1912

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^§T^ ^^111 SEPTEMBER 21, 1912 NEW SUBWAYS WILL SHOW GREAT IMPROVEMENT No Stations to be Built on Curves—Elevated Structures More Sightly and the Operation of Trains Less Noisy—First Complete Map of Dual System. IN a special pamphlet just issued, enti¬ tled "The Dual System of Rapid Tran¬ sit for 'New York City," the Public Service Commission gives many details regarding the new work. The pamphlet was com¬ piled by Assistant Secretary J. B. Walker. The total cost of the new system, it is stated, will be about $347,000,000, and its total length will be 629.7 miles of single track. This will include 296 miles of single track of existing rapid transit lines. While the existing rabid transit lines are carry¬ ing about 800,000,000 passengers a year, the new system will have a capacity of 3,000,- 000,000 a year, although it is not expected that such capacity will be demanded for some years after the opening of the new lines. The new subwao's will show great im¬ provements over the existing subway in many details. The existing subway was tions, for the whole stretch of four-track subway from Brooklyn Bridge north to 96th street. Actual operation showed that this arrangement interfered with the ef¬ fectiveness of the train movement upon ventilation. While the frequent passage of trains stirred up the air, it did not in¬ sure the renewal of it, and in consequence the city had to spend a great deal of money to put in ventilating devices. The commission's engineers believe they have greatly simplified the problem ol ventila¬ tion by constructing the new subways with separate tunnels, so that the passage of trains will produce a piston action, driving the air out ahead of them and caiusing the inrush of fresh air by suction from the rear. It is hardly accurate to say that there will be four separate tun¬ nels for the four-track sections of the new subways. Rather, there will be one tun¬ as will also the new subway south from Times square through Seventh avenue and other streets to Park place. South of Park place the road will be a two-track line. In The Bronx, where the Lexington avenue line divides into two branches, each branch will be a three-track line. North of 157th street on the Jerome avenue branch and north of a point between Aldus and Ban¬ croft streets the Southern Boulevard and A\'estchester avenue branch will be eleva¬ ted construction. The White Plains road extension of the West Farms branch of the existing sub¬ way will also be a three-track elevated line. The Interborough subway from Park place and West Broadway to and under the East River to Brooklyn will be a two- track line. The extension of the Brooklyn system, however, from Atlantic avenue out -r^y?'-:': :;:i»;- ' ■ ' ■^W-^S'-f^rn-.' y-W-^"'". rT^:nr^-jyUM,^:'^-^- ?■ - ,.."-'-Ae~"^ DESIGN FOR ORNAMENTAL ELEVATED STRUCTURE AT STATION. the first underground road ever operated in New York city, and necessarily in some particulars was more or less experimental Actual operation of it disclosed several features which experience proved undesir- atile, and the engineers ot the Public Ser¬ vice Commission have eliminated such features from the plans for the new work. For instance, some of the stations in the existing subway are built upon curves, which causes undesirable conditions when trains are loading and unloading at these curved platforms, ajid also makes it ne¬ cessary for all trains approaching such stations to slow down to avoid danger. While these curved platforms are pro¬ tected by an excellent signal system, the commission's engineers believe that the safety of operation will be promoted by eliminating curved platforms. Therefore all stations upon the new subways will be located on straight stretches of track, and so far as possible sharp curves will be avelded on all lines. Another feature of the existing subway which has been found inferior is the placing of all four tracks in one tunnel. This condition prevails, with few excep- nel for the four tracks, but there will be a partition wall between each pair of tracks, so that the effect of having one tunnel for each pair of tracks will be pro¬ duced. Ornamental Elevated Structures. The new elevated railroad construction also will show marked improvement over the type heretofore used in New York City. The elevated structures will be more sightly, and the roadbed so built as to make the operation of trains less noisy. In pertaiin places, like the Queens Boule- A'ard in Queens Borough, where the city authorities are striving for beauty effects in street construction, the elevated struc¬ ture will be of ornamental design. One of these designs is illustrated on this page. Parts of the new system will be two- track, parts three-track and parts four- track lines. In the case of the lines to be operated by the Interborough Rapid Tran¬ sit Company, the new subway up Lexing¬ ton avenue from 42d street to beyond the Harlem River, will be a four-track line. Flatbush avenue to Eastern Parkway and out Eaetern Parkway to Buffalo avenue will be a four-track road. The branch down Nostrand avenue will be a two-track subway and the extension out Livonia avenue will be a three-track elevated line. As the Steinway Tunnell is a two-track line, its extensions, in Manhattan from Grand Central .Station to Times Square and in Queens from the end of the tunnel to Queensboro Bridge Plaza will also be two- track lines. The Manhattan extension will be a subway under 42d street and the Queens extension will be both subway and elevated. The elevated lines from Queens¬ boro Bridge Plaza to Astoria and to Co¬ rona will be three-track roads. Of the lines to be operated by the Brook¬ lyn Rapid Transit Company the Broadway Subwaly from Park place north to 59th street will be a. four-track road. Its 59th street extension from Seventh avenue to and over the Queensboro Bridge will be a two-track road. South of Park place and through the new tunnel under the East River to Brooklyn it will be a two-track road. The Centre Street Loop Subway In Mail-