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REPORT
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Union Elevated Railroad
of Chicago
Covering
CAUSES OF CONGESTION
NOISE IN OPERATION
UNSIGHTLY APPEARANCE
OBSTRUCTION TO LIGHT
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SUGGESTED REMEDIES
Submitted to the
LOOP PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION
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CHARLES K. MOHLER
October, 1908
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REPORT
on the
Union Elevated Railroad
of Chicago
Covering
CAUSES OF CONGESTION
NOISE IN OPERATION
UNSIGHTLY APPEARANCE
OBSTRUCTION TO LIGHT
and
SUGGESTED REMEDIES
Submitted to the
LOOP PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION
(I ncorporated)
By
CHARLES K. MOHLER
October, 1908
BARNARD & MILLER, PRINTERS
44-46 LA SALLE STREET
CHICAGO
LOOP PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION.
(Incorporated.)
CHICAGO.
James F. Bowers, President,
Lyon & Healy,
199 Wabash Avenue.
Le Grand S. Burton, Vice-President,
901 Hartford Building.
R. Hall McCormick, Vice-President.
Leander J. McCormick Estate.
Thomas Murdoch, Vice-President,
Simon Reid Estate.
0. T. McClurg, Secretary and Treasurer.
A. C. McClurg & Co.
Clarence N. Goodwin, Counsel,
Tribune Building.
DIRECTORS.
Louis E. Laflin,
Manager Mathew Laflin Estate.
Alfred Cowles,
President Rialto Company.
Wm. A. Dyche,
Business Agent Northwestern University.
H. C. Metcalf,
Metcalf Stationery Company.
Wm. McCoy,
Proprietor McCoy's Hotel.
Wm. A. Pinkerton,
Pinkerton Detective Agency.
A. C. Honore,
Potter Palmer Estate.
April 6, 1908.
Mr. Charles K. Mohler,
Consulting Engineer,
401 Hey worth Bldg.,
Chicago.
Dear Sir:
In taking up the work of making a report to this Asso¬
ciation on the Union Elevated Railroad "Loop" of Chi¬
cago, it is desired that you investigate and report to us,
what in your judgment are the causes of, and what can
best be done to remedy, in whole or in part, the following
objectionable features of the Union Elevated Railroad
"Loop" and its operation.
1st. The congestion and delay in handling traffic.
2nd. The noise resulting from the operation of trains
over the structure.
3rd. The unsightly appearance of the structure and
obstruction to light.
The matter is of such importance that we wish you
to take whatever time may be necessary for a thorough
investigation of the problem. We do not wish to impose
any limitations on your recommendations except those
which the problem itself necessitates; that is to say,
changes may suggest themselves to you which would
materially improve the appearance of the structure and
reduce the obstruction to light and air, but which would
interfere with the efficiency of the road and thereby in¬
crease congestion.
In like manner, changes might be made to relieve con-
6
gestion which would increase the unsightly appearance
of the structure or add to the obstruction to light and
air.
From preliminary reports we are led to believe that
congestion and delay may be largely eliminated without
adding to the nuisance features, and in like manner the
noise and other nuisance features may be greatly re¬
duced or eliminated in a manner which would increase
rather than decrease the efficiency of the structure as a
means of transportation.
There is now pending in the Circuit Court a suit to
which the City and many members of the Association are
parties, which seeks to have all the Elevated Loop ordi¬
nances held invalid and the franchises claimed under
them declared void. Many substantial property owners
believe that the only solution of the Loop problem is
the entire removal of the Elevated Loop structure; oth¬
ers have felt that by changes as indicated above, which
would not interfere with the Loop's efficiency, it might
be largely relieved of the nuisance features and made
tolerable, and that, without additional interference with
light and air, it might be rendered more efficient.
We have secured through the action of the City Coun¬
cil, the removal of the advertising billboards from the
structure, and, through the action of the same body have
obtained two reports from engineers on the Loop prob¬
lem. Personally, I should be greatly pleased if the re¬
sult of the investigation might lead to the adjustment of
the whole problem to the mutual benefit of the City, the
property owners, and the Elevated Roads.
Yours very truly,
James F. Bowers,
President, Loop Protective Association.
?
To the President and Members of the
Loop Protective Association.
Gentlemen :
In compliance with your letter of April 6,1908, stating
the features in connection with the Union Elevated Rail¬
road "Loop" and its operation, upon which you wished
a report, I beg to submit the following synopsis and de¬
tailed report.
In the synopsis the leading features of the report are
as briefly stated as consistent with clearness.
In some particulars, such as through routing to in¬
crease the capacity and relieve congestion, the conclu¬
sions reached are in general accord with those of previ¬
ous reports on the situation. The most noticeable dis¬
agreement with previous reports is that relating to the
advisability of platform extension.
Noise in operation can be very largely reduced; mainly
by reconstructing the roadbed in order to interpose
stone ballast or some other inelastic medium between
the structure and rail supports. Longer rails and better
joints would still further eliminate the noise.
The unsightly appearance and obstruction to light can
be largely remedied. A large factor in the accomplish¬
ment of that result would be the reconstruction of sta¬
tions, so as to dispense with the buildings above the plat¬
forms.
Acknowledgment is made to Mr. William S. Twining,
Chief Engineer of the Philadeplhia Rapid Transit Com¬
pany, for plans of construction used by that road, and
to such others as have lent assistance in furnishing infor¬
mation or data. Respectfully,
215 Wabash Ave. Engineer.
Chicago, 111., October 20, 1908.
8
THE UNION ELEVATED RAILROAD
"LOOP."
Location.
The Union Elevated Railroad "Loop" comprises
about two miles of double-track elevated structure in the
business district of Chicago, occupying Lake Street from
Fifth Avenue to Wabash, Wabash Avenue, from Lake to
Van Buren, Van Buren Street, from Wabash to Fifth
Avenue and Fifth Avenue, from Van Buren to Lake
Street.
Stations.
There are eleven double stations for each track, located
as follows; at Clark and Lake, State and Lake, Ran¬
dolph and Wabash, Madison and Wabash, Adams and
Wabash, State and Van Buren, Dearborn and Van
Buren, La Salle and Van Buren, Quincy and Fifth Ave¬
nue, Madison and Fifth Avenue, and Randolph and Fifth
Avenue.
Roads Using It for a Terminal.
At the present time it serves as a "Loop" terminal
for; the South Side Elevated Railroad, entering and
leaving at Wabash and Van Buren, and the Metropolitan
West Side Elevated Railway, entering and leaving at
Van Buren and Fifth Avenue, operating on the inner
track. On the outer track are operated the trains of
the Chicago and Oak Park Elevated Railroad and the
Northwestern Elevated Railroad, both entering and leav¬
ing at Fifth Avenue and Lake Street.
UNION ELEVATED RAILROAD.
9
The South Side line is comprised of five branches ; the
Metropolitan of four branches ; the Chicago & Oak Park
of one line; and the Northwestern of two branches, one
of which includes the Evanston extension.
All of the above roads, with the exception of the North¬
western, have stub-terminals outside of the "Loop"
which are in service for a time during rush hours. The
Northwestern has recently been granted a franchise for
establishing an outside stub-terminal.
Transportation Facilities Afforded.
At the time the promotion of the enterprise was
started, the probable demands for future increased
facilities for rapid transit in the City of Chicago
appear not to have been fully recognized. As a means of
delivering or receiving passengers from the various lines
of the elevated railroads, to the limited area of the loop
district, in the non-rush-hours, the facilities are fairly
satisfactory when considered merely from the stand¬
point of a terminal. In handling rush-hour traf¬
fic and lending itself to expansion and growth,
it has long since proven lamentably inadequate.
It should he said that as a fundamental principle
of urban transportation, anything in the nature of a
terminal in a congested distinct should he avoided if pos¬
sible.
Design of Structure.
In the design of the Union Elevated Railroad struc¬
ture, there was little or no attention given to the elimina¬
tion of the objectionable appearance of the structure,
obstruction to light or traffic, or the prevention of noise.
Some of the objectionable features in design and con¬
struction are as follows :
10
UNION ELEVATED RAILROAD.
1st. Obstruction to Traffic.
Placing the columns in the roadway, and especially at
points of street intersection, forms an obstruction and
danger both to vehicle and street railway traffic.
2nd. Obstruction to Light and Unsightly Appearance.
One of the most notable examples of the lack of atten¬
tion to the elimination of objectionable features is shown
in the construction of station buildings over the roadway
at street intersections. All loop stations except those on
Lake street cover the entire roadway of the intersect¬
ing streets and some are over 100 feet wide. This was
unnecessary, either for operating facilities or for
the convenience of the public. It appears to the
writer that the most suitable design of station
would have been with island platforms, and ticket
offices and waiting rooms beneath the tracks and plat¬
forms. This would have placed the canopies and plat¬
forms, which are the highest parts of the structure, in
the center of the street, where they would offer the least
obstruction to light on the sidewalks and fronts of adja¬
cent buildings.
The structure as designed shows little effort was made
to get pleasing outlines and relieve the bare angular ap¬
pearance. On the other hand, ornamentation, which
shows itself to be no essential or integral part of a struc¬
ture, is possibly worse in some cases than the barest out¬
line.
3rd. Noise in Operation.
In the matter of noise resulting from the operation
of trains no provision was made for lessening this ob¬
jectionable feature. The rails rest directly on the ties
UNION ELEVATED RAILROAD.
11
and the ties directly in the decks of the girders. This
form of construction allows the noise producing vibra¬
tion set up by the passage of trains to be carried into
the structure itself, and set up in the broad thin plates
and members under tension, thereby increasing the vol¬
ume and intensifying and carrying the sound to long dis¬
tances.
As a structure serving to carry traffic, it is well de¬
signed, and in some respects a distinct advance over ele¬
vated structures previously built. If removed from the
city streets to a locality where its objectionable features
would not constantly obtrude upon the attention of the
community, it would be open to little, if any, criticism.
12
IMPORTANCE OF URBAN RAPID
TRANSIT.
Transportation is one of the greatest problems with
which municipalities have to deal at the present day.
The tendency in modern city growth to concentrate
the business and commercial center in a very limited
area, and at the same time for the residential area to be
widened and extended into the outlying districts, has
produced demands for transportation and rapid transit
facilities with which few, if any, cities have kept pace.
THE RAPID TRANSIT SITUATION IN CHICAGO.
Chicago, with a total area of over 190 square miles,
and drawing from a large suburban territory, has its
main business center or "Loop" district confined to less
than one square mile. The area inside the "Loop" belt
is less than one-quarter square mile.
If the concentration in the business district, made pos¬
sible by the erection of steel frame buildings with ele¬
vator service is to go on, the problem of taking care of
the growth of the rush-hour traffic, demanding rapid
transit facilities, is one which will demand heroic meas¬
ures to meet and dispose of. If every possible device
should be employed in connection with the present ele¬
vated loop structure for relieving congestion, it would
»
only be a short time until conditions were again in prac¬
tically as bad shape as at present. It is needless to say,
that make-shifts and expedients, will fall far short of
meeting the problem in its wider scope.
13
SYNOPSIS.
Features of the Report Briefly Stated.
DELAY AND CONGESTION.
The aggregate delay approaching and getting around
the "Loop" may amount to fifteen minutes or more per
trip during the rush-hours 7:45—9:15 and 5*00—6:30.
A large per cent, of the trains have delays outside of
the "Loop" before entering, ranging from a slow-down
to a wait of ten minutes or more. This is a large factor
in aggregate delay.
Rush-hour trips.
The average time for rush-hour trips on the "Loop"
is about 15 minutes and 40 seconds; the longest trip re¬
corded took 19 minutes and 45 seconds; the shortest, 11
minutes and 58 seconds.
Non-rush-hour trips.
The average time for non-rush-hour trips is about
12 minutes and 30 seconds. The longest trip of the rec¬
ord took 14 minutes and 29 seconds ; the shortest, 10 min¬
utes and 30 seconds.
The average excess time for rush-hour trips over non-
rush-hour on the "Loop" is about 3 minutes and 10 sec¬
onds, made up of :
1st. Junction Delays.
A record of trips on the outer track during rush-hours
shows only 5 per cent, of the junction crossings were
made without delays; during non-rush-hours 32 per
cent. On the inner track during the rush-hours 31 per
cent, were made without delay; in the non-rush-hours
14
SYNOPSIS.
about 544 per cent. The record includes that part of the
trip between the first station preceding and following the
junction. Junction influence delays occurring back of
the station preceding the junction are not shown, though
they frequently occur. The junction delays will amount
to from 70 to 90 per cent, of the rush-hour delay.
2nd. Delays at the first station after entering.
3rd. Delays from handling longer and heavier
trains.
4th. Delays from longer station stops on account
of: crowded cars; insufficient number and width
of gates and doors; trains not having proper
and sufficient signs to show destination and
class.
SUGGESTED CHANGES FOR INCREASING THE
OPERATING CAPACITY.
1st. Through Routing.
Through routing to the greatest degree practicable,
would increase the number of trains which could be
passed through the "Loop'' nearly 100 per cent. Six
or seven car trains could be loaded at the present plat¬
forms; the seven-car trains making an increased car ca¬
pacity of 40 per cent. Through routing seven-car trains
would give a total increase in car capacity of 130 to 140
per cent. Through routing and operating longer trains
are clearly factors of first importance for increasing and
improving the elevated rapid transit service of Chicago,
and has been included as a leading feature in the reports
of Mr. Arnold, Messrs. Ford, Bacon and Davis, and Mr.
Weston.
Among the most practical through routings suggested
are:
THROUGH ROUTING.
15
A. The Northwestern with the South Side Lines.
Three methods have been proposed:
1st. Through route the north-hound and south-bound
trains over Wabash avenue and Lake street.
2nd. Alternate one south-bound train on one side of
the "Loop" and the next on the other; north-bound
trains alternating likewise.
3rd. Through route north-bound, trains on one side of
the "Loop" and south-bound trains on the other.
Through routing as mentioned in "3rd" is considered
preferable, as it would interfere less with the satisfac¬
tory operation of the West Side lines.
B. Inter-route the Two Systems of the West Side.
Connect the Logan Square and Humboldt Park
branches of the Metropolitan to the Chicago and Oak
Park line where they cross near Paulina street. Build a
third track on Lake street from the junction to the
"Loop." Route the Humboldt Park and Logan Square
branches over the Chicago and Oak Park and around
three sides of the "Loop" via Lake, Wabash and Van
Buren, and out the Douglas and Garfield Park. Route
the Douglas and Garfield Park branches over the Fifth
avenue side of the "Loop" out Lake street to the Logan
Square and Humboldt Park.
The Logan Square and Humboldt Park branches would
save three-quarters of the mileage now required to trav¬
erse the distance from Van Buren to Lake four times
each round trip. The saving for the Garfield and Doug¬
las Park would be once the distance from Van Buren to
Lake and twice the distance from Fifth Avenue to
Wabash.
16
SYNOPSIS.
If the service on the Chicago and Oak Park could not
be made to balance with the Metropolitan, it could
operate as at present.
The Douglas and Garfield Park passengers wishing to
ride to the Lake, Wabash and Van Buren sides of the
"Loop" could transfer at the proposed station at Lake
and Franklin. The Logan Square and Humboldt Park
passengers wishing to ride to Fifth avenue points could
transfer at Van Buren and Franklin to the in-bound Gar¬
field and Douglas Park trains.
In Genekal.
By through routing part of the trains and sending
the remainder around the "Loop" each road would be
enabled to accommodate passengers at all stations. The
number of trains on the side of the "Loop" over which
through routed trains passed would be increased in pro¬
portion to the number of trains through routed. If half
the trains now operated on a "Loop" track were through
routed that would leave room to increase the number
of trains for any line on the side of the "Loop" over
which they through routed by 50 per cent, and reduce
the time interval between trains 33 per cent. The
"Loop" trains on the opposite side of the "Loop" from
the through route for that line would be reduced to half
the present number and the amount of the time interval
between trains would be doubled.
The present platforms are long enough to accommodate
seven-car trains under unified operation or with methods
of loading suggested below.
The saving in time and mileage and the increase in
capacity and encouragement of short-haul traffic by
through routing should more than off-set the loss of one
fare from the through traffic which now pays two.
TO INCREASE CAPACITY.
17
During the non-rush-hours all trains could still be sent
around the ''Loop" as at present if desired.
2nd. Changes in "Loop" stations.
Stations to be abandoned ; or replaced by others in new
location.
Dearborn street station might be abandoned or merged
with State street for all lines.
Randolph and Fifth avenue station for the Chicago
and Oak Park and Northwestern lines should be aban¬
doned. A station at Lake and Franklin streets for the
Chicago and Oak Park and one for the Northwestern at
Fifth avenue and South Water street should be built.
The Metropolitan should abandon the Quincy street
station. The Fifth avenue terminal and Franklin and
Van Buren main-line station afford the necessary facili¬
ties.
For the South Side the State and Van Buren street
station might be abandoned. Its place would be taken
by the Congress street stub-terminal and main-line sta¬
tion. (For reasons see page 53.)
3rd. Changes in Station Stops so as to Load
Longer Trains.
A. To Lo\d Eight-Car Trains by Alternate End
Loading.
Eight-car trains could be loaded at the present inde¬
pendent platforms by making the stops so as to load five
cars from the front of the train at one station and five
from the rear of the train at the next. By making the
stops alternately in that way the train would be evenly
loaded throughout. The incoming traffic during the
evening rush-hour is light and could best be taken care
18
SYNOPSIS.
of by requesting incoming passengers to ride on the
center cars of the long trains. Eight-car trains would
increase the capacity of the "Loop" from 50 to 60 per
cent. Seven-car trains could unload at the present plat¬
forms during the morning rush-hours. As now oper¬
ated trains stop at either end of the platform in the
morning as found convenient. It is believed that the
proportion of seven-car trains for the morning rush-
hour and eight-car trains for the evening rush-hour ser¬
vice on the same schedule would more nearly meet re¬
quirements than using the same number of cars in both.
There is perhaps no expedient for relieving congestion
which could be adopted with as little delay or complica¬
tion. It is not suggested as a means of fulfilling the
transportation needs of the city in the larger measure.
B To Load Six or Seven-Car Trains by Alternate
Station Stops.
Another means that lias been suggested (which is
stated here by request) for increasing the capacity of
the "Loop" is that of giving up every other station to
the exclusive use of one of the two roads during rush-
hours. The saving on account of station stops would
perhaps amount to about 5 per cent, of the time to make
a "Loop" trip. The station being given up to one road,
would accommodate seven-car trains, giving an addi¬
tional increase of 40 per cent. The total increase would
probably amount to about 40 or 45 per cent.
Fifty per cent, of the rush-hour patrons of each road
would be uneffected by such a change. The other fifty
per cent, of the rush-hour patrons would have to walk
an average of one block farther than they do at present.
The gain in rapid transit and the relief to congestion
with the saving in time on the "Loop" would probably
TO INCREASE CAPACITY.
19
be considered ample compensation for the additional
walk. The non-rush-hour patrons would be uneffected.
4th. Changes in Car Doors and Train Signals.
The use of wider sliding end doors and center side
doors, with electric door signals for starting trains, would
save time in making station stops to load and unload pas¬
sengers and getting the train started.
5th. More Complete System of Train Signs.
(a.) Train signs should be placed at each car en¬
trance to give destination and class of train.
(b.) Movable display signs should be used at each
station platform to indicate before the arrival of the
train its destination and class.
(c.) If the waiting rooms are moved to the space be¬
neath the tracks and platforms, illuminated signs and
signal bells should be installed in the waiting rooms to
indicate the approaching trains.
6th. Improved Brake Hangers.
Brake hanger attachments should be employed of such
design as to allow train brakes to be applied to their
maximum efficiency. The hangers in use allow an un¬
steady, jerky motion when the train is coming to a stop,
and a dangerous backward lurch at the instant the for¬
ward motion ceases.
7th. Protection of Contact-conductor (Third)
Rail.
Protection of contact-conductor (third) rail should be
employed to insure more reliable service during winter
rain and sleet storms. (It would also be the means of
reducing the danger to passengers where in case of ac¬
cident they are compelled to leave the trains and walk
on the structure.)
20
SYNOPSIS.
8th. Universal Transfers.
The adoption of universal transfers probably would
not effect the operating capacity of the "Loop," but it
is believed that they would increase the efficiency of the
service and that the roads would ultimately gain by their
adoption. They should properly be adopted under such
limitations as to prevent abuse of the privilege as far
as possible.
STATION PLATFORM EXTENSION AND STUB
TERMINALS.
1st. Station Platform extensions.
Extension of platforms has long been advocated. The
results of this investigation show the advantages to be
gained are very small and would not warrant adoption
on the grounds which have been advocated. Extensions
called for in the recent report to the Committee on Local
Transportation would mean 6,000 feet, or over a mile of
added new platform.
As previously mentioned, the total length of the sta¬
tion platforms on the Loop are long enough to load
seven-car trains with little if any extension, and with
through-routing and unified operation would be ample
for present requirements.
On account of trains on the different roads not being
equal in number, and those of the same road entering in
groups of twos and threes, less than 31 per cent, of the
total number of trains arrive in the required order to
load as double-units, or two trains at the same station at
the same time. About 11 per cent, of the total number of
trains arrive within the time interval to allow establish¬
ing of double-units. If one minute less time per rush-
hour trip, under ideal conditions, were taken with ex-
NOISE FROM OPERATION.
21
tended platforms it would mean 6.5 per cent, time saved
or increased capacity. The order grouping would re¬
duce that to 2 per cent. The order-time-grouping to 0.7
per cent.
If three minutes were allowed, ideal conditions would
give 20 per cent increase. Order grouping would reduce
that to 6 per cent; order-time grouping to 2 per cent.
increased capacity.
In order-time grouping all trains arriving at the sta¬
tion 20 seconds or less after the preceding train starts,
are credited as double-units and saving the full amount
of time in loading. One-half the trains shown as estab¬
lishing double-units under order-time grouping of twenty
seconds interval and saving full time would be more
nearly correct. Double units after being once established
may be separated in passing crossing junctions.
2nd. Outside "Stub" Terminals.
Terminals in congested districts for rapid transit
should be avoided if possible. They only afford limited
facilities to the patron near that part of the "Loop"
where the road enters and leaves.
NOISE IN OPERATION.
Noise results from:
1st. The movement of trains on the tracks.
2nd. Motor gears.
3rd. Train air-brake exhaust.
4th. Rattling of loose parts.
5th. Slipping of wheels around curves.
6th. The exhaust from the pneumatic interlocking.
7th. Crossing junction and switch frogs.
8th. Screeching and chattering of brake shoes.
22
SUGGESTED REMEDIES TO REDUCE NOISE.
1st. Roadbed, Track and Structure.
The road-bed should be of stone ballast, or equally
effective construction, to break up and dissipate the noise
producing vibration. The mass of the supporting bed
should be large to still further absorb the vibration.
Sixty-foot rails should be used instead of thirty, re¬
ducing the number of joints to half. The joints are re¬
sponsible for most of the noise caused by the trains mov¬
ing over the track. An improved splice bar should be
used for the rail joints. They should carry the wheel
over the joint without the instant reversal of shear when
the wheel passes from one rail to another.
2nd. Noise resulting from the motor gears can be
remedied in part by the ballasted road-bed. Housing the
gears and motors should give some relief. The gears
should be well maintained. In some cases it may be nec¬
essary to bolt creosoted planks to parts of the structure,
or cover them with some such material as concrete to re¬
duce the noise.
3rd. Noise from air-brake exhaust can be entirely
eliminated by the use of properly designed exhaust ports
and mufflers.
4th. Rattling of loose parts can be largely prevented
by proper maintenance.
5th. The screeching of wheels over the curves can be
prevented to some extent by the use of a lubricant on one
rail.
6th. Noise from the interlocking exhaust can be pre¬
vented by mufflers.
7th. The noise from crossing and switch frogs at the
OBSTRUCTION TO LIGHT ETC.
23
junctions can be eliminated in part by the use of solid
floor construction and stone ballast.
8th. Screeching and chattering of brake shoes can be
largely prevented by using a shoe of the proper combina¬
tion of metals and properly hung.
OBSTRUCTION TO LIGHT, AND UNSIGHTLY
APPEARANCE.
1st. Stations on Wabash, Van Buren and Fifth Ave¬
nue are unnecessarily large and obtrusive.
2nd. The exit stairs are unsightly and very little used.
3rd. The structure is unsightly for lack of proper
maintenance and painting.
4th. The electric lamp brackets attached to the struc¬
ture are in no sense ornamental.
SUGGESTED CHANGES TO REDUCE OBSTRUC¬
TION TO LIGHT AND REMEDY
UNSIGHTLY APPEARANCE.
1st. Stations.
The stations on Wabash, Van Buren and Fifth Ave¬
nue should be reconstructed by removing the ticket offices
and waiting rooms from the present level, and placing
them beneath the tracks and platforms on the level now
occupied by the cross-over footways. This would reduce
the width of some of the stations from over 100 feet to
about 50 feet and leave no part of the station above the
platforms. Those on Lake Street, being without waiting
rooms or crossover footways, should be reconstructed
on the same plan.
The conopies over the platforms should be replaced
by others preferably of saw-tooth design, and the height
24
SYNOPSIS.
reduced at the center about four feet. Wire glass could
be used for covering. For lighting the interior of the
station as well as the street below sidewalk prism glass
could be used in part for the station platforms.
2nd. "Exit Only" Stairs.
The present "exit only" stairs serve but little purpose.
In their use three-quarters of the passengers would be
taken away from their destination. "Exit only" stairs
on Fifth Avenue are not required under present opera¬
tion. Entirely useless "exit only" stairs are those for
south-bound trains for the South Side line at Congress
and Wabash.
At stations where congestion occurs additional stair
facilities could be provided, as follows :
a. At congested points where stairs are used for both
entrance and exit they could be built wider than those
now in use.
b. Some exits might be made through business houses.
c. Exit stairs, if necessary at any point, could be built
directly above the entrance stairs to serve as a covering,
and glass canopies used over the higher stairs.
3rd. Care and painting.
The structure would be greatly improved in appear¬
ance by proper maintenance, and painting some sightly
color.
4th. Added utility, improved appearance, etc.
If brackets of suitable design for carrying electric
lights and their feed wires were attached to the outside
of the posts the structure would not only have added
utility, but would thereby have its outlines modified and
made less unsightly. The design of the lamps should be
TO IMPROVE APPEARANCE.
25
made to largely harmonize with the structure. During
daylight the outlines of the brackets, and curves pro¬
duced by the sagging wires, would serve to relieve the
straight angular outlines of the structure. The arrange¬
ment of the lamps should be such that at night the road¬
way would receive a high degree of illumination, while
the main part of the structure would be left in shadow.
The suggested new stations should be made as struc¬
turally ornamental as possible, to harmonize with the
main structure as a whole.
26
REPORT IN DETAIL.
THE CAUSE OF DELAY AND CONGES¬
TION OF TRAINS DURING RUSH-
HOURS.
Time Taken for Rush-Hour Trips.
From a record recently taken of thirty-eight train
trips around the "Loop" during the rush-hours, twenty
of which were made in the morning covering a period of
an hour and thirty minutes, from 7:45 to 9:15 ; and for
eighteen trips in the evening, covering a like period, from
5 o'clock to 6:30, the average time for the thirty-eight
trips was 15 minutes and 39 seconds per trip. The time
is for the actual trip, center of the train approximately
at the junction point both entering and leaving. In
Table No. 1 the time for the recorded trips in both the
rush and non-rush-hour are given.
Plate No. 10 shows the longest rush-hour and a short
non-rush hour trip of the record, plotted for time-distance
curves. (See Plate 10 last page.)
The horizontal lines are spaced to represent intervals
of 1,000 feet. The wide spaced vertical lines represent
one minute of time, while the close spaced lines represent
10-second intervals. The stations and junctions are
marked by heavy dots and dashes.
The non-rush-hour trip without delay took 11 minutes
and 46 seconds. The rush-hour trip with delay 19 min¬
utes and 45 seconds. It is 7 minutes and 59 seconds
longer than the non-rush trip, and 4 minutes and 6 sec-
TRAIN TRIPS.
27
TABLE NO. 1.
TIME TAKEN FOR TRAINS TO MAKE "LOOP" TRIPS. (FROM ENTERING
TO LEAVING AT JUNCTION.)
RUSH-HOURS.
Northwestern ||Chi.& Oak Park|| Metropolitan || South Side
A. M.
P. M
A. M.
P. M.
A. M.
P. M.
A. M.
P. M.
7:45
5:00
7:45
5:00
7:45
5:00
7:45
5:00
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
9:15
6:30
9:15
6:30
9:15
6:30
9:15
6:30
m. s.
m. s.
m. s.
m. s.
m. s.
m. s.
m. s.
14 33
15 00
15 11
18 15
16 32
17 00
19 40
16 46
17 03
19 45*
14 45
14 35
15 26
16 24
15 48
18 10
14 52
15 28
13 00
13 58
15 41
14 09
13 15
13 25
13 28
15 37
14 14
15 54
16 33
16 52
16 34
14 55
13 49
11 58
14 36
14 22
18 12
19 23
Sum
61 16
188 55
63 13
61 56
91 31
60 38
67 39
Average
15 19
15 45
15 48
15 29
15 15
15 09
16 55
A. M. Average—15m. 34s. P. M. Average—15m. 45s. Total—15m. 39s.
NON-RUSH-HOURS.
A. M.
P. M.
A. M.
P. M.
A. M.
P. M.
A. M.
P. M.
11 47
12 15
11 46*
12 45
10 58
13 31
11 54
14 29
14 04
12 19
11 35
12 27
11 02
13 01
12 35
13 12
13 12
10 30
12 39
12 52
12 54
13 37
•
Sum
26 16
65 10
50 09
24 20
36 37
24 33
48 19
Average
13 08
13 02
12 32
12 10
12 12
12 16
12 04
Total Average—12m. 31s.
* Trip plotted on Plate 10 for time-distance curves.
Note:—Many of the non-rush-hour trips were taken just before or just after the
rush-hours. Trips taken well out of the rush-hour influence show a
shorter average time for the loop trip.
28
NON-RUSH-HOUR TRIPS.
onds longer than the average rush-hour. Both are p. m.
trips.
Station stops for the non-rush-hour average 9.6 seconds
and total 1 minute 46 seconds. Station stops for rush-
hour total 2 minutes 5 seconds and average 11.4 seconds.
The curves show a marked similarity until Randolph and
Wabash are passed, when slow running shows on the
rush-hour trip as a result of junction influence, delay
extending north of Madison and Wabash station. Very
slow running and frequent stops occur until Quincy is
passed.
The dead stops between stations amounted to 2 minutes
and 19 seconds. The excess time, over the average with¬
out delay, taken to pass from Adams to State was 1 min¬
ute and 47 seconds, and from La Salle to Quincy 1 minute
and 21 seconds; total, 3 minutes and 8 seconds.
For detail of trips see table No. 2. The slow running
and stops from Quincy to Randolph and Fifth Avenue
were probably caused by backing a Northwestern train
into Randolph Street station, and a Chicago and Oak
Park train entering over the crossing junction.
The above rush-hour trip, taking 19 minutes and 45
seconds, on the outer track, began about 5:30 p. m.
Another trip, on the inner track, beginning about 5:45
p. m., consumed 19 minutes and 40 seconds. The short¬
est rush-hour trip consumed 11 minutes and 58 seconds,
and was on the outer track, beginning about 9:05 a. m.,
being partly outside the rush-hour period.
Time Taken for Non-Rush-Hour Trips.
The average time for a trip around the "Loop" in the
non-rush-hours, as shown in a record taken of twenty-
two trips, shows an average of 12 minutes and 31 seconds
per trip. The record for the shortest non-rush-hour
TABLE No. 2.
RUNNING TIME BETWEEN STATIONS AND LENGTH OF STATION STOPS FOR CHICAGO AND OAK PARK TRAINS ON OUTER
TRACK. ONE RUSH-HOUR AND ONE NON-RUSH-HOUR TRIP.
Running time from
Excess Time for
Station Stop
Preceding Station.
Rush-hour Trip
STATIONS.
Rush-
Non-rush-
Rush-
Non-rush-
Sta.
Running
Hour
Hour
Hour
Hour
Stop
Time
Sec.
Sec.
m. s.
m. s.
Sec.
m. s.
Jet. 5th and Lake
Clark
9
12
38
40
—3
—2
State
5
11
50
43
—6
7
Randolph
10
9
1 17
1 04
1
13
Madison
16
11
1 12
47
5
25
Adams
14
12
1 51
47
2
1 04
State
14
10
3 11
1 21
4
1 50
Dearborn
15
6
36
34
9
2
La Salle
10
8
2 10
41
2
1 29
Quincy
12
7
2 43
1 17
5
1 26
Madison and 5th
9
11
1 11
58
—2
13
Randolph and 5th
11
9
1 36
52
2
44
Jet. 5th and Lake
25
16
9
Total
125
106
17 40
10 00
19
7 40
Average
11.4
9.6
Running Between Stations.
Rush-hour Non-rush-hour Total Time of Stops
No. of
Stops
3
2
Slow
Downs
Slow
Slow
Slow
Slow
Slow
Slow
Slow
Slow
No. of
Stops
Slow
Downs
Rush-
Hour
m. s.
59
24
44
12
2 19
Non-rush-
Hour
m. s.
H
>3
H
CA
Length of Rush-Hour Trip 19 m., 45 s., begun about 5:32 p. m., May 7. Non-rush-Hour, 11 m., 46 s., begun about 6:52 p. m., April 21.
Note:—Trips Plotted on Plate No. 10 for Time-Distance Curves.
Excess time for Rush-Hour over non-Rush-Hour Trip on account of:
Junction Delays between Adams and State, and La Salle and Quincy, 3 min. and 16 sec.
Junction Influence Delays Extending Back of Adams, 1 min. and 42 sec.
Junction Influence Delays Extending Back of La Salle, 1 min. and 29 sec.
Junction Influence Delays Extending Back of Randolph and Fifth Ave., 57 sec.
Total Delay Chargeable to Junction Crossings, 7 min. and 24 sec.
Total Difference in Length of Trips, 7 min. and 59 sec.
to
to
30
DELAY AND CONGESTION.
trip was about 10 minutes and 30 seconds, being made by
a two-car South Side local, about 7 p. m. The longest
trip, in the record from which the average was derived,
was 14 minutes and 29 seconds, made by a Northwestern
train about 4:50 p. m.
Rush-Hour Delay Outside the Entrance Junctions
to the "Loop."
On a morning trip recorded for a Chicago & Oak Park
train the time from leaving Canal Street Station to pass¬
ing the entering junction was over 124 minutes, or over
11 minutes more time than is required without delay;
for 5 trips in the evening the average delay per train
was five minutes and a quarter.
On an evening trip recorded for a South Side train,
the time taken from leaving Twelfth Street to passing
into the "Loop" at the junction was nearly 14 minutes.
These delays, to a greater or less amount, are of daily
occurrence on all the roads entering the "Loop."
These records may be taken as fairly representative
of the operation of trains around the "Loop." The time
record for rush-hour trips was taken mostly in April
and May, 1908. The rush-hour trips may consume more
time at some seasons of the year than when the record
was taken.
The Main Cause of Delay and Congestion.
Delays result principally from :
1st. Junction crossings.
2nd. Delay at the first station after passing the enter¬
ing junction.
3rd. Longer and heavier trains to be handled than in
the non-rush hours.
4th. Longer station stops for loading and unloading
trains.
PLATE 2 * Looking West on Van Buren from
Wabash. Outer Track Empty on Account of Trains
Being Held Back on Wabash as Shown in Plate 1, for
South Side Trains to enter and leave. Trains shown
are on Inner Track.
*Plate 1 is Placed on the Page Following to
Face Plate 2 so as to Show the Tracks Roughly
in their Relative Position.
PLATE 1. Looking North on Wabash from Van Buren.
Blockade of South Bound Trains on Outer Track
Caused by Waiting to Get Past the Junction.
JUNCTION DELAYS.
31
Detail of Factors Entering into Delay and Con¬
gestion.
1. Junction Delays.
From the various observations and data obtained in
train-trip records, the most serious single item of delay
is shown to be that caused in approaching and getting
past junction points.
The marked effect of junction delays is well shown in
the photograph, Plate 1, taken from Wabash and Van
Buren looking North. This was taken about 5:30 in the
evening, and shows a solid block of trains on the outer
"Loop" track brought about by trains passing in and
out of the inner "Loop" track and crossing the outer.
Owing to haze and smoke the full extent of the blockade
is not clearly shown.
Plate 2, also taken at Wabash and Van Buren, looking
West on Van Buren, at about 5:40 p. m., shows the outer
track almost clear of trains, while the inner track is
nearly filled. The trains on the outer track have been
held back at the junction while the South Side trains
were being passed in and out. The same condition takes
place repeatedly not only at Wabash and Van Buren, but
at Fifth Avenue and Van Buren.
Conditions such as shown exist to a marked degree
throughout the rush-hours both in the morning and in
the evening. It is also common for a train to have to
slow down or to stop and wait to get past junctions even
during non-rush hours. In fact, as shown below, delay
occurred at over fifty per cent, of the junction cross¬
ings made in the non-rush-hour trips of the record.
32
JUNCTION DELAYS.
Table No. 3 shows parts of train trips on the "Loop"
giving the time taken from leaving a station to arriving
at the next, where crossing junctions intervene.
For twenty train trips, the average time per trip to
pass from Adams to State on the outer "Loop" was 2
minutes and 29 seconds when delay • occurred ; for four
trips without delay the average time between these same
stations was 1 minute and 24 seconds. That shows an
average of 1 minute and 5 seconds difference in time
between train trips with delay and those without, in
passing from one station to the other on account of
junction waits and delays.
The average time per trip for eighteen trains on the
outer "Loop" to pass from La Salle to Quincy, during
the rush-hours, was 2 minutes and 5 seconds when de¬
lays occurred; the average time for five trains without
delay was 1 minute and 16 seconds. That shows an av¬
erage of 49 seconds extra time per train consumed on
account of junction delay for the 18 trains passing from
La Salle to Quincy.
The average delay per train trip for both junctions on
the outer track amounts to a total of 2 minutes and 4 sec¬
onds, or over 13% of the average time for rush-hour
trip. This, of course, does not include the stops, waits
and slow running which frequently occurs as the result
of junction delay influence extending back of the above
stations.
The average time taken for seven Metropolitan trains
on the inner "Loop" to pass from State to Adams dur¬
ing the rush-hours, in which delays occurred, was 2 min¬
utes and 15 seconds; the average time taken for five
train trips without delays was 1 minute and 18 seconds.
This shows an average delay of 57 seconds chargeable to
the junction at this point.
JUNCTION DELAYS.
33
TABLE NO. 3.
PARTS OF TRAIN TRIPS ON THE "LOOP." SHOWING TIME TAKEN FROM
LEAVING ONE STATION TO ARRIVING AT THE NEXT
WHERE A CROSSING JUNCTION INTERVENES.
RUSH-HOUR (7:45 to 9:15 and 5:00 to 6:30.)
With Delay
Northwestern ||Chi.& Oak Park|| Metropolitan || South Side
Adams
LaSalle
Adams
LaSalle
State
Quincy
Quincy
State
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
State
Quincy
State
Quincy
Adams
F'klin
LaSalle
Congre»»
m. s.
m. s.
m. s.
m. s.
m. s.
m. s.
m. s.
m. s.
1 55
1 55
2 26
2 06
2 44
1 41
1 36
1 23
3 14
2 04
2 21
2 01
3 09
1 40
2 09
1 15
2 05
2 24
2 43
1 30
2 37
2 04
3 06
2 17
2 18
1 55
1 26
2 15
1 16
1 41
2 31
2 09
1 48
1 11
1 58
3 04
2 02
1 19
1 27
1 36
2 08
1 54
2 20
1 36
2 06
1 12
2 35
1 43
1 55
2 18
3 44
2 23
3 36
1 40
3 14
2 43*
3 11*
2 29
1 53
1 57
Sum 9 31
8 41
40 17
28 44
15 46
12 51
10 30
2 38
Average .. 2 22
2 10
2 31
2 03
2 15
1 36
2 06
1 19
Without Delay
1 10
1 15
1 10
1 15
1 09
1 17
1 26
1 04
1 01
1 24
1 10
58
Sum
2 27
4 05
2 14
1 15
4 18
Average
1 13
1 22
1 07
1 15
1 04
NON-RUSH-HOUR
With Delay
2 17
1 47
1 39
1 50
1 56
1 24
1 16
1 18
2 05
2 15
1 23
2 08
1 05
1 22
1:30
1 38
1 33
1 19
1 46
1139
1 50
1]58
2 23
1 40
1 28
Sum 2 17
1 47
11 05
12 20
4 57
1 24
4 57
3 42
Average .. 2 17
1 47
1 51
1 45
1 39
1 24
1 39
1 14
Without Delay
1 22
1 12
1 21*
1 17*
1 02
1 02
1 18
1 12
1 26
1 27
1 24
1 03
1 15
57
1 27
1 05
1 08
1 13
1 03
Sum 1 22
1 12
4 14
2 44
2 26
4 13
3 41
3 22
Average .. 1 22
1 12
1 24
1 22
1 13
1 03
1 14
1 07
* Trip plotted on Plate No. 10, for time-distance curves.
34
JUNCTION DELAYS.
For five 4'delay" trips of the South Side, from leav¬
ing Quincy to arriving at La Salle, the average time was
2 minutes and 6 seconds; the average for four trips
without delay was 1 minute and 14 seconds. The above
shows an average of 52 seconds extra time per trip con¬
sumed on account of junction delays between these points.
Delays and waits were also occasioned to trains oper¬
ating on the inner track in getting out of the "Loop."
Those for the Metropolitan being between Quincy and
Franklin and those for the South Side between State
and Congress.
The longest single junction delay shown in the record,
above the average time required for the same distance
without delay, was 2 minutes and 20 seconds in passing
from Adams to State on the outer track. The junction
delay for the same train in passing from La Salle to
Quincy was 1 minute. The total delay in getting from
Adams to State and La Salle to Quincy past the two
junction points was 3 minutes and 20 seconds.
This trip was made by a Chicago and Oak Park train
entering at about 8:12 and leaving at 8 :30 a. m.
In this particular trip delays occurred in addition be¬
tween Madison and Adams, State and Dearborn, and
Dearborn and La Salle. The length of the entire trip
from entering to leaving the "Loop" was 18 minutes
and 12 seconds, or a total of 5 minutes and 41 seconds
more time than required for the average non-rush-hour
trip. The record shows that about 2 minutes and 11
seconds extra time was taken between the above stations
on account of junction blockades. That together with
the delay of 3 minutes and 20 seconds between Adams
and State, and La Salle and Quincy, makes up all but
10 seconds of the difference between this trip and the
JUNCTION DELAYS.
35
average for a non-rush-hour trip of 12 minutes and 31
seconds.
While notes were taken from which a statement could
be made up showing the additional amount of delay
caused by junction blockades extending beyound the
limits above shown in Table 3, the conditions as shown
for the above trip on the Chicago and Oak Park may be
taken as fairly representative of rush-hour delay, ex¬
cepting for this trip the station stops were unusually
short. (See also trips in Table 2.)
The longest station stop on this trip was 16 seconds;
the shortest, 4 seconds. The entire time consumed in
station stops was 1 minute and 32 seconds, or an average
of 8.4 seconds per station.
Table No. 4 is a set of totals and averages made up
from the record of train trips around the "Loop," being
compiled and condensed from Table No. 3, and shows
the average time taken from leaving one station to ar¬
rive at the next where intervening crossing junctions are
passed. The table shows: The total number of trips
in both the rush and non-rush hours of the record; the
average time taken both in the rush and non-rush-hour
trips for each road in passing the junctions with the
average total. Column one gives the total number of
rush-hour trips; column two, the rush-hour trips with
delay; column three, the number of rush-hour trips with¬
out delay; column four, the total non-rush-hour trips;
column five, the number of non-rush-hour trips with de¬
lay ; column six, without delay.
Under "Average Time," column seven gives the aver¬
age rush-hour time with delay; column eight, without de
lay; column nine gives the average non-rush-hour time
with delay; column ten, without delay; column eleven
TABLE NO. 4.
PARTS OF TRAIN TRIPS AROUND THE "LOOP." TOTALS AND AVERAGES.
co
O
Data showing the average time taken by trains from the time of leaving one station to the arrival at the next, where intervening
junctions are crossed.
1st. TRAIN TRIPS ON THE OUTER "LOOP" TRACK.
NUMBER OF TRAINS
AVERAGE TIME (From Leaving to Arrival).
Rush-/7:45 to 9:15
Hour\5:00 to 6:30
Non-Rush-Hour
Rush-Hour
Non-Rush-Hour
Total
Total | With
| Delay
Without
Delay
Total
With
Delay
Without
Delay
With
Delay
Without
Delay
With
Delay
Without
Delay
With
Delay
Without
Delay
Northwestern—FROM ADAMS TO STATE.
1
1
m. s.
m. s. |
m. s.
m. s.
| m. s.
m. s.
4 | 4
1
2
1 1 1
2 22
i
2 17
1 22
| 2 21
1 22
Chicago & Oak Park—FROM ADAMS TO STATE.
16 | 16
|| 9 | 6
3
| 2 31 |
1 51
1 24
| 2 20 1 24
c:
c>
o
P
to
Northwestern—FROM LASALLE TO QUINCY.
1
2 10
1 47 1 1 12 || 2 06
1 12
16
14
Chicago & Oak Park—FROM LASALLE TO QUINCY.
2 03
1 13
1 45
1 22
1 57
1 18
TOTAL NUMBER OF JUNCTIONS CROSSED
40 1 38 | 2 11 22 | 15 | 7 11 217.7
AVERAGES OF TIME.
113 ||1 49.9 1 1 21.7 11 2 09.8 [ 1 19.9
2nd. TRAIN TRIPS ON THE INNER "LOOP" TRACK.
Metropolitan—FROM STATE TO ADAMS.
10
1 7
3
1 5
1 3 | 2
| 2 15 | 1 22 || 1 39 |
1 13
|| 204
| 1 18
FROM QUINCY TO FRANKLIN.
10
1 8
2
1 5
1 | 4
| 1 36 | 1 07 || 1 24 |
1 03
II 135
| 1 05
South Side—FROM QUINCY TO LASALLE.
6
1 5
1
6
3 | 3
| 2 06 | 1 15 || 1 39 |
1 14
1 56
| 1 14
FROM STATE TO CONGRESS.
6
2
4
1 6
! 3 | 3
| 1 19 | 1 04 || 1 14 |
1 07
||- 116
| 1 06
TOTAL NUMBER OF JUNCTIONS CROSSED.
AVERAGES
OF TIME.
32
| 22
10
| 22
| 10 | 12
| 154.5 | 111.2 || 130 | 108.5
| 1 46.4
1 09.7
c:
o
o
t"
to
Total average excess running time for all trains between the above stations per train trip on account of junction delay.
Outer Track, Rush-hour 2 m. 2.5 sec., Non-Rush-hour 38 sec.
Inner Track, Rush-hour 1 m. 5 sec., Non-Rush-hour 20 sec.
Reuark—To obtain the above averages the averages of the tables were reduced by the per cent of trains not meeting with delay.
co
ni
38
JUNCTION DELAYS.
gives the total average time with delay; and column
twelve gives the total average time without delay between
the different stations for the four roads.
Out of a total of 20 trains on the outer track, making
40 junction crossings, only 2 crossing were made without
delay during the rush-hours, amounting to 5 per cent, of
the total. Out of 11 trips during the non-rush-hours,
making 22 junction crossings, 7 crossings or 32 per cent,
of the total were made without delay.
On the inner "Loop" for 10 trains of the Metropoli¬
tan, making 20 junction crossings, during the rush-hours,
5 were made without delay. For the 5 trains making
10 junction crossings during the non-rush-hours, 6 were
made without delay between the designated stations.
For the South Side, out of 6 trains, making 12 junction
crossings, during the rush-hours, 5 crossings were made
without delay. For 6 trains during the non-rush-hours,
making 12 junction crossings, 6 were without delay.
On the inner track 31 per cent, of the junctions were
crossed without delay during the rush-hours. In the
non-rush-hour 54.5 per cent, of the crossings were made
without delay.
"With" or "without delay" is only counted between
the stations each side of the junction. As a matter of
fact, as previously mentioned, junction influence delays
frequently extend beyond these stations. In the record
trips these delays occurred in a number of cases when
they did not occur between the stations shown in Table
No. 3.
In some of the trips in the above record, the time spent
actually waiting at or approaching junction points in a
dead stop, is shown to be as high as 2-£ minutes, with
slow running as well. No trip recorded during the rush-
DELAY AT FIRST STATION.
39
hours, was free from actual junction stops or influence
of junction delays. In some instances junction delays
became so cumulative as to cause blockade influence to
extend past the second station from the junction over
more than half the length of the long side of the "Loop."
It is not uncommon for both tracks on the South end of
the "Loop" to be almost wholly blocked with trains prin¬
cipally on account of junction delays.
2. Delay at First Station After Entering.
There is delay to many of the trains at the first
station after entering the "Loop" on account of two, or
even more, trains of the same road being passed through
the junction points closely following each other. When
the trains are admitted through the junction points
alternately, the train using the front platform will have
had time to reach the first station and discharge and
take on its load without causing more than a few seconds
or possibly no delay to the train using the rear portion
of the platform. The time taken to change the interlock¬
ing so as to admit the following train, and the time taken
for accelerating, is usually more than that required for
the preceding train after clearing the junction to reach
and make its station stop and get under way. When
there is a wait or slow-down of this kind, it is usually so
slight as to be a very small factor in operating delay.
Delays of this kind are longer in the morning rush-hours
on account of the first station stop being longer. The av¬
erage time taken, after the signal is set, for a waiting
train to get under way, and clear the interlocking detector
bar, is about 30 seconds. That, with about 5 seconds for
throwing the interlocking, makes about 35 seconds, as the
least time for the half cycle interlocking movement and
entry at a trailing switch junction. The time taken for
40
STATION STOP DELAYS.
a train to reach a station from the time of passing
through the junction is from 30 to 40 seconds, depending
on the distance.
When a train using the front of the platform is entered
closely following the one using the rear portion of the
platform it is subject to longer delay on account of the
train using the rear platform being stopped nearer the
entrance junction.
Under normal conditions, after the first station is
passed, the following train is not required to stop a sec¬
ond time, or to slow down for the train ahead, unless the
leading train has to make longer station stops than the
following, or unless it is from cumulative delays at some
heavy loading station, or when approaching or getting
past a junction point.
3. Longer Trains.
The longer and heavier rush-hour trains require more
time and caution in their movement than the non-rush
hour trains.
4. Longer Station Stops In Rush-Hours.
More time is consumed at the stations loading and un¬
loading passengers. A train taking more time to make
its station stops than the average, will delay and bunch
the trains back of it and cause cumulative delays.
Delays of that kind are very noticeable where, for in¬
stance, a light three-car local train follows a heavy five
car express train taking on its load. The average time
for station stops for the light train will be 9 to 10 sec¬
onds, while for the heavy train it will be from 14 to 15
seconds and even more. The average time for a station
stop during the non-rush hour is about 10 seconds. The
average for the first three station stops on the 11 Loop"
in the morning rush-hour is abolit 14 seconds, while about
STATION STOP DELAYS.
41
the same time is taken for the last stops in the evening.
The heavy loading station stops in the rush-hours are
nearly twice as long as the average non-rush hour sta¬
tion stop. The average increased length of station stop
for a trip during the evening rush-hour is from 2 to 3
seconds per station. That makes nearly half a minute
more time consumed for station stops in the evening
rush-hour trips.
The causes for longer station stops during rush-hours
are as follows:
(a.) On account of more passengers having to be un¬
loaded or loaded during the rush-hour, even with the best
facilities possible to provide, more time will be required
for station stops.
(b.) With the present cars, the gates and doors are
entirely too narrow for the free movement of passengers
either unloading or loading. This is especially the case
when a car is filled to a standing and platform load on
which the narrow entrance and swinging gates are used.
(c.) Some of the roads operating different branches,
do not use signs on their cars indicating as fully and pre¬
cisely as they should the destination and class of train.
Neither are they located where they can be seen by a
passenger at any and all times before entering the train.
42
SUGGESTED CHANGES FOR INCREASING
THE OPERATING CAPACITY
AND EFFICIENCY.
It is needless to say that the different roads using the
Union Elevated Railroad "Loop" as a terminal at the
present time are delivering to it more rush-hour trains
than it has capacity to handle. When a train, after more
or less delay, is once entered in the "Loop," the extra
time consumed in making the trip amounts in some cases
to as much as 50 per cent, of the entire time required
to make a trip during the non-rush hours and in some
cases even more. The loss of time in getting trains on
to and around the "Loop" very seriously limits the
capacity of the different roads for handling traffic. The
consequent loss in revenue to the roads is certainly very
considerable. The most serious feature of the whole
situation, however, is the inconvenience and loss of time
to the traveling public.
It is believed that if the following changes were made
in the routing of traffic over the structure, with some
additions and changes in the structure itself, and in the
equipment operating thereon, the capacity of the Union
Elevated Railroad "Loop" could be so materially in¬
creased as to entirely remove the present congestion and
delay. Owing to the rapid growth of the city it is not
to be expected that the suggested changes will take care
of the future rush-hour traffic for a great length of time.
The changes suggested for adoption are as follows:
1. Through Routing.
2. Changes in "Loop" Stations.
3. Changes in Car Doors and Signals.
THROUGH ROUTING.
43
4. A More Complete System of Train Signs.
5. Improved Brake Hangers.
6. Protection of Contact-Conductor (Third) Rail.
7. Adoption of Universal Transfers.
1. Through Routing.
There is no one change which could be made in connec¬
tion with the present operation on the 4'Loop" structure
in the business district, which would afford the amount and
immediate relief which could be obtained by through
routing of trains, and dispensing with 50 per cent, of the
mileage and time now required for the slow trip around
the "Loop" during rush hours. While this change might
involve some problems to be taken care of by the differ¬
ent transportation lines, now using the "Loop" terminal,
such as the proper distribution of revenue collected on
the "Loop" territory, responsibility in case of accident,
difference in equipment, different rules and require¬
ments, etc., it is believed that there are none but what
could be satisfactorily provided for. The matter of one
road operating with its equipment and employees over a
foreign road is something that is done every day on
steam road service as well as on electric surface lines.
In addition to being able to pass nearly twice as many
trains over the "Loop" structure as at present, it
would be possible to load six and seven car trains at the
present stations, making an increase of 20 to 40 per cent,
in car capacity with little, if any, extensions to the plat¬
forms. If that were done and all lines through routed
to the greatest degree practicable, the capacity should
be increased from 130 to 140 per cent, more cars than are
handled over it at the present time.
Through-routing would not only relieve delay and con-
44
THROUGH ROUTING.
gestion on the "Loop," by reducing the number of cars
on the "Loop" now making useless mileage, and in¬
creasing the efficiency of those still operated, but it would
also tend to moderate congestion by promoting a healthy
extension of the business district beyond the present re¬
stricted and arbitrary limits. It is for both these rea¬
sons that the through-routing principle should be made
the prime factor in the improvement of transportation
facilities as against the terminal principle which charac¬
terizes the present system.
The simplest and most logical method of through rout¬
ing would be:
A. The Northwestern and South Side lines.
B. Inter-routing of the West Side lines.
(A) Northwestern with South Side Lines.
At least three methods of routing these lines over the
"Loop" structure have been proposed:
1st. To through route north-bound and south-bound
trains over the Wabash Avenue and Lake Street portion
of the "Loop."
2nd. To alternate the south-bound trains—one south¬
bound train on one side of the "Loop" and the next
south-bound train on the other ; north-bound trains alter¬
nating in the same manner.
3rd. To through route the north-bound trains on one
side of the "Loop" and south-bound trains on the other.
1st. Via Wabash and Lake.
The method of through routing as designated in "1st"
(above) would be advantageous to the North Side and
South Side lines. A serious objection to this method is
that the service on Van Buren Street would have to be
THROUGH ROUTING.
45
taken care of by a shuttle service or a stub for the Metro¬
politan, which is a very unsatisfactory method of deliver¬
ing traffic in the congested district. Another objection is
that the West Side lines could not be operated over the
"Loop" east of Fifth Avenue, and would be excluded
from the Wabash Avenue delivery. This would be a
very serious inconvenience to the patrons of the West
Side lines. On account of the resulting loss of revenue,
the West Side lines would hardly be willing to submit
to that arrangement.
2nd. Alternate Routing.
The arrangement for alternate through routing as pro¬
posed in the report of Messrs. Ford, Bacon & Davis to
the Northwestern Elevated Railroad Company, and as
mentioned by Mr. Weston in his report to the Commit¬
tee on Local Transportation, would make a most favor¬
able arrangement, if only the Northwestern and South
Side lines and their patrons were to be considered. If
this service were installed without the elimination of
grade crossings, it would so thoroughly tie up and inter¬
fere with the operation of the Chicago & Oak Park line
as to be a serious inconvenience to their patrons. The
Metropolitan would be left in little, if any, better shape
in operating over the "Loop" than at the present time.
Even if the grade crossings were eliminated there would
probably be such an excess of traffic thrown on the outer
"loop" track as to cause congestion. As it would serve
to benefit only the Northwestern and South Side lines,
while at the same time it would act as a detriment to the
Chicago and Oak Park line, and the Metropolitan in part,
it does not appear to be the best arrangement that could
be adopted.
46
THROUGH ROUTING.
3rd. North-bound via one and south-bound via the other
side of the "Loop."
To through-route Northwestern and South Side north¬
bound trains on one side of the "Loop" and south-bound
trains on the other, may at first sight seem to have some
objectionable features. It can be shown, however, that
objections which may be raised to this method of through-
routing are more apparent than real.
When the actual conditions of loading and unloading
passengers for the North Side and South Side trains as
they operate at the present time are taken into con¬
sideration, there would appear to be no special reason
for alternating the trains of these lines in through
routing as has been recommended. In making observa¬
tions of these trains as at present operated, it will be
seen that for the Northwestern, during the morning
rush-hours, nearly all the passengers will have been
discharged by the time Dearborn and Van Buren station
is reached. On the South Side lines, the morning load
is nearly all discharged by the time of leaving Randolph
and Fifth Avenue. In the evening nearly all of the load¬
ing for the North Side lines is done on Wabash, Van
Buren and Fifth Avenue. That for the South Side lines
is perhaps a little more evenly distributed on the four
sides. This goes to show that a passenger, in order to
save time in the morning, will get off at the first station
stops and walk a distance possibly the entire width of the
"Loop" or more extra. The same is evident in the even¬
ing from the fact that such a large portion of the loading
is done on the last two sides of the "Loop" traversed
by any trains making the trip. The heaviest loading on
Wabash in the evening occurs a few minutes after the
close of the shopping hours. Fewer passengers would
take trains on Wabash during the rush-hours than do
THROUGH ROUTING.
47
now, if it were not for the crowded condition of the
trains on the last part of the trip. A passenger can
usually get a seat by taking any of the ''Loop" trains
on Wabash Avenue. If south-bound trains used only
one side and north-bound trains the other for through
routing, the average of accommodation for patrons
of the lines running either North or South would
not be so materially different from what the passenger
imposes upon himself at the present time. For exam¬
ple: a passenger patronizing the South Side line, and
having his place of business near Madison and Wabash,
would have to walk either to or from Madison and
Fifth or State and Van Buren (or to Congress Street
station if State and Van Buren is abandoned), either in
the morning or in the evening, depending on which side
the South Side line were routed north. For the other
trip he will take or leave the train at Wabash and Madi¬
son. As has just been pointed out, passengers do prac¬
tically the same thing at present when they have facilities
for riding much nearer to their destination than they evi¬
dently do.
It is my belief that very satisfactory results could be
had by through routing north-bound express trains on
one side and south-bound express trains on the other.
By using this arrangement for express service, and send¬
ing a certain portion of the local trains around the
"LoopV the express trains carrying the long haul pas¬
sengers, would be fully as well patronized when through
routed north-bound on one side and south-bound on the
other, as they would be if they made the complete circuit
as they do now or were routed alternately. The locals
being lighter as a rule than the expresses, would not cause
nearly so much congestion and delay as the longer heavier
loaded express trains, The local trains making the cir-
48
THROUGH ROUTING.
cuit of the "Loop" could take care of the passengers
by transfer who would not wish to walk to a dis¬
tant station to get an express train. The locals would
also be a most important factor in furnishing convenient
transportation facilities for what may be termed the
"short haul competitive traffic." If trains were all
through-routed passengers could still get delivery to and
from all points of the loop as at present by transferring
at the first station outside the loop and riding back. If
passengers are required to walk a long distance and climb
a stair for a short trip on the elevated, they will ordi¬
narily take the surface lines in preference. On the other
hand, passengers living well out, depending on express
service, will not mind a comparatively long walk once a
day to get the accommodation and would have little rea¬
son to complain, for they could get the same delivery as
at present, by making one transfer a day.
This arrangement on the whole should be preferable
to that of alternating the north-bound and south-bound
trains on both sides of the "Loop." If, in the operation
of trains, through routing of lines with each other is
confined,to the same track of the "Loop," the present
platforms will give ample room for loading seven-car
trains with little, if any, further extension.
If through routing of the North and South side lines
were done on the alternate plan, it would not only make
through routing of the West Side lines very difficult, but
would very seriously handicap their operation even under
the present method. It would be necessary to maintain
and operate the double stations for each track as at
present. To get loading facilities at double stations for
seven-car express trains would require a very objection¬
able increase in length of platforms.
THROUGH ROUTING.
49
Probably one obstacle in the way of the Northwestern
and South Side lines coming to an agreement on through
routing is that relating to the detail of which shall route
in-bound or out-bound over Wabash avenue, that being the
most valuable traffic territory.
(B) Inter-Route the Two Systems of the West Side.
If the rapid transit facilities of the city are to have
anything like a satisfactory arrangement made for tak¬
ing care of the present traffic and any considerable
amount of future growth, it is very desirable that provi¬
sion should be made for taking care of the West Side
traffic, better than would be possible with the present
independent "Loop" terminal operation.
By the construction of a third track on Lake Street
and a connection to the Logan Square and Hum¬
boldt Park branches of the Metropolitan from where
they cross the Chicago & Oak Park line, to a connection
with the "Loop," the service of the Logan Square and
Humboldt Park branches of the Metropolitan could be
routed via Lake Street to the "Loop," and on three sides
of the "Loop" via Lake, Wabash and Van Buren, and
out the Douglas and Garfield Park branches. The Doug¬
las and Garfield Park branches of the Metropolitan could
be routed on the Fifth Avenue side of the "Loop"
out Lake Street over the Logan Square and Hum¬
boldt Park branches. That would save three-quarters
of the present mileage now required to traverse the
distance from Van Buren to Lake four times by the Lo¬
gan Square and Humboldt Park branches in making a
round trip. The saving for the Garfield Park and
Douglas Park branches, by through-routing, would be
once the distance from Van Buren to Lake, and twice the
distance from Fifth Avenue to Wabash on each trip.
50
THROUGH ROUTING.
To accommodate passengers coming in on the Dong-
las Park and Garfield Park branches, wishing to reach
points on Lake, Wabash or Van Buren, they could
transfer at the proposed new station at Lake and Frank¬
lin Streets to the other route and reach their destination
in that way. Passengers of the Humboldt Park or Logan
Square branches wishing to ride to points on Fifth Ave¬
nue could transfer to the Garfield or Douglas Park lines
at Van Buren and Franklin.
The obstacle of trains being excluded from Wabash
Avenue is probably one of the largest factors in the ob¬
jections which the Metropolitan have to raise against
through routing. They, of course, could adopt a plan of
sending some of the locals around the 1 'Loop" for trans¬
fer and accommodating short haul traffic, features of
which would be similar to those recommended for the
North and South side lines. However, as has been recom¬
mended, if two branches of their lines are operated over
Lake Street and through routed, only the through rout¬
ing from Douglas Park and Garfield Park lines would be
excluded from Wabash Avenue. With that arrangement
the Metropolitan would be giving service to its patrons
which should cause little complaint.
As a matter of fact, the possibilities for increasing and
giving better rush-hour express service on the Metro¬
politan by routing the Logan Square and Humboldt Park
branches via a third track on Lake Street would be a
very decided advantage for the West Side lines. As the
Metropolitan is operated at present its express service
is very limited and is a more or less serious obstacle in
the way of developing traffic in the outlying districts
served by this road The operation of the trains of the
Chicago & Oak Park would be in no way interfered with,
as the Chicago & Oak Park operate their express
THROUGH ROUTING.
51
service from Ashland to Halsted on the same track with
the locals. The rush-hour local service and non-rush-
hour traffic could be handled over the Metropolitan lines
as now operated if deemed more desirable.
Unification of West Side Lines.
There is no logical reason apparent why the rapid tran¬
sit systems of the West Side should be separately oper¬
ated and maintained on a competitive basis. The amount
of fare is the same in any event, and the only basis on
which competition between the lines is operative is that
of service rendered. As that could be very materially
improved by unified operation, thereby encouraging the
development of new traffic and securing much competi¬
tive traffic which would otherwise go to the surface lines,
there seems to be good reason for unification, from the
investor's standpoint as well as the traveling public and
the larger interest of the City of Chicago as a whole.
In General.
It would seem that the gain from the short haul
competitive traffic which would result, from facilities
such as would be afforded by the method outlined, would
go a long way toward offsetting any loss resulting from
inability to make direct delivery on Wabash avenue by
all lines. Taking into account the long and tedious de¬
lay in getting onto the "Loop" in the morning rush-
hours, and getting around and off in the evening rush-
hours, the loss in revenue from short haul competitive
traffic going to the surface lines is certainly very consid¬
erable. In this connection the policy of the roads in
making new extensions in the outlying districts and get¬
ting long-haul traffic which they are not able to take care
of, and neglecting facilities which should encourage the
52
LOCATION OF STATIONS.
more profitable short-haul traffic, seems to be open to
criticism from the investors' standpoint, if not that of
the traveling public.
Unified Operation.
The unified operation of the elevated roads under one
management would go a long way toward the solution
of the rapid transit difficulty with which the City of Chi¬
cago is at present confronted.
As previously pointed out, through routing of itself
would save considerable useless mileage. A large saving
could be made in general office expense, operating, main¬
tenance, etc. Under separate ownership and manage¬
ment, the roads have separate organizations throughout,
with separate power stations, repair and maintenance de¬
partments, machine shops, etc.. to be maintained.
On account of the general saving in expense, with in¬
terests harmonized so as to secure the best results in
operation and service to the public, there would seem to
be every argument in favor of unified operation and the
abolition of the present conflicting interests.
To mention a single item as effecting operation on the
"Loop" under unification, there would no longer be any
need of maintaining double stations. That would dis¬
pense with twenty-two of the ticket offices, with the at¬
tendant expense of from twenty to twenty-five thousand
dollars a year which is now required.
2. Changes in "!Loop" Stations.
Stations to be abandoned or replaced by others in
new location.
It is believed that very material saving in schedule
LOCATION OF STATIONS.
53
time and increase in capacity could be had by the follow¬
ing changes in stations :
a. Dearborn street station might be abandoned or
merged with State street station for all lines.
b. For the Northwestern and Chicago and Oak
Park lines, the Randolph street and Fifth avenue
station should be abandoned. A station for the
Northwestern at Fifth avenue and South Water
street, and one for the Chicago and Oak Park at
Lake and Franklin streets should be established in¬
stead.
c. For the Metropolitan line the Quincy street
station should be abandoned.
d. For the South Side line the State and Van
Buren street station might be abandoned.
Reasons for Suggested Changes.
(a) The Dearborn street station could be abandoned
to advantage in operating elevated trains without undue
inconvenience to the public, for the reason that the sta¬
tions on Van Buren street are unnecessarily close to¬
gether.
(b) The advantages to be gained by abandoning Ran¬
dolph street and Fifth avenue station for the Northwest¬
ern and Chicago and Oak Park lines are as follows :
In the morning rush-hours most trains approaching
junction points on the "Loop" are subject to more or less
delay. This delay could be utilized to advantage by a
station stop and unloading passengers on the outside,
while now all passengers are compelled to wait on the
train until reaching the first station on the "Loop." The
first station is almost invariably the heaviest unload¬
ing station stop in the trip around the "Loop." During
the evening rush-hours Randolph and Fifth is among
the heaviest loading stations, and as the trains
54
LOCATION OF STATIONS.
are already well filled, they usually consume more
than the average amount of time loading. If the
stations were moved to the points designated, trains
would leave the "Loop" without this delay and
take on their loads at the separate stations outside.
Another reason for recommending the abandonment of
these stations is, that the trains have discharged all of
their loads in the morning before reaching Randolph
street, and the few passengers to be accommodated in
taking the trains out in the morning could be just as well
served from the proposed new locations outside the
"Loop."
(c) The reason for recommending the abandonment
of the Quincy street station of the Metropolitan is that
the road has stub-terminal and main line stations within
a short distance of that station. In the morning rush
hours the loads on the train have been discharged before
reaching this station. It answers no purpose whatever
in handling the morning rush-hour traffic. On account
of the crowded condition of the trains when reaching
this station in the evening, traffic should logically be
handled at the Fifth avenue stub-terminal and Franklin
street main line station of the road, and save the extra
delay on the overworked "Loop."
(d) The State and Van Buren street station for the
South Side line could be abandoned on the same ground
as that stated for the abandonment of Quincy street sta¬
tion for the Metropolitan. The traffic would then have
to be taken care of at the Congress street main line and
stub-terminal stations. On account of State and Van
Buren street station being in the shopping district and
further from the "outside" stations the reasons for its
abandonment are not so strong as for the other stations
mentioned.
TO LOAD LONGER TRAINS.
55
The saving in station stops on the "Loop," if all the
suggested changes were made, would he two for each
road, or eight in all. That amounts to 18 per cent, of
the present station stops. Reduced to saving in time in
making a trip in the rush-hours it amounts to about 7.5
per cent.
The above recommendations are made on the basis of
the present method of operation. For through routing
the recommendations will still hold, with slight modifica¬
tions.
3rd. Changes in Station Stops so as to Load
Longer Trains.
A. To Load 6, 7 ok 8 cab Trains by Alternate End
Loading.
Without any change from the present method of oper¬
ating trains around the "Loop" other than the position
of the train for station stops, governed by the location of
markers or train stop signs, it would be possible to load
six, seven or eight car trains at the present independ¬
ently operated station platforms. The method which
could be employed is as follows:
At one station the train stop signs could be so arranged
as to bring the five cars from the front of the train oppo¬
site the station platform for loading.
At the next station the train stops signs would be ar¬
ranged so that when the stop is made the five cars from
the rear of the train would be opposite the station plat¬
form, for that road, to load. While loading in either po¬
sition gates at the end of the train overlapping the plat¬
forms used by the other road would be kept closed.
By alternating the stop signs for the stations that
way, trains could be evenly loaded throughout.
56
TO LOAD LONGER TRAINS.
On account of the incoming traffic during the evening
rush-hours being light, there should be no special diffi¬
culty in the unloading of passengers under this arrange¬
ment. If the rear end of the train will overlap the other
line's platform and the gates are to remain closed at the
following station, the guards would notify the passengers
in the rear cars to move far enough ahead in the train to
reach the proper platform for getting off in case they
wished to stop at that station. If through a mistake or a
misunderstanding a passenger did not move ahead, he
could alight at the next following station. The same con¬
ditions would apply, of course, to passengers in the front
cars of the train. Under the most unfavorable condition
a passenger would have to move through four car lengths
for an exit from the extreme front or rear of an eight-car
train, or be carried by one station. The public would
soon become accustomed to the arrangement and on
boarding incoming long trains arriving during the even¬
ing rush-hours take the cars most convenient for their
station stop. As an additional precaution, signs could
be placed on the interior of the cars, reading : 11 This car
stops at Clark, Randolph and Wabash, Adams, La Salle,
Madison and Fifth, etc.? '
It might possibly be the better method to admit pas¬
sengers on long incoming trains in the evening rush-hours
to the center cars of the train only.
If any of the companies would not find it expedient to
build extensions to their platforms for handling more
than five-car trains for all their stations, this arrange¬
ment could be put into execution for the express service,
and local service handled with five-car trains. Additional
extensions for outlying express station platforms would
not be unreasonably burdensome.
Making allowance for extra length of train to handle,
TO LOAD LONGER TRAINS.
57
extra space taken up on the "Loop," longer time to pass
through the junctions, etc., it is believed that the use of
six-car trains instead of five, would increase the present
capacity, fully 15 per cent.; for seven-car trains, 30
to 35 per cent., and for eight-car trains, probably not
far from 50 per cent. The theoretical increase in capac¬
ity over five-car trains would be for six-car trains 20 per
cent., seven-car, 40 per cent., and eight-car 60 per cent.
In the morning rush-hours the unloading for seven-car
trains could be done at the present platforms. As now
operated trains unload at either end of the platforms, as
found convenient.
As the evening rush-hours are relatively shorter and
more congested than the morning, it is believed there
would be some advantage to gain by running eight car
trains in the evening and seven in the morning.
One advantage of operating more cars in a train is
that a large increase in capacity can be obtained without
changing the operating schedule. An over-crowded
schedule is relatively slower and more dangerous in oper¬
ation.
The above suggestion is not made with the idea of its
filling transportation needs in the larger sense, but
rather as an expedient which could be adopted by all of
the roads with very little delay or expense.
B. To Load 6 or 7 Car Trains by Alternate Station
Stops.
Another method which has been suggested (and is here
included by request) for increasing the service capac¬
ity of the present "Loop" (and still serve the traveling
public, in that the saving of time is a very important
factor in the whole situation) is that during the rush-
58
TO LOAD LONGER TRAINS.
hours every other station be given np to the exclusive
use of one of the lines operating on each track of the
"Loop."
