Identifier: electricrailway351910newy (find matches)
Title: Electric railway journal
Year: 1908 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Electric railroads
Publisher: (New York) McGraw Hill Pub. Co
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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eage of the old system, a stepwhich has solved part of the problems affecting the property,other changes have been made. The scope and important na-ture of these changes, affecting all the departments concernedwith the maintenance and operation of the property, will bedescribed in subsequent articles in the Electric RailwayJournal. Application of scientific methods in the solution ofthe problems of maintenance and operation has effected botha material saving and a substantial increase in efficiency. CONDITIONS ON MANHATTAN ISLAND The fact that most of the problems which confront electricrailways at the present time exist on Manhattan Island ingreater degree than in other cities is due to inherent condi-tions. Among these may be mentioned the compulsory op-eration by underground conduit system, the great and increas-ing congestion due to vehicular and other traffic, the expenseof employment arising from the high cost of living inNew York and the competition of the most successful rapid
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March 26, 1910.) ELECTRIC RAILWