METAL UNDERFRAME OF PROTECTED WOODEN CAR

The plan of an all-metal car, however, was not abandoned, and although none was in use in passenger service anywhere, steps were immediately taken to design a car of this type and conduct the necessary tests to determine whether it would be suitable for railway service. None of the car-building companies was willing to undertake the work, but the courteous coöperation of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company was secured in placing its manufacturing facilities at Altoona at the disposal of the Interborough Rapid Transit Railway Company. Plans were prepared for an all-metal car, and after about fourteen months of work a sample type was completed in December, 1903, which was in every way creditable as a first attempt.

The sample car naturally embodied some faults which only experience could correct, the principal one being that the car was not only too heavy for use on the elevated lines of the company, but attained an undesirable weight for subway operation. From this original design, however, a second design involving very original features has been worked out, and a contract has been given by the Interborough Company for 200 all-steel cars, which are now being constructed. While the expense of producing this new type of car has obviously been great, this consideration has not influenced the management of the company in developing an equipment which promised the maximum of operating safety.

END VIEW OF MOTOR TRUCK

The General Arrangements

The general dimensions of the all-steel car differ only slightly from those of the wooden car. The following table gives the dimensions of the two cars, and also that of the Manhattan Railway cars:

Wooden Cars.All-Steel Cars.Manhattan Cars.
Length over body corner posts,42 ft. 7 ins.41 ft. 1/2 in.39 ft. 10 ins.
Length over buffers,51 ft. 2 ins.51 ft. 2 ins.47 ft. 1 in.
Length over draw-bars,51 ft. 5 ins.51 ft. 5 ins.47 ft. 4 ins.
Width over side sills, 8 ft. 8-3/8 ins. 8 ft. 6-3/4 ins. 8 ft. 6 ins.
Width over sheathing, 8 ft. 10 ins. 8 ft. 7 ins. 8 ft. 7 ins.
Width over window sills, 8 ft. 11-7/8 ins. 9 ft. 1/2 in. 8 ft. 9 ins.
Width over battens, 8 ft. 10-3/4 ins. 8 ft. 7-1/4 ins. 8 ft. 7-7/8 ins.
Width over eaves, 8 ft. 8 ins. 8 ft. 8 ins. 8 ft. 9-1/2 ins.
Height from under side of sill to top of plate, 7 ft. 3-1/8 ins. 7 ft. 1 in. 7 ft. 3 ins.
Height of body from under side of center sill to top of roof, 8 ft. 9-7/8 ins. 8 ft. 9-7/8 ins. 9 ft. 5-7/8 ins.
Height of truck from rail to top of truck center plate (car light), 2 ft. 8 ins. 2 ft. 8 ins. 2 ft. 5-3/4 ins.
Height from top of rail to underside of side sill at truck center (car light), 3 ft. 1-1/8 ins. 3 ft. 2-1/8 ins. 3 ft. 3-1/4 ins.
Height from top of rail to top of roof not to exceed (car light),12 ft. 3/4 in.12 ft. 0 in.12 ft. 10-1/2 ins.

The general frame plan of the all-steel car is clearly shown by the photograph on [page 128]. As will be seen, the floor framing is made up of two center longitudinal 6-inch I-beams and two longitudinal 5 x 3-inch steel side angles, extending in one piece from platform-end sill to platform-end sill. The end sills are angles and are secured to the side and center sills by cast-steel brackets, and in addition by steel anti-telescoping plates, which are placed on the under side of the sills and riveted thereto. The flooring is of galvanized, corrugated sheet iron, laid across the longitudinal sills and secured to longitudinal angles by rivets. This corrugated sheet holds the fireproof cement flooring called "monolith." On top of this latter are attached longitudinal floor strips for a wearing surface. The platform flooring is of steel plate covered with rubber matting cemented to the same. The side and end frame is composed of single and compound posts made of steel angles or T's and the roof framing of wrought-iron carlines and purlines. The sides of the cars are double and composed of steel plates on the outside, riveted to the side posts and belt rails, and lined with electrobestos. The outside roof is of fireproof composite board, covered with canvas. The headlinings are of fireproof composite, faced with aluminum sheets. The mouldings throughout are of aluminum. The wainscoting is of "transite" board and aluminum, and the end finish and window panels are of aluminum, lined with asbestos felt. The seat frames are of steel throughout, as are also the cushion frames. The sash is double, the lower part being stationary and the upper part movable. The doors are of mahogany, and are of the sliding type and are operated by the door operating device already described.