I am unable to say positively how much time could be
saved by making half the station stops on the "Loop"
trip which are now made. It is believed that it would be
between one and one-half and two minutes, per trip, from
the omission of the stops alone. On the other hand, the
stops that were made would be somewhat longer, on ac¬
count of the greater number of passengers to be loaded
and unloaded. The added time taken at the stations at
which stops were made would probably amount to about
one-half minute per trip. That would leave the time
saved not far from an average of one minute and fifteen
seconds, or about 8 per cent, less time to make the trip
than when all stops are made.
The platforms would be long enough to accommodate
seven-car trains with little, if any, extension, which would
mean an increase in carrying capacity of the trains of
about 40 per cent. This would be reduced slightly, how¬
ever, on account of taking more time to pass the longer
trains through the junction points, and would require
more time and care in handling. The total amount of in¬
creased capacity by this arrangement would possibly
amount to about 40 to 45 per cent.
As related to the patrons of the elevated roads, 50 per
cent, of those taking trains during the rush-hour would
be unaffected in any way by the suggested method of
operation. The other 50 per cent, of the rush-hour pa¬
trons would have to walk an average of one block further
than they do now in order to get trains during the rush-
hour period. The increase in walk of a block, which at
first thought might seem objectionable, is in reality no
serious obstacle when taking into consideration the in-
DOORS AND TRAIN SIGNALS.
59
creased capacity and savifig of time which wotild be made
possible hv being able to load longer trains. During the
non-rush-hours patrons of the roads would have the full
measure of the frequent station stop service.
4th. Changes in Car Doors and Signaling.
Doors.
Cars with center side doors and wider end doors than
those at present in service should be installed.
With the crowding incident to rush hour traffic, the
present narrow doors and swinging gates are poorly
adapted for the rapid loading and unloading of trains.
In Table No. 5 the average time of station stop is given
for a number of train trips around the "Loop" during
both non-rush and rush-hours for the different roads,
and from which are derived the final averages which fol¬
low.
The average length of station stop in the non-rush hour
is about 10 seconds. The average in the evening rush-
hour is about 12.5 seconds ; and that for the morning
rush-hour is about 10.2 seconds.
The average length of first station stop in the morning
rush-hour is about 17.6 seconds. The average for the
first three stops in the morning rush-hour is about 14
seconds and that for the last three stops on a "Loop"
trip is about 6.5 seconds.
The average for the longest station stops during the
evening rush-hour is about 16.2 seconds, while the av¬
erage for the shortest stop is about 9 seconds.
The above figures show that for the heaviest unloading
station in the morning rush-hour an average of about
11 seconds more time is taken for the station stop
than for the lightest unloading. In the evening an aver-
TABLE NO. 5.
Cl
o
AVERAGE LENGTH OF STATION STOPS IN SECONDS, FROM TRAIN TRIP RECORD.
Record Taken during April and May, 1908.
OUTER TRACK—Northwestern, Chicago & Oak Park.
NORTHWESTERN.
Clark
State
and
Lake
Randolph
and
Wabash
Madison
and
Wabash
Adams
State
and
VanBuren
Dearborn
LaSalle 1
1
Quincy
Madison
and
Fifth
| Randolph
and
| Fifth
Average
of
All
RUSH-HOUR—5:00 to
6:30 P. M. (4 Trips)
Seconds
Seconds
Seconds
Seconds
Seconds
Seconds
Seconds
Seconds |
Seconds
Seconds
Seconds |
Seconds
10
11.8
12
12.5
14.5
10.5
11.8
15.3 |
15.8
13.5
| 8.5
12.4
NON-RUSH-HOURS. (2 Trips)
9.5
7.5
9.5
11.5
8.5
10
7
H 1
8.5
12
| 9.5
9.5
CHICAGO & OAK PARK.
RUSH-HOURS—7:45 to 9:15 A. M. (12 Trips)
18.6
9.8
10.7
13.1
13.9
10.6
8.6
9.3 |
5.8
1 5
| 6.2
| 10.1
5:00 to 6:30 P
M. (4 Trips)
12.8
7.3
8.8
13.3
15
12.8
12.3
8.5 |
8.5
1 io
8.8
| 10.7
NON-RUSH-HOUR—A. M. (5 Trips)
17-
7
9.6
8.8
9.6
12.2
9
1 8.6 |
6.4
5.8
1 7.4
9.2
P. M (4 Trips)
8.5
7
8
. 13
9.5
11.5
5.6
8.3 |
7
11.5
10
9.1
b
o
o
(/)
b
H
*3
s
G
INNER TRACK—Metropolitan, South Side.
METROPOLITAN.
LaSalle
Dearborn
State
and
VanBuren
Adams
Madison
and
Wabash
Randolph
and
Wabash
State
and
Lake
Clark
Randolph
and
Fifth
Madison
and
Fifth
Quincy
Average
of
All
RUSH-HOUR—7:45 to
9:15 A. M. (4 Trips)
15.8
14.5
13.8
13.8
12
12
8
9.8
8
7
5.8
10.9
5:00 to 6:30 P.
M. (6 Trips)
11.2
10.7
12.8
14.7
15.2
14.2
12.8
13.5
11.5
16.8
10.3
13.1
NON-RUSH-HOUR—A. M. (2 Trips)
14
11.5
14
10.5
14.5
8
5.5
- 10.5
6.5
7.5
6.5
9.9
P. M. (3 Trips)
11.3
11
13
12.7
12.7
9.7
10.33
12
11.33
14
11
11.7
SOUTH
SIDE.
Adams
Madison
and
Wabash
Randolph
and
Wabash
State
and
Lake
Clark
Randolph
and
Fifth
Madison
and
Fifth
Quincy
LaSalle
Dearborn
State
and
VanBuren
Average
of
All
RUSH-HOUR—7:45 to 9:15 A.
M. (4 Trips)
17.3
15.8
9.3
7.3
9.3
12.3
10
8.5
4.8
5.8
7.3
9.8
5:00 to 6:30
P. M. (4 Trips)
14
12
10.8
8.5
10.3
12.8
16
,, 19.5
13
14.5
16.8
13.5
NON-RUSH-HOUR—A. M.
(2 Trips)
13.5
i 9
8.5
7
11.5
10.5
7.5
9.5
5.5
8
6
8.8
P. M. (4 Trips)
12.5
| 12.5
10.3
8.5
1 12
10.3
11.8
9
10
10
10
10.6
S
O
o
S3
In
S
H
S3
C/3
t-
C/5
o>
62
DOORS AND TRAIN SIGNALS.
age of a little over 7 seconds more time is taken for
the heaviest loading than for the lightest loading station
stops.
While there were not enough train trip records taken
to give absolute averages for the present method of
operation, enough were taken to show the general con¬
ditions. In fact, in data from another source (see Table
No. 6). the length of stop for all roads at the first sta¬
tion shows an average of over nineteen seconds. Other
variations are also shown, but on the whole agree with
that used.
The data shown in Table No. 6 was made up from the
record of station stops at Clark, Madison and Wabash,
Adams, La Salle, and Madison and Fifth avenue. The
averages show somewhat longer station stops than that
given by train trips in Table No. 5. This is accounted for
largely from the fact that the table is comprised mostly
of a record for the heavier traffic stations, and covers an
hour, including the greatest congestion of the rush-hour
period.
The reason for the average rush-hour station stop be¬
ing but little longer than the average for the non-rush
hour, is due to the work of the platform men and that
the trainmen are more alert during rush-hours in facili¬
tating the loading and unloading of passengers and han¬
dling the trains.
Considerable saving of time should be effected during
the critical period of rush-hour service by using sliding
doors and increasing the number and width for loading
and unloading on the 11 Loop. ' ' The new cars of some of
the roads have wide sliding end doors, operated by com¬
pressed air.
DOORS AND TRAIN SIGNALS.
63
table no. 6.
AVERAGE LENGTH OF RUSH-HOUR STATION STOPS, FROM ORDER AND
TIME RECORD OF TRAINS AT STATIONS.
8 to 9 a. m.
Station
Northwestern
Chi. & Oak Park
Metropolitan
South Side
Clark
Sec.
19.47*
Sec.
20.04*
Sec.
10
Sec.
10.35
Madison and Wabash
15.16
14.38
15.42
16.18
Adams
18.26
14.66
14.22
20.75*
La Salle
14.21
8.6
17.59*
8
Madison and Fifth Ave.
9.5
6.6
9 2
11.2
5 to 6 p. m.
Station
Northwestern
Chi. & Oak Park
Metropolitan
South Side
Clark
11.1*
12.48*
12.7
12.6
Madison and Wabash
17.73
15.7
18.38
16.24
Adams
20.12
14.27
16.4
13.58*
La Salle
19.71
11.13
13.25*
14.211
Madison and Fifth Ave.
24
13.4
18.5
14.8
AVERAGE OF LINES.
a. m.
| 15.2 | 13 | 13.2 | 13.27
A. M. Average of All 13.7
p. m.
| 18.4 | 13.3 | 16 | 14.3
P. M. Average of All 15.7
A. M. and P. M. Average of All 14.7
*First station reached on the "Loop."
64 DOORS AND TRAIN SIGNALS.
Figure No. 1 (reproduced from the Street Railway
Journal) is a cut of the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad
Company car, with end and center doors. They are oper¬
ated in tunnels under the Hudson River between New
York City and points in New Jersey. The old "bridge
cars" of the New York and Brooklyn bridge had end
and center side doors. More passengers were handled at
that crowded terminal than at any other terminal in the
TRAIN SIGNS.
65
Signaling.
It is believed that time could be saved at every station,
whether the train is crowded or not, by the use of elec¬
trical door signals, such as those used on the cars of
the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Company, instead
of the present bell-cord method of signaling. With the
bell cord each guard has to wait until he receives the sig¬
nal from the guard next behind, when he passes the signal
to the next. With a long train this consumes more time
than is ordinarily appreciated. For instance, the worst
condition is when the last passenger to board the train
is at the platform where the rear guard is stationed. In
that case the time consumed for passing the signal from
one guard to another is absolutely lost time in getting
the train started. With the electrical door signal the
arrangement is such that as soon as the last passenger
is on, and all the doors are closed, the signal is instantly
and automatically given to the motorman to start. An¬
other advantage of the electrical door signal is that there
is no danger of the train being started before the passen¬
gers are safely aboard.
5th. A More Complete System of Train Signs.
Full and concise signs showing destination and class of
trains operating on the "Loop" should be installed.
A. Signs Carried On the Trains.
At times confusion and delay are caused from the fact
that all trains are not properly "signed." Signs, show¬
ing destination and class of train, should properly be put
on at every car entrance, so that the passenger can tell
at a glance if it is the train he wishes to take. The
present method used on some of the roads, carrying the
destination sign on the front of the train only, is not
satisfactory.
66
TRAIN SIGNS.
B. Train Signs at Station Platforms.
The Boston idea of using movable display signs an¬
nouncing the class and destination of a train before its
arrival at the station could he adopted to very good ad¬
vantage. These signs should be so located, and of such
size, that they can be distinctly seen and read by the pas¬
sengers from any point on the platform. They could
be operated so as to show the line or branch and
destination and class. Their use would tend to facilitate
the loading of trains. The present method of platform
men calling out the destination and class of train is not
fully satisfactory for the reason that passengers some
distance away on the crowded platform are not able to
hear and understand the announcement on account of
the noise and confusion. With the announcement sign it
would be possible for a passenger to assure himself at any
time, without crowding up to the car door, whether or
not the train is the one he wishes to take.
C. In Station Waiting Rooms.
With the proposed arrangement of having the waiting
rooms below the tracks and platforms, it would be desir¬
able to have signs in the waiting rooms to indicate the
approaching trains before they reach the station. An
illuminated sign and signal bell could be arranged to op¬
erate in connection with the proposed display signs on
the platform of the station from which the train is leav¬
ing.. When the train leaves the platform of the preceding
station, and the sign for that train is returned to its
housing, the lights back of the waiting room sign corre¬
sponding to the approaching train would be turned on
and the bell rung automatically. By that means the pas¬
sengers would be warned of the approach of their train in
plenty of time to reach the platform before its arrival.
BRAKE HANGERS.
67
6th. Improved Brake Hangers.
It is believed that by the adoption of positive or fixed
brake hangers, attached in some way to the equalizing
bars of the trucks, a quicker stop could be made with
trains than can be made to advantage with the present
form of hanger attachment. The adoption of a hanger
of this form would prove to be of greater comfort and
safety to passengers. With the present hanger attached
to the truck frames, when the brakes are applied and
grip the wheels, one of the truck springs is compressed
and the other is released a corresponding amount. The
springs are held in this position until the instant at
which the forward movement of the car ceases ; then the
reaction of the springs rotate the wheels backward, giv¬
ing a disagreeable, and at times even dangerous, back¬
ward lurch to the train. In addition, when the train is
coming to a stop, on account of the "balance" between
the compression of the springs and the grip of the brakes
on the wheels, any increase or decrease of the grip on
the wheels, has a tendency to produce a jerky motion
to the car as soon as the brakes are applied. In order
to prevent in a measure the disagreeable backward lurch
at the instant after the forward motion stops, it is ordi¬
narily the practice to begin releasing the brakes before
the train has come to a stop, thus consuming more time
in bringing it to rest.
Another feature of the jerky motion and severe back¬
ward lurch of the train, as affecting operation and caus¬
ing delay, is that passengers in many cases cannot with
comfort or safety leave their seats to be at the door
ready to alight at the instant the train stops, and as a
result remain seated until it is actually at rest. If a
uniform and safe retarding motion is given to the train
68
UNIVERSAL TRANSFERS.
there is no reason why passengers could not be ready
to alight as soon as the train is stopped.
If a positive hanger were employed it would be possi¬
ble to keep the brakes applied to their maximum effi¬
ciency until the full stop could be made and not produce
the disagreeable backward lurch at the instant of stop¬
ping or surging before the stop is reached.
7th. Protection of Contact-Conductor (Third)
Rail.
To make the service on the Union Elevated Railroad
"Loop" and the roads using it as a terminal more reli¬
able and efficient during the winter sleet and rain storms,
some form of covered or protected contact-conductor
(third) rail should be used.
With the protected rail the danger from the electric
current is also largely reduced, not only to employes
of the roads who have to work about the structure, but
to passengers as well, where in case of accident they are
compelled to leave the cars and walk on the structure to
a station. In view of the advantages to be gained and
the moderate expense involved, it seems that this im¬
provement should long since have been made.
8th. Adoption of Universal Transfers.
It is my belief that Chicago is the only city in the
country having elevated roads on which transfers are
not effective for reaching the different parts of the city.
In Boston practically universal transfers are given from-
the elevated to the surface lines and from one part of the
elevated system to the other. In Philadelphia transfers
between the elevated line and the surface lines are given
at a limited number of points. In Brooklyn transfer
is given from one elevated line to another and in some
UNIVERSAL TRANSFERS.
69
cases from the elevated to the surface lines. In New
York transfers are effective between the various lines
of the elevated at points of intersection, and to the sub¬
way at one point.
While the adoption of universal transfers would not
materially increase the operating capacity of the pres¬
ent "Loop,' it would in some cases facilitate and sim¬
plify the movement of traffic. One of the main advant¬
ages to be gained by universal transfers would be to
enlarge the delivery in the business district and en¬
courage the extension of the business center 01 the city.
It is reasonable to believe that it would be the source
of additional revenue to the roads rather than a loss,
for the reason that there would be so much more short
haul through riding than at present, where two fares
are demanded. As a result the through traffic is being
taken care of by the surface lines unless it is a very long
haul. On account of the through routing and adoption
of transfers by the surface lines, transfers by the elevated
lines would in all probability, as a matter of policy, be
adopted upon their own initiative, without any pressure
being brought to bear by the city. The adoption of uni¬
versal transfers should hardly be considered under the
circumstances as a matter of barter or trade.
70
STATION PLATFORM EXTENSION AND
STUB TERMINALS.
1st. Station Platform Extensions.
The extension of platforms has been repeatedly rec¬
ommended in reports and strenuously fought for by the
elevated railroads. In making a close analysis of the
probable advantages to be derived therefrom, it appears
that these will be so limited as to in no sense justify
their adoption in view of the general objectionable
features and great amount of obstruction to light which
they would entail. If platforms for ten stations were
to be extended (the amount called for in the recent report
to the Committee on Local Transportation) it would
mean, as previously stated, the building of over a mile
or 6,000 feet of new platform on the present "Loop"
structure. That would mean a very serious additional
obstruction to light on all streets occupied by the struc¬
ture, and especially on Van Buren street.
Wabash Avenue is 100 feet wide, Lake Street and
Fifth Avenue 80 feet, and Van Buren Street 66 feet. The
present structure, including platforms beyond the stations
on Wabash Avenue, is about 49 feet over all and takes
up about 49 per cent, of the width of the street. On
Lake Street it is about 34 feet wide and takes up 42.5
per cent, of the width of the street. On Fifth Avenue it
is about 49 feet wide and takes up about 61.2 per cent. ;
while on Van Buren it is 42 feet wide and takes up 63.6
per cent, of the entire width of the street. The above
widths, however, do not include the widths of the cano¬
pies which overhang the outer edge of the platform in
some cases about three feet. That would make the per
cent, of width of structure to street 55 per cent, in Wa-
STATION PLATFORM EXTENSION.
71
bash and 68.8 per cent, in Fifth Avenue, and correspond¬
ing amounts in the other streets. The width over all of
the structure obstructing light where there are no plat¬
forms is about 20 feet. The width over all at the station
buildings is greater than the width of the street, with
the exception of those on Lake Street, which have no
waiting rooms.
The great obstruction to light by the platforms, in
comparison to that of the structure beyond, is thoroughly
impressed on one when standing on the sidewalk oppo¬
site the end of the platform, by looking first in the direc¬
tion away from the station, then turning and looking to¬
ward the station.
"Platform shadow" is well shown on Plate 5. (See
page 99.) The line between the little obstructed light
and "platform shadow" is clearly seen a little beyond
and to the right of the exit stairs and a little beyond the
foot of the post in the foreground.
While Plate 5 shows the shadow cast mostly by the
platforms, Plate 4 (see page 98) shows the shadow
cast by the station building and platforms, together at
the street intersection. Plate 3 (see page 98) shows
the same feature to a less degree.
To derive any material benefit in the saving of time
and increasing the capacity of the "Loop" by the ex¬
tension of platforms, to allow the train using the rear
portion of the platform to move up and take on the whole
or part of its load before the leading train had cleared,
would require that the number of trains on each road
should he very nearly equal and that they should arrive
in the proper order and time intervals. These important
facts seem to have been lost sight of very largely.
A set of eleven records, for morning and evening
72
STATION PLATFORM EXTENSION.
rush-hour periods, were taken at five different "Loop"
stations, showing the order and time of trains as they
passed these various points. It appears that during an
hour and a half rush-hour period in the morning (7:45
to 9:15), and a like period during the evening (5:00 to
6:30), only an average of about SO.7 per cent, of the total
number of trains as now operated arrive in the proper
order to admit of loading as double-units, or '/two trains
at one platform at the same time."
In Table No. 7 is given the record of trains passing
"Loop" stations during rush-hour periods of 1 hour and
30 minutes. In this is given the number of trains per
hour, total number of trains, possible double-units, etc.
Column 1 gives the station at which record was taken ;
column 2, date; column 3, time of rush-hour.
Under "trains per hour", column 4, shows trains on
the outer track ; column 5, trains on inner track ; column
6, total on the "Loop". (Table No. 7, page 79.)
Under "number of trains", column 7 gives number of
Northwestern trains; column 8, number of the Chicago
& Oak Park trains ; column 9, number of Metropolitan
trains; column 10, number of South Side trains; column
11, trains on the outer track; column 12, trains on the
inner track; column 13, total trains on the "Loop" pass¬
ing the stations in the given time.
Under "possible double-unit grouping", under "order"
the number of trains on the outer track arriving in
proper order to establish as double units is given in
column 14; inner track, column 15; total, column i6.
Under "per cent, of whole" the per cent, is given for
the outer track in column 17; inner track, column 18;
total, column 19.
STATION PLATFORM EXTENSION.
73
Under 44order-time'' (20 seconds interval) the number
on the outer track is given in column 20; inner track,
column 21 ; total, column 22.
"Per cent, of whole" is derived by dividing the num¬
ber of trains that would form the rear portion of the
double-unit by the total number of trains on the corre¬
sponding track or on the loop.
Under 44 per cent, of whole" the outer track is given
in column 23; inner track, column 24; total, column 25.
A number of observations of the time taken by a wait
ing train to move up and stop at its position at the plat
form, after thé preceding train had started, show that
the average is less than 18 seconds. When the follow¬
ing train merely slows down and does not stop the time
is a few seconds less for reaching its position and stop
ping. If in the record more than 20 seconds has elapsed
from the time the preceding train leaves until the fol¬
lowing train has stopped it may be safely assumed that
the following train did not "catch up." That being the
case a following train with an interval of over 20 seconds
can hardly be considered able to save any time on ac¬
count of "extended platforms" in making its station
stops. The number of trains arriving in the proper or¬
der and within 20 seconds of the leaving of the preceding
train, averages about 11 per cent, of the whole number
of trains.
The basis of 20 seconds interval between leaving
of the preceding train to the arrival of the following,
in crediting trains to establish as double-units, is very
liberal for the South Side trains. On account of having
motors on nearly every car the acceleration is much
more rapid than that for the Chicago & Oak Park. The
actual average interval in moving up to its position at
74
STATION PLATFORM EXTENSION.
the platform after having stopped for the train ahead
would probably average considerable less than 20 sec¬
onds.
As mentioned elsewhere in this report, the average
length of time for a "Loop" trip during the non-rush-
hour is about 12 minutes and 31 seconds, ^or the
rush-hour it is about 15 minutes and 39 seconds. That
is for the actual time of covering the distance on the
"Loop", the time being taken when the center of the
train in motion was approximately at the junction both
entering and leaving. The average excess of time for
the rush-hour trip over the non-rush-hour is about 3
minutes and 8 seconds. This extra time is made up of :
a. Junction waits and delays.
b. Longer station stops to discharge and take on pas¬
sengers.
c. Handling longer and heavier trains.
d. Trains of the same road when entering in groups
have to wait at the first station after passing the en¬
trance junction for the train ahead to make its station
stop and get out of the way. Trains using the front
platform have to wait for those using the rear to get out
of the way.
e. Delay to trains using the rear portion of the plat¬
form, at the first station after passing the entrance
junction waiting for the train ahead to make its station
stop and clear.
/. Delays at intermediate stations to the following
trains waiting for the train ahead to clear and get out
of the way.
The last two items of delay ("e" and "f") are the
only ones that would have any relation to the length
of station platforms as a factor.
STATION PLATFORM EXTENSION.
75
On account of the inter-relation of these different de¬
lays, it is impossible to determine the exact amount of
any one or more of them. It can be conceded, however,
that the largest single item of delay is that relating to
delays in getting past junction points. The average
extra time consumed on account of junction delays will
probably amount to two minutes, or more, per rush-hour
trip. In some instances the entire delay appears to be
chargeable to junction limitations.
Out of a record of over fifty train trips around the
44 Loop, ' ' in both the rush and non-rush hours, in no case
is there a trip shown where an extra stop or even delay
was required for any train in reaching all stations. The
record does, however, show a wait of as high as two min¬
utes and a half actual stop, with slow downs in addition,
in getting past a junction point on the 44Loop." Some
cases show over eight minutes actual standing wait out¬
side of the 44Loop."
Another factor in causing delay is cumulative delays
occasioned by heavy loading and unloading at certain
stations. If at any one station the time for loading or
unloading passengers on the cars is longer on the aver¬
age than for the stations preceding, this delay becomes
cumulative, and the trains approaching the heavy loading
station may be delayed and become bunched. However,
when the 44Loop" is being worked to its maximum capac¬
ity, when a train making a trip is slower in
movement and makes longer station stops than the
average, that will also tend to produce cumula¬
tive delays. As above stated, in no case does the record
show any train making two stops for every station.
During rush hours, there was almost without ex¬
ception, either an actual stop or slow running in get¬
ting past junctions.
76 STATION PLATFORM EXTENSION.
Taking into account all of these different factors, it
is not reasonable to suppose that a following train hav¬
ing extended platform facilities, could save as much as
one minute out of the three or more extra required on
the average in making a "Loop" trip during the rush-
hours.
On the assumption that trains having extended plat¬
form facilities could save an average of one minute in
the rush-hour trip, it would mean a saving per train
of about 6.5 per cent, in time in making the
trip. On an average, only about 30.7 per cent, of
the trains entering the "Loop" come in the required
order to make extended platform loading facilities
available. That would be only 30.7 per cent, of 6.5
per cent., or 2 per cent, saving in time; in other words,
increase the capacity of the "Loop" by 2 per cent.
When the still further condition of time interval in con¬
nection with the order movement of trains is taken into
account, as previously outlined, showing an average of
only about 11 per cent, of the total number of trains pos¬
sible to be loaded as double-units, the saving of time is
reduced to 11 per cent, of 6.5 per cent., or 0.7 per cent, as
the possible saving of time or per cent, increase in the
capacity of the "Loop" by platform extension to load
two trains at once.
If three minutes per trip, making an average of 16.4
seconds per station, which amounts to more than the
length of the average station stop for rush-hour loading
by about four seconds, were allowed instead of one
as the basis of time saved and consequent increase in
the capacity of the "Loop," about 20 per cent, increase
would be credited if the number, order and time of trains
were ideal. The possibility under the present order
grouping of trains, would reduce that to 30.7 per cent.
STATION PLATFORM EXTENSION.
77
of 20 per cent., or to about 6 per cent. The time-order
grouping would reduce still further to 11 per cent, of 20
per cent., or to about 2 per cent, increase under liberal
and favorable assumptions. As a matter of fact, out of
a record of 60 train trips the longest total aggregate time
consumed in station stops for any one trip was 2 minutes
and 57 seconds. The total aggregate time for the average
evening rush hour stops is only about 2 minutes and 17
seconds.
By reference to Table No. 7 (see page 79) some
of the following facts are shown: In the record for
Clark street station under the column headed
'' Outer Track," "Number," "Order-Time Group¬
ing," only three of the C. & 0. P. trains in the
morning rush-hour and five in the evening rush-hour
arrived within the time interval of 20 seconds to estab¬
lish as double units. The per cents, of double-units to
total trains on the outer track amount to 3 for the morn¬
ing rush-hour and 5.7 for the evening rush-hour at Clark
street. These are both less than the average total per
cent, for the outer track. For the record at Adams and
Wabash the number of South Side trains (those shown
under "Inner Track," "Number," "Order-Time-Group¬
ing") is shown to be 20 during the evening rush-hour
and 9 during the morning rush-hour, arriving within the
time interval of 20 seconds to establish as double units.
The average per cent, of whole is 15.7 and 5, respectively.
That gives an average per cent, of double-units at Adams
under order-time-grouping to the whole number of trains
on the inner track of .10.9 per cent. That is 3.8 per cent,
less than the average for all of the stations at which rec¬
ords were taken on the inner track, which is 14.7 per cent.
As these two stations are the first stations reached on
the "Loop" after passing the entrance junction by the
78
STATION PLATFORM EXTENSION.
respective lines using the rear platforms of the stations
for loading and unloading, they may be considered more
nearly representative of possibilities which might be ex¬
pected from double-unit platforms than the other sta¬
tions on the "Loop." If it were not for the "sifting" of
the trains through the junction points many more trains
would arrive at the first station on the "Loop" within
the time to establish as double-units than actually do.
In making the assumption of allowing a double-nnit to
be credited where the time interval is twenty seconds or
less, trains which have merely caught up and have not
stopped and actually waited for the train ahead to clear
and get out of the road, have been counted as full factors.
Under the law of averages it would be more nearly cor¬
rect to consider them as saving only one-half of the time
credited, as being actually saved by establishing double-
units. That, of course, would reduce the per cents to
one-half that already credited.
To load two trains at one platform, and pass them
around the "Loop" as a double-unit, making the various
station stops, without coupling them together, and do it
in the same time that you can move a single train, is an
operating impossibility. Safety demands and requires a
certain amount of time and space interval between
trains.
Even after double-units were "established," there is
always the even chance of their being separated and the
theoretical advantages of the double-unit destroyed in
passing junction points. This is more particularly the
case with trains operating on the outside "Loop" track
on account of having to pass two double crossing junc¬
tions. For this reason the efficiency or advantage of the
double-unit would be very materially reduced over what
has been credited to double-unit loading.
STUB TERMINALS.
79
As stated elsewhere, the record showed only 5 per
cent, of the junctions passed by trains on the outer track
without delay. As at present operated, the trains seem
to be passed in and out of the "Loop" more with the
idea of facilitating junction movement than station load¬
ing. To get results in double-unit loading, or two trains at
the same station at the same time, would require that the
trains should be passed into the "Loop" in alternate or¬
der, and the proper train ahead. It is the practice at
present to send trains in the "Loop" largely in groups
of twos and threes of the same road together.
To load two trains on the same track, at the same sta¬
tion platform, at the same time, on the "open road," is
a "facility" I do not think is or ever has been in opera¬
tion on any line to increase its capacity.
2nd. Outside "Stub" Terminals.
As previously mentioned, anything in the nature of a
"terminal" in a congested district as a part of urban
transportation should as far as possible be avoided. The
most notorious case as an example of the evils attending
a terminal is that of the old Brooklyn Bridge in New
York.
Instead of building outside terminals to take care of
the growing traffic, it is believed the same purpose
could be accomplished to much better advantage by
building an extension of the elevated lines to reach the
different steam railroad depots, with the proper
connections to the various elevated lines to provide for
additional through routing and such "loops" as may
be required. This in addition to giving the much
needed steam road service, would also enlarge the deliv¬
ery in the business district. It would make the system
80
STUB TERMINALS.
much more flexible for handling traffic in case of fire or
accident on the "Loop" route.
As a last expedient (if the extensions for the steam
railroad depot service and enlarging the business dis¬
trict delivery cannot be had) and when all other facilities
have been outgrown, or if required, to furnish additional
facilities over those which may be necessary to balance
the service on the line with which any road may be
through routing, outside "Loop" terminals should be in¬
stalled.
One disadvantage of outside "Loop" terminals, is
that for the considerable expenditure necessary for the
installation, they are only in use for handling the rush-
hour traffic for a short time in the morning and evening.
On the other hand, they are a decided advantage to the
patron of the road doing business in that portion of the
district in which the terminal is located. For illustra¬
tion: a passenger doing, business near the corner of the
"Loop" where the road he uses enters and leaves, is
compelled almost invariably to take a train that already
has a standing load. As a result he is compelled to stand
up for most of his journey. While with the outside
"Loop" terminal available, he has an even chance of
getting a seat.
The Northwestern now back a number of trains in to
Randolph street station to load during the evening. To
back into the "Loop" stations against traffic, as is done,
causes rather serious delay, is hardly in accord with good
operating principle, and should be done only as a last
resort.
81
NOISE FROM OPERATION ON THE
"LOOP."
Noise results principally from the following causes:
1st. Noise from the Movement of Trains.
Most of the noise resulting from the movement of
trains over the track is caused by the passage of the
wheels over the rail joints. The rail joint has inherent
weak features which no amount of ingenuity or skill has
so far effectually remedied. On account of expansion
and contraction, a certain amount of space must be left
at the end of the rails, and a joint employed that will
admit of movement to accommodate the varying length
of rails under high and low temperature.
Under commercial conditions it is not possible to pro¬
duce rails and splice bars all of which are absolutely
uniform in section. On that account the best track will
have projections in the alignment of the rail, or what is
termed "lips." Poor fitting splices, on account of the
inherent weakness and flexibility of the joint, allow rapid
wear of the surfaces in contact, and is one of the predis¬
posing causes of rough and noisy track.
It is not deemed necessary to give a detail discussion
of the joint reaction, but suffice it to say that even when
the bolts of the splice bars are kept reasonably well tight¬
ened up, there is more or less violent reaction and move¬
ment when the loaded wheel passes from one rail to
the other, causing a reversal of the intense shear.
2nd. The Noise Produced by Motor Gears.
The noise produced by motor gears is in many cases
quite pronounced and seems to be an inherent factor in
82
NOISE FROM OPERATION.
gear operation. When the trains are operating on the
"surface" the gear noise is the most noticeable of any
resulting from the operation of trains. The noise is ac¬
centuated and made worse on account of the vibration,
being carried into the car body and there acting on the
resonant and loose parts of the car, as well as being
carried into the structure with the present roadbed used
and set up in the plates and parts under tension.
3rd. Train Air-Brake Exhausts.
The noise resulting from the exhaust of the air brakes
on some of the trains operating on the structure is one
which is very noticeable. It is perhaps more noticeable
for the reason that it is a noise one has not grown accus¬
tomed to, like that of the general rumble attending traffic
movements.
4th. Rattling of Loose Parts.
The rattling of loose parts on the structure or equip¬
ment which is subject to vibration, may become, and in
some cases are, very noticeable factors in producing
noise.
5th. Grinding of Wheels on Rails Around Curves.
The passage of trains around the sharp curves pro¬
duces a screeching and grinding noise of the wheels as a
result of the slipping of one of the pair of wheels rigidly
fastened to the same axle.
6th. Exhaust from the Pneumatic Interlocking.
Exhaust air from the cylinders used for the movement
of the interlocking and switches at junction points, re¬
sults in considerable annoying noise. Switches of this
type are located at the junction points at Lake and Fifth
Avenue, Fifth Avenue and Van Buren and Van Buren
NOISE FROM OPERATION.
83
and Wabash. There is also considerable noise at these
junction points caused by the more or less violent con¬
tact of the mechanism when the switches are thrown.
7th. Noise at Junction Points from Crossing and
Switch Frogs.
With the present style of roadbed for carrying the
track, the noise from the above cause is almost deafen¬
ing. It is the worst and most unbearable noise resulting
from the operation on the structure. This is most
marked at Wabash and Van Buren and Van Buren and
Fifth Avenue. When the trains of the outer 4'Loop"
track pass the junction point, the wheels are passing over
eight crossings and one switch frog. The noise is equally
as bad or worse when two trains operating on the inner
"Loop" track, one in-bound and the other out-bound,
are passing the junction at the same time. In this case
the same number of crossing and two switch frogs are
being passed over.
8th. Screeching and Chattering Produced by the
Brake Shoes.
At the stations, or wherever stops are made, the noise
from the above cause is quite noticeable and annoying
on account of being unusual.
SUGGESTED REMEDIES TO REDUCE
NOISE.
1st. Roadbed, Track and Structure.
Roadbed, Etc.
There are a number of constructions which can be
employed for the roadbed carrying the rails and ties, so
as to dissipate and absorb most of the noise producing
vibration originating from the rolling of wheels on the
rails and over rail joints, etc.
The main factors instrumental in attaining this end
are:
(a) Some inelastic medium, such as broken stone,
placed under the ties and rail supports to break up the
rigid continuity, and dissipate to a large extent the vibra¬
tion which originates in the passage of wheels over the
rails, from the motor gears, etc.
(b) Increased mass of the supporting medium below
and in addition to the ballast, to absorb, in part at least,
thé vibration before it is carried into and set up in the
broad, thin plates of the girders and parts of the struc¬
ture under tension.
The most successful construction in this connection, to
the knowledge of the writer, is that employed by the
Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company in the construc¬
tion of their elevated line, which has recently been put
in operation. The general type of the construction is
shown in Figure 2. In this construction cross girders
are placed at intervals of about 10 feet, and on top of
these are carried shallow steel troughs, in and over
which is placed a solid bed of concrete about four inches
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Fig. 2. Type of Elevated Roadbed Construction used by the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Co. on its Elevated Line. Longitudinal
steel troughs covered with concrete. Stone ballast under ties. It is believed this type of construction is the most
effective in the reduction of noise of any that has ever been employed on an elevated road.
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86
TO REDUCE NOISE.
tie and the top of the concrete bed, and the ties embedded
in the stone even with their top surface. This, while
rather an expensive construction, and forming a solid
covering over the roadway, is very effective in the elim¬
ination of the noise which would otherwise result from
the operation of trains.
The noise from the operation over this structure seems
to be as nearly eliminated as is possible on elevated
construction. When standing on the street a short dis¬
tance away the noise made by the passage of a train
over the structure is not as noticeable as that from a
car moving over the surface track beneath. As a mat¬
ter of fact, only two damage suits have ever been started
against the Company on account of noise. One of these
suits was discontinued for lack of evidence.
The road-bed as built is practically water-tight.
In Fig. 3 is shown a design for road-bed consisting of
steel troughs built up of plates and bulb angles, and filled
with stone ballast. Steel ties are embedded in the ballast
for carrying the rails. In the sketch the spacing is such
as to leave 1 foot and 7 inches clear space between the
troughs.
In some cases a combination of the Philadel¬
phia type of construction with either of the trough de¬
signs shown in Figures 3 or 4 might be made; for in¬
stance, where it is undesirable to have all the vertical
light cut off from the street below. By using 60-foot
rails with the Philadelphia type of construction at the
joints for 6 or 8 feet and the open steel trough construc¬
tion for the balance, very satisfactory results probably
could bp obtained.
It is believed that some such construction, as shown
in Figure 4, might be employed, in which the rails are
STEEL TROUGH AND TIC
TOR STONE BALLAST
ELEVATED ROADBED.
Fig. 3. Suggested Type of Elevated Roadbed Construction with Steel Cross Troughs. Steel Ties on Broken-Stone Ballast. For Noise Deadening without
cutting off ail overhead Light from the Street. Plan, Longitudinal Section through trough, and cross-section. Ballast not shown in longitudinal section.
H
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88
TO REDUCE NOISE.
bolted to steel plates. The rail and plate are carried on
stone ballast filling placed in the built up steel trough
running parallel to and carried on top of the longitudinal
girders. It would not be open to the objection of cutting
off all the light, as would be the case with solid floor con¬
struction and would probably add the least weight and
cost the least of any sound deadening device that could
be employed on the old structure. If the trough were
filled with broken stone, over the base of the rails, it
would act as an absorbent of the vibration set up in the
rail itself. No construction of this character has ever
been employed, to my knowledge, but I know of no rea¬
son why it could not be used to advantage.
A type of construction in some respects similar to that
shown in Fig. 4 was used on the elevated railroad in
Kansas City constructed in 1886 under the direction of
George H. Pegram, now chief engineer of the Interbor-
ough Rapid Transit Company of New York. This is
shown in Fig. No. 5 and is a reproduction of a cut pub¬
lished in the Journal of the American Society of Civil
Engineers. In this no ballast was used, and the channel
bars forming the trough extended high enough above the
head of the rails to serve the purpose of guard rails. The
following extract is taken from Mr. Pegram's discussion
in the publication above referred to :
"The writer has always believed that cross-ties are out
of place on an elevated structure. On the ground, where
they are necessary to distribute the weight over the sur¬
face, they have proved the best construction, but they are
not neeeded for this purpose on an elevated road, and
their effect there is to darken the street below, to inten¬
sify the noise, increase the labor of cleaning the struc¬
ture, and lead to unpleasant drippings after a fall of
snow or rain."
TO REDUCE NOISE.
89
While the use of guard rails in connection with the
type of construction for the elevated roads is an essen¬
tial of the greatest importance for safety, none were
shown on any of the above drawings for the reason that
it is a detail apart from sound deadening. It is believed
that in some cases an inside guard projecting well above
and bolted to the running rail could be employed to ad-
CROSS SECTION.
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LONGITUDINAL TROUGH
ROADBED
ATOM F RAI.LAST
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Fig. 4. Suggested Type of Longitudinal Steel Trough Roadbed with Stone Ballast.
Steel Bearing Plate bolted to Base of Rail.
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Fig. 5. Trough Roadbed construction of the Kansas City Elevated.
C*1
TO REDUCE NOISE.
91
vantage. A guard rail of that type would out off much
less light than the wooden inside guard now used, and
should be quite as effective.
For Wabash avenue it is believed the Philadelphia type
of construction shown in Fig. 2 could be very advan¬
tageously employed as the exclusion of light by the solid
floor would not be so objectionable there on account of
the great width of the street, while the reduction of
noise is one of the most important objects to accomplish.
For Fifth avenue and Lake street the same type of con¬
struction might be employed. For A^an Buren street a
more open type of construction either of the cross trough
shown in Fig. 3 or the longitudinal trough shown in Fig.
4 should be used. Or possibly for Lake street and Fifth
avenue and Van Buren street a combination of the Phila¬
delphia type of Fig. 2 under the joints for 60-foot rails
and the open type of Fig. 3 or 4 used for the balance of
the rail lengths could be employed .
Track—Rails and Joints.
As previously stated, most of the noise vibration orig¬
inates at the rail joints from the pounding by the wheels.
I know of no reason why one-half of this could not be
eliminated at once by the adoption of 60 ft. instead of
the 30 ft. rails now used. It is not reasonable to sup¬
pose that the joints for 60 ft. rails would be noisier to
any marked degree than those for the 30 ft. rails. The
expansion difficulty would hardly cause any serious
trouble. As a matter of fact 60 ft. rails have been in use
on several of the roads for some time.
The pounding and resulting noise at the joints could
probably be very materially reduced by the adoption of
a set of splice bars such as shown in Fig. 6. In this
the outside splice bar is made of greater depth than
92 TO REDUCE NOISE.
those ordinarily in use. They are so designed that the
outside splice bar comes up with a gradual slope to a
fraction of an inch higher than the head of the rail at
the joint. By that arrangement the outside splice bar
will receive the wheel tread and carry the wheel and
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TO REDUCE NOISE.
93
load over the gap between the rail ends at the joint,
without allowing the consequent pounding on the rail
joints and almost instant reversal of the shear, as is the
case with the ordinary splice bar. The outside splice
bar would serve the function of a girder in carrying the
wheel over the weak spot in the joint. In the design
shown the splice bars are 44 feet long and are supplied
with eight bolts and grouped in such a way as to give
bearing only at the ends and middle of the bars. It is
intended, as shown in cross section "A-B," to have the
splice bars so constructed that there will be no bearing
between the splice and the rail, whatever, for part of
the distance between the wide spaced bolts or at the
quarters. That with the extra length will prevent very
largely the hinge motion which takes place with the short
splice bar. The bar made in this way should be of extra
quality steel to resist the unusual wear that would be
brought upon it.
Almost every conceivable device has been tried for
strengthening the rail joints of track. Some give better
results than the angle bars in use on the loop; others
have been rejected for various reasons, such as high
cost, complication in their use, etc. The splice bars for
the joint as above described would cost more than the
ordinary angle bars, but would be no more complicated
in their application. On account of the urgent need for
reducing the noise, some such form of joint should be
given a thorough trial. Splice bars similar to those
above described have been tried at different times on
steam railroad track. On account of the great variation
of rolling stock, badly worn wheel treads, heavy loads
and high speeds, they have not proven very successful.
For the elevated service, however, where the wheels can
94
TO REDUCE NOISE.
be well maintained and the loads are not excessively
heavy, very good results should be expected.
A splice bar construction similar in type to that shown
above has recently been employed on the Chicago & Oak
Park line at different points. This„ while quite an im¬
provement over the old joint, is apparently not giving
as satisfactory results as might be hoped for, as it is
not employed under favorable conditions, neither do the
details of the design appear to be the best that could
be used. The splice bars, as applied to the old worn
rails, are too short, of insufficient depth, and too thin to
give the necessary stiffness and resistance to wear and
crushing.
Structure,
Even with the changes in road-bed and track above
suggested, it may be necessary to employ still other expe¬
dients to prevent vibration which may be carried into the
structure from producing noise by its action on the broad
thin plates and members under tension. It is believed
that in many cases creosoted boards or planks could be
bolted to the vibrating and noise producing parts of the
structure in such a way as to very materially reduce, if
not prevent, the noise entirely. In some cases felt placed
between "the plank and the members to which they were
applied might prove more effective. In still other cases
incasing with concrete may be the better expedient to
adopt.
2nd. Motor Gears.
There does not seem to be much promise for noiseless
motor gears. About the most that can be hoped for is
to have them reasonably well maintained, and have the
vibration absorbed in the road-bed construction before
it is carried into the structure itself and accentuated
TO REDUCE NOISE.
95
and widely distributed. Some of the noise might be
eliminated by housing or casing the motor and gears so
as to confine the vibration as much as possible. Some
such device should at least be given a trial to learn if
any relief can be had by that means.
3rd. Air Brake Exhausts.
There is no reason why the orifice of the air brake
exhausts should not be changed and mufflers employed,
dispensing with that noise feature entirely at a trifling
cost. It has already been largely taken care of by some
of the roads.
4th. Rattling of Loose Parts.
The noise resulting from the rattling of loose parts
can be almost, if not wholly, remedied by proper con¬
struction and maintenance.
5th. Curves.
On account of the short radius of the curves, and both
wheels being rigidly fastened to the axle, the slipping
of one of the wheels on the rail is inevitable. This re¬
sults in grinding and screeching noise. I know of no
way to prevent this aside from the employment of some
lubricant, on at least one of the rails.
6th. Exhausts from Pneumatic Interlocking.
The noise from the exhaust of the pneumatic inter¬
locking can be entirely prevented by changing the ex¬
haust port and putting on exhaust mufflers.
As the movement of the interlocking must be quick and
positive the "throw" will be attended with more or less
noise. In some cases it is believed the resulting noise
could be prevented in part.
96
TO REDUCE NOISE—METHODS TRIED.
7th. Crossing Frogs.
The excessive noise at junction points resulting from
wheels passing over frogs can be reduced in part by the
use of a solid floor and stone ballast to carry the track
at these points.
8th. Brake Shoes.
The screeching and chattering produced by the rub¬
bing of the wheels on the brake shoes can be largely
reduced, if not prevented entirely, by the use of a brake
shoe of the proper combination of metals and properly
hung.
METHODS TRIED FOR DEADENING NOISE.
The only effort made or experiment tried for deaden¬
ing noise on the structure to my knowledge is that in¬
stalled several years ago. Two different methods were
employed on the structure on Wabash avenue between
Monroe street and Jackson boulevard. On the west track
the space between the bottom of the ties and the outside
edge of the outer and inner guard rails was boxed in.
This space was filled in with gravel up to a height cover¬
ing the base and about half the depth of the rail. The
method employed on the east track was to box in the
space from the bottom of the ties extending across the
entire width over the outside guards. This was also
filled in with gravel covering the ties and base of the
rails and extending up about half the depth of the rail.
The method employed on the east track was more effect¬
ive than that on the west. As might have been expected,
however, neither method proved to be of any great effi¬
ciency as the contact between the rigid parts of the
structure consisting of rails, ties, etc., remained un¬
broken.
TO REDUCE NOISE—METHODS TRIED.
97
Two factors of the method employed would serve to
reduce noise to a limited extent :
1st. The loose gravel in which the rail is embedded
causes a part of the noise producing vibration set up in
the rail to be absorbed before being carried to a great
distance and widely distributed. The same feature of
sound deadening is noticeable on steam roads after a fresh
fall of snow when the rail is largely covered with loose
snow, the noise being very materially reduced.
2nd. The increase of mass by the addition of the
loose and inelastic gravel absorbs a part of the vibra¬
tion before it is carried into the structure itself. On ac¬
count of the greater mass of gravel used on the east
track, that method was more effective.
As previously stated to secure sound deadening in the
elevated road-bed, the continuity between the rails and
ties, and the structure itself should be broken by inter¬
posing some inelastic medium to break up and dissipate
the vibration, as well as increase the mass to act as an
absorbent.
98
OBSTRUCTION TO LIGHT, AND
UNSIGHTLY APPEARANCE.
1st. Stations.
Anyone passing along any of the thoroughfares occu¬
pied by an elevated structure becomes conscious of a
certain sensation of gloom and oppression. This is es¬
pecially the case on the route of the Union Elevated
Railroad on account of the large and unsightly stations
and exits occupying street intersections, darkening the
roadway and sidewalks and cutting off the view of the
sky along the sidewalk.
Plate 3 is a half-tone reproduction of a photograph
of the present station on Randolph and Wabash ave¬
nue looking West. This view is taken some distance
East of the station and shows the Masonic Temple in
the background on the right and above the station, and
the Marshall Field and Trude Buildings on the left.
Plate 4 is a reproduction of a photograph of the Mad¬
ison and Wabash station looking East, with the tower of
the Montgomery Ward Building in the background above
and on the left, and the Chicago Athletic Association
Building on the right.
These two views looking along the intersecting streets
show relatively the size and great amount of obstruc¬
tion to view and light when seen at some distance from
the elevated structure.
Plate 5 is a reproduction of a view of Adams and
Wabash station looking North. This shows the great
amount of obstruction to light and view, when looking
along the sidewalk of Wabash, caused by the exit stairs
as well as the station structure which is built out over
PLATE 3. Randolph and Wabash Station Looking West. Showing
Obstruction to View and Light, and Shadow Cast.
PLATE 4. Madison and Wabash Station Looking East. Showing Obstruction to View and
Light, and Shadow Cast.
PLATE 5. Adams and Wabash Station Looking North. Showing Obstruction to
View Along Sidewalk, and Shadow Cast by Station and
Platforms. "Exit only" Stairs but Little Used.
PLATE 11. View Looking Down on Adams and Wabash Station,
showing the size of the station building over the roadway of
the Intersecting Street, the Width of the Platform Canopies,
and the Relative Proportion of the Entire Street Occupied by
the Present Station Structure.
UNSIGHTLY APPEARANCE.
99
the roadway of the intersecting street, past the building
lines of Wabash.
Plate 31 is a view looking down on the Adams and
Wabash Avenue station. This plate shows very clearly
the great width of the stations over the street intorsee
tion as built on Wabash and Fifth Avenues. While they
are not as wide on Van Buren, they extend out beyond
the building lines of the street a greater distance.
These cuts speak for themselves in expressing the
great obstruction to view and light, and the overshad¬
owing size of the structures occupying the street inter¬
sections.
The removal of these unsightly stations would go a
long way toward civic improvement and beauty in Chi¬
cago, which is being earnestly sought after by many
individuals and organizations.
2nd. "Exit Only" Stairs.
The little used and almost useless "exit only" stairs
are large factors in causing unsightly appearance and ob¬
struction to view and light along the sidewalks and in
front of buildings.
3rd. Maintenance and Painting of Structure.
On account of the lack of proper care in keeping the
structure reasonably clean and well painted, it is much
more unsightly and objectionable than it would be if
a greater amount of care and attention were given.
4th. Attachments to the Structure.
Where the structure has been used for purposes other
than conveying traffic the features have not been made
ornamental. The brackets for the electric arc lamps at¬
tached to the structure are of poor design and unpleas-
ing appearance.
100
SUGGESTED CHANGES TO REMEDY
OBSTRUCTION TO LIGHT AND
UNSIGHTLY APPEARANCE.
1st. Stations.
In order to remedy the unsightly appearance, and re¬
move obstruction to light, it is recommended that the
present stations on Wabash avenue, Van Buren and
Fifth avenue, be reconstructed, and the ticket offices and
waiting rooms removed from the platform elevation to
the space beneath the tracks and platforms on the level
now occupied by the cross-over foot-ways, and the old
station buildings over the roadway and above the plat¬
form level torn down. By this arrangement the width
and height of the station would be limited to that cov¬
ered by the outside of the present platforms.
For the convenience and comfort of the travelling
public it would also be desirable to have the stations on
Lake at State and Clark streets reconstructed on the
same plan. At present they have no waiting rooms or
cross-over foot-ways.
By the proposed arrangement, having all of the wait¬
ing rooms and ticket offices grouped under the tracks
and platforms, in case universal transfers were adopted,
it would offer a possible convenient means in the trans¬
fer service of keeping a record of the transfers from
one line to another. Passengers having to transfer could
go down the platform entrance stair to the waiting rooms
and receive a transfer slip from the agent of the road
on which the fare was paid. Then to continue the jour¬
ney on another road, the transfer slip would be imme¬
diately presented at the ticket window of the other road
OBSTRUCTION TO LIGHT-ST AT ION S.
101
which the passenger wished to take. With this means
of transferring, the roads would be able to keep a rec¬
ord of transfers made one to the other. It would also
render unnecessary the construction of the proposed
over-head transfer bridges over the tracks from one
platform to another.
To further reduce obstructions to light, the present
canopies over the platforms should be removed and re¬
placed with canopies, preferably of saw-tooth roof de¬
sign. so constructed that the highest point of the roof
would be on a level with what is now the lowest point,
or of a height just sufficient to clear the roofs of the cars.
The covering of the canopies could be advantageously
made of wire glass, so as to have practically all the
light falling on the roof available for distribution to the
sidewalks and fronts of adjacent buildings. For the
platforms over the station waiting rooms, sidewalk prism
glass could be installed for lighting the interior of the
station.
Plates 6, 7, 8 and 9 are photographs of a small size
model of a station which the Association recently had con¬
structed. This while a design for a steel frame construc¬
tion, is actually built of wood and one-twenty-fourth actual
size. On that account the details of many of the parts are
out of proportion. Only a short section of platform and
canopy, representing about 75 feet in length, was built;
25 feet of which is over half the street intersection where
the station and waiting rooms are located.
Plate 6 is an end view of the model showing the pro¬
posed design of the canopy for reducing the height, in
which wire glass could be used to advantage. The black
girder and post on the right hand side of the picture
represents the girder and post as it stands in the street
102 SUGGESTED "SUBTRACK STATION."
at the present time to support the waiting rooms and
ticket offices. They would be unnecessary with the pro¬
posed station and could be removed. The portion in
black on the extreme right and left, shows the position
occupied by the buildings on the near side of the street.
Plate 7 is the same view of the station with the repro¬
duced model of the present waiting room and ticket
offices in the relative position occupied on the present
structure. The present type of canopy is also shown in
place. The opaque canopy over the stair is shown in
place on the right of the cut. The relative amount of
obstruction to view and light as presented in the new
design and that of the old station can be readily seen at
a glance.
Plate 8 is a side view of the model looking along the
line of the curb. In this the relative position of the stair
is readily seen. The exit stairs from the platform are
at the extreme right, and the entrance stair to the plat¬
form is shown ascending from the waiting rooms be¬
neath the tracks and platform. The stairs leading to the
street are clearly shown. Under the stairs leading to the
street is shown the effect of the proposed filling in be¬
neath the foot of the stairs, doing away with the prac¬
tically inaccessible dark space which now only serves for
the collection of dirt and rubbish.
The relative position of the building lines are shown
by the broad, black band on the extreme left, and the
narrow band just to the right of the center of the cut.
The position of the waiting rooms and ticket booths
are clearly shown just a little to the left of the center line
of posts. Just adjoining the center line of posts to the
left is the passageway from one side of the structure to
PLATE 6. Model of Proposed "Subtrack Station" for reducing obstruction to light and view. End
View Showing Canopies of "Saw Tooth" design and wire glass, covering the platforms. Ticket Offices and
Waiting Rooms below the Tracks and Platforms, on the level of the Present Crossover Foot-ways.
(Black Girder and Post to Right are Part of Old Structure to be Removed.)
PLATE 7. Model of Proposed "Subtrack Station." Same View of Model as Plate 6 with Reproduced
Model of one of the Present Ticket Offices and Waiting Rooms in Place. The Reproduced Model shows
the Bulk of the Structure which extends over the roadway on each side and which can He dispensed with
by the use op the proposed "sltbtrack station" design
PLATE 8. Model of Proposed "Subtrack Station." Side View Showing Space beneath Tracks and
Platforms, on the level of the present cross-over footways, to be used for Ticket Offices, Waiting Rooms,
and Passageways. The space is that shown in the left side of the plate between the post at the head of
the stairs, which leads to the sidewalk, and the line of posts on the extreme left. the post shown in
Black on the left to be removed.
PLATE Model of Proposed "Subtrack Station." Side View of Model same as Plate 8, with Reproduced
Model of Present Ticket Offices and Waiting Rooms in Place on Opposite Side, Showing in Contrast the
Amount of Space Occupied, and Obstruction to Light and View.
SUGGESTED "SUBTRACK STATION." 103
the other and leads To the main entrance of the ticket
offices and waiting rooms.
In Plate 9 the same view as Plate 8 is shown. In this
the reproduction of the outline in model of the old sta¬
tion, waiting room aud ticket offices is shown in place.
As a matter of detail, in some cases the stairs which
are now used as exit stairs at street intersections could
be used as entrance stairs with the proposed arrange¬
ment, and the stairs leading to the sidewalks would re¬
main in their present location.
The contrast of the old to the suggested new stations
in the matter of obstruction to light and view is well seen
by comparing Plates 8 and 9 of the model with 3 and 4
of the old stations. Plate 3 is on nearly the same scale
as 8 and 9 of the model.
Figure 7 is a plan of the suggested new type of station
showing the location of the passage ways, ticket offices,
waiting rooms, stairs, etc. For the four different roads
as at present operated there would be a separate waiting
room and fare booth for each road. One main passage¬
way running lengthwise of the structure and connecting
with two cross-passageways from the heads of the stairs
leading to and from the street. (The direction of traffic
movement is indicated by arrows.) In the arrangement
shown each fare booth could be supplied with two win¬
dows for collecting fares. The lower ends of the exit
stairs from the platforms end in landings leading to the
cross-passageways and stairs reaching the street level.
The amount of space provided for each separate wait¬
ing room is about 160 square feet and is ample to meet
any requirements under normal operation. As a mat¬
ter of fact it is much more than is now provided at sta¬
tions for passengers after having paid their fare. The
104 SUGGESTED ,,SUBTRACK STATION."
Fig. 7. Plan of Recommended New "Loop" Station. Each Waiting Room is about
9'xl8'. Dimensions in the Plan shown would be suitable for the stations on Wabash,
5th Ave. and Lake St. Those on Van Buren would be somewhat less in width.
The upper portion of the cut, inside the irregular lines, shows the plan on the level
of the Fare Booths, Waiting Rooms, Passageways, etc. The lower portion of the
cut shows the tracks, platforms, stairs, etc., in plan.
OBSTRUCTION BY STAIRS.
105
waiting rooms are very little used during the rush-hour
period at any season of the year.
While the width of the old stations on Wabash avenue
is over 102 feet, that of the recommended new station
would only be the width covered by the outside width of
the platform, or less than 54 feet.
The great improvement in appearance and reduction
in light obstruction by the removal of the old station
buildings can hardly be overestimated.
2nd. Exit Stairs.
In the matter of station stairs, the present width and
arrangement of stairs at some stations is not satisfactory
for handling the crowds to the best advantage. The
"extra exit" stairs at the far ends of the platforms, are
almost wholly unused for the reason that passengers get¬
ting off at a station are naturally destined for points
leading the four directions away from the station. The
use of the "extra exit" stairs, as located, would take
three-fourths of the passengers away from their de¬
sired destination, and as a result are practically useless
factors in accommodating traffic. The uselessness of the
"exit" stairs is especially evident for the stations on Fifth
avenue. For the Northwestern and Chicago & Oak Park
there are few or no passengers getting off from the trains
at Randolph and Madison streets; while the same
is true for the Metropolitan at Madison and
Quincy; and as a matter of fact, very little un¬
loading is done by any of the roads at Fifth avenue sta¬
tions, during the rush-hours. As at present located there
seems to have been no warrant for the original construc¬
tion of the stairs, and certainly is none for their con¬
tinued existence under the present method of operation.
106
SUGGESTED EXIT STAIRS.
The almost exclusive use of these Fifth avenue stations
is for passengers taking trains.
In the matter of exit stairs, it may be pertinent to ask
what purpose the exit stairs at the Congress and Wa¬
bash avenue station for the south bound trains on the
South Side line are intended to serve.
As a factor in the moving of large crowds, stairs are
conducive of congestion, for the reason that a crowd
moves slower on a stair than on the level. This is es¬
pecially aggravated when feeble or disabled persons have
to make their way on a crowded stair. On that account
extra provision should be made for facilitating the move¬
ment. Stairs at congested points should be arranged to
give greater convenience and facilities to passengers
than at present exist. For example, at Madison and
Wabash avenue, the point of congestion for passengers
taking trains for a short time in the evening rush-hours
is on the stairs leading up from the West side of Wa¬
bash avenue. As the present stairs are only four feet
in the clear it is not only annoying and difficult for a
person to go against the rush-hour crowd, but causes a
great deal of delay and inconvenience to the predomi¬
nating movement. As a remedy, one of three expedients
should be employed at points where congestion of traffic
would demand.
(a) The simplest arrangement is that of providing
a wider stair of, say, 5^ or 6 feet in the clear, when the
concentration of traffic at such point seems to demand
additional relief. With a stair about 5| feet in the clear,
opposing movements of passengers can be handled with
a fair amount of facility.
(b) As a second expedient it is believed that in some
cases the exit stairs could be made through business
houses and office buildings to advantage.
TO REMEDY OBSTRUCTION.
107
(c) At points of extreme congestion the incoming and
outgoing traffic should be entirely separated, if possible.
This could be done in some cases by placing exit stairs
just above the entrance stairs, in such a position as to
serve for the roof covering over the latter. Then by
using glass canopies over the upper stairs the obstruc¬
tion to light on the sidewalk and adjoining buildings
would be but little more than with the present arrange¬
ment, and the facilities doubled.
As a feature of stair construction, a design could be
employed whereby much less obstruction to light would
result than is the case with the present form of con¬
struction. As uprights and framework are required
to carry the canopy these members by the addition
of a few diagonals, and made of proper proportions,
could be formed into members of a truss, and the stair
and load could be carried on this construction. In the
present construction the entire stair and load are carried
by beams on which the stair is made, varying in depth
from 15 to 20 inches. By employing the trussing, as
above described, the depth of the stair beam could be
reduced to about 6 or 8 inches, and would give much less
obstruction to light.
Instead of having the risers of the stairs solid, as at
present, a large proportion of the number could be left
nearly, if not entirely, open to advantage.
The open space under the foot of the stairs should be
filled in solidly with some such material as concrete or
brick, between the sidewalk and stair, for a height of at
least three feet. (See Plates 8 and 9.) This space as it
exists at present serves only as a place for the collection
of dirt and rubbish.
Another feature to be taken into consideration, is that
108
TO IMPROVE APPEARANCE.
of utilizing the waste space under the sidewalk stairs for
the entrance to public comfort stations, which ha» been
taken up and agitated by different civic organizations of
the city, if the installation in the vicinity of any of the
"Loop" stations is decided upon.
3rd. Maintenance and Painting of Structure.
The proper maintenance of the structure to insure its
preservation would demand more care and frequent
painting than seems to have been given the structure in
the past. By painting the structure some light sightly
color it could be made much less objectionable in appear¬
ance than it is at present, or has been for some time. The
prevention of deterioration by rust and corrosion by fre¬
quent painting would perhaps more than justify the ex¬
pense, even if the appearance of the structure were not
a consideration.
4th. Added Utility, Improved Appearance, Etc.
In some cases the structure has been used for purposes
other than merely handling traffic. Electric lights, and
the wires for distributing the current, are attached to
the structure at different points. The lamps are sus¬
pended from very light inartistic brackets attached to the
posts. The wires are strung about promiscuously with¬
out any regard to appearance.
It is believed that the unsightly appearance of the
structure could be modified and relieved to a certain ex¬
tent and at the some time made to serve a useful purpose
by employing the following method: For the purpose of
illumination, brackets of somewhat massive appearance
to harmonize with the structure and of curved outlines
could be attached to the outside of the posts. From the
ends of the brackets electric lamps of a general design
TO IKlfROVE APPEARANCE.
109
to harmonize with the outlines of the structure could he
suspended. By suspending feed wires, which should be
as large as can be consistently allowed, from the ends of
the curved brackets, over the lamps, and leaving them
loose enough for considerable sagging to produce curves
of pleasing outline, the present straight and angular lines
of the structure would be somewhat modified and re
lieved.
The distance between posts is a little over 50 feet. By
placing lamps on every post, but lighting only every
other one, the lights would be a little over 100 feet apart.
By using, say, a 200 candle power Tungsten lamp, a high
degree of illumination should be secured. By suspend¬
ing the lights at the proper height and using reflectors so
that the upper part of the structure is left in shadow, the
streets would be well illuminated, at the same time serv¬
ing to obscure the structure itself from notice or view.
By the adoption of some such expedient as the above,
it is believed that the structure would be rendered much
less objectionable in appearance during daylight, while
the illumination at night would lend itself to making the
street, if anything, more attractive on that account.
In the design of the model for the suggested rearrange¬
ment of stations, no attempt was made at or¬
namentation or design on pleasing outlines. That, how¬
ever, is an important factor and should receive consider¬
able attention, as there would seem to be possibilities of
producing a structure of much more pleasing outlines
than those shown in the model which was constructed
It is not believed that ornamentation which is to be had
only through masking of the present structure or any
part which may be reconstructed is advisable or desir¬
able as the undesirable features which could not be
110
TO IMPROVE APPEARANCE.
masked would be rendered more unsightly and unpleas-
ing by contrast.
While the work of producing a structure of somewhat
pleasing outline should have been undertaken in the orig¬
inal design, still it is believed that it is susceptible of ma¬
terial improvement even as it stands to-day.
The whole question of improving the appearance of
the elevated structure and securing effects which would
in any way add to civic beauty, is of such a public nature
and importance as to deserve attention and study by
artists and architects best qualified to judge and work out
details relating to that feature. It is to a certain extent
outside the province of engineering, but could very prop¬
erly be made a subject of competition for suggestions
and design covering the points mentioned and such oth¬
ers as might be brought up for consideration. The com¬
petition could be carried on under the auspices of some
such organizations as the Municipal Art League or the
Chicago Architectural Club and a suitable prize offered
either by the association or some of its members.
Ill
CONCLUSION.
In preparing this report I have kept in mind the state¬
ment of the President of the Loop Protective Association
in his letter expressing the hope that an adjustment of
the loop problem can be made which will be for "the
mutual benefit of the City, the property owners, and the
Elevated Railroad Companies."
It is believed that the suggestions and recommenda¬
tions of the report as related to the structure and the
operation of trains over it, are well within conservative
bounds. The net revenue earning capacity of the Union
Elevated Railroad is evidently such that its owners could
well afford to make the necessary changes to eliminate
the nuisance features of the structure and its operation.
Even if it were assumed that the rush-hour traffic which
could be handled by the "Loop" had reached its maxi¬
mum, there is no reason apparent why the non-rush hour
traffic should not increase with the growth of the City
up to a point where it would nearly equal the present
rush-hour business.
The revenues from the "Loop" will increase greatly
during the franchise period claimed and the cost of the
changes suggested by this report are of relatively small
significance when compared with the "Loop's" net
earning capacity. The advantages to the property own¬
ers and to the public from the changes suggested in this
report, and the advantages to the Companies in a definite
validation of the "Loop's" franchises and a final set¬
tlement of the problem are all so obvious that it would
seem that an agreement for the mutual benefit of all
parties concerned, should be reached without great diffi¬
culty.
INDEX
pages
Report in Detail
Synopsis
Adams and Wabash station, cuts 99
Added utility to improve appearance 99, 108
Air brake exhausts 82, 95
Brake hangers, related to delay and congestion 67
Brake shoes, noise from 83, 96
Capacity, to increase 42
Car doors and train signals 59
Congestion, cause of 26, 30
Congestion, remedies for 42
Car, Hudson & Manhattan R. R. (McAdoo tunnel) type . 64
Conclusion Ill
Contact conductor (third) rail.
95
30
42
39
68
Crossing frogs, noise from 83, 96
Curves, grinding of wheels on
Delay and congestion, causes of 26,
Delay and congestion, remedies for
Delay at 1st station after entering
Delay from handling longer trains 40
Delay from longer station stops 40
Delays to trains outside the "Loop" 30
Delays caused by junction crossings 31
Fig. 1, Hudson & Manhattan (McAdoo tunnel) car 64
2, Roadbed, Philadelphia Rapid Transit Co 85
3, roadbed, suggested cross trough 87
4, roadbed, suggested longitudinal trough 89
5, roadbed of Kansas City Elevated 90
6, rail joint splice bars, suggested 92
7, "subtrack station," plan of suggested 104
Interlocking, pneumatic, noise from 82, 95
Joints, rail 91
Junction, delays. 31, 33, 36
Junctions, noise at 83
Light, obstruction to 10, 98
Light, to remedy obstruction to 100
By use of the "subtrack station" 101, 102, 104
By exit stairs 105
Longer trains, to load 55
Motor gears 81, 94
Noise:
From operation 7, 10, 81
Methods tried on structure, to reduce 96
Noise, suggested remedies to reduce 84
Air brake exhausts 95
Brake shoes 96
Crossing frogs 96
Curves, wheels grinding on 95
Interlocking 95
INDEX
Report in Detail
Pages
Synopsi*
Noise, etc.—Continued.
Motor gears 94
Roadbed 84
Track 91
Non-rush-hour train trips, (tables 1 and 2, 27 and 29) .... 28
Plate 10 (last page)
Obstruction to light 10, 98
Obstruction to traffic 10
Painting 99, 108
Plates:
1, junction delay and congestion, Wabash and Van
Buren 31
2, junction delay and congestion, Wabash and Van
Buren
Randolph and Wabash station
Madison & Wabash station
Adams and Wabash station
31
99
99
99
3,
4,
5-
6, 7, 8 and 9, suggested "subtrack station" 103
10, time distance curves (last page)
11, Adams and Wabash station 99
Platform extension 70
Rapid transit, urban 12
Situation in Chicago 12
Rush-hour train trips, (tables 1 and 2, 27 and 29) 26
Plate 10 (last page)
Signs, train, platform, waiting room 65
Stairs :
Obstruction by, etc 98, 99
Suggested changes in 105
Station stops:
Delay from 39, 40
Rush-hour and non-rush hour 40, 59, 60, 63
Suggested changes in 55
Stations :
Changes in locations, suggested 52
Obstruction to light. 10, 98
Suggested "subtrack station" 7, 100
Stub terminals 79
Tables :
No. 1, train trips, rush and non-rush hour 27
No. 2, train trips, rush and non-rush-hour 29
No. 3, train trips, junction delays 33
No. 4, parts of train trips, junction delays 36
No. 5, length of station stops, train trips '. . . . 60
No. 6, length of station stops, station record 63
No. 7, order and time grouping of trains 79
Third rail, protection of 68
Through routing 7, 43
Time distance curves (last page)
Train signals for starting 59
Train signs 65
Train trips . 26, 27, 28, 29
Union Elevated R. R., description 8
Universal transfers 68
Unsightly appearance 10, 98
Unsightly appearance, to remedy 99, 100
22
22
22
23
24
20
19
23
24
14
17
17
23
21
19
14
19
19
20
23
23, 24
TABLE NO. 7.
ORDER AND TIME GROUPING OF TRAINS STOPPING AT "LOOP" STATIONS DURING THE MORNING AND EVENING RUSH-HOUR PERIODS
OF I HOUR AND 30 MINUTES
STATION.
Clark
II
Madison & Wabash
II it
it il
Adams & Wabash .
li it
La Salle & VanBuren
II it
Madison & Fifth
Date.
Apr. 22
21
7
11
18
20
23
May 19
20
20
21
Time
7:45-9:15
5:00-6:30
5:00-6:15
7:45-9:15
5:00-6:15
5:00-6:30
7:45-9:15
5:00-6:30
7:45-9:15
5:00-6:30
7:45-9:15
Trains Per Hour.
Outer
track
64.
58.
59.2
64.
60.0
58.7
66.
61.3
67.3
61.3
68.
Inner
track
92.7
86.
82.4
90.7
89.6
84.7
92.
82.5
88.
84.
94.7
Total
156.
144.
141.6
154.6
149.6
143.3
158.
144.
155.3
145.3
162.7
Number of Trains Recorded.
Nor.
West
62
55
47
64
47
56
63
59
64
59
64
C. &
O.P.
Met
34
32
27
32
28
32
36
33
37
33
38
67
63
53
68
57
65
67
63
64
65
71
South
Side
72
66
50
68
55
62
71
61
68
61
71
Outer
track
Inner
track
96
87
74
96
75
88
99
92
101
92
102
139
129
103
136
112
127
138
124
132
126
142
Total
235
216
177
232
187
215
237
216
233
218
244
Possible Double-Unit Grouping for Station Stops.
Order.
Number.
Outer
track
31
27
28
31
25
31
34
30
30
31
30
Inner
track
40
38
33
38
29
37
38
40
37
42
42
Total
Outer
track
71
65
61
69
54
68
72
70
67
73
72
Per Cent, of Whole
Inner
track
32.2
31
37.8
32.2
33.3
35.2
34.3
32.6
29.7
33.6
29.4
28.7
29.4
32.
27.9
25.8
29.1
27.5
32.2
28.
33.3
29.4
Total
30.2
30.
34.4
29.7
28.8
31.6
30.3
32.4
28.7
33.4
29.5
Order—Time (20 Sec. Interval)
Number.
Outer
track
3
5
1
2
5
7
5
8
7
12
4
Inner
track
19
17
24
15
26
20
9
15
22
23
17
Total
22
22
25
17
31
27
14
23
29
35
21
Per Cent, of Whole.
Outer
track
3.
5.7
1.3
2.1
6.
7.9
5.0
8.7
6.9
13.
3.9
Totals
Averages of Totals.
" A. M
" P. M
687.8
62.5
65.9
59.8
967.31655.1
87.9
91.6
84.9
640
362
703
705
1002 1408
2410
328
414 I 742
150.5
157.5
144.7
59
207
266
32.7
29.4
30.7
5.9
Note:—The Table shows under "Possible Double-Unit Grouping for Station Stops," the number of trains that arrive at the stations in the required order to allow two trains to
stop at the same station at the same time, each at its respective portion of the platform; also the number arriving within an interval of 20 seconds from the time the preceding train
starts. If the time between the departure of the leading train and the arrival of the one following is greater than 20 seconds, observation shows that the following train had not
caught up, and would gain nothing from double length platform for "Double-Unit Loading."
PLATE NO. 10. Plotted from Table No. 2, Showing the Effect of Junction Delays in Slow Running and Stops between Stations in Approaching and Getting Past Crossing Junctions During Rush-Hours, Contrasting with a Trip Without Junction Delay During the Non-Rush Hour.
Spacing Between Horizontal Lines represents 1,000 foot intervals. Spacing Between Heavy Vertical Lines represents one minute Intervals; while that between light vertical lines represents ten second intervals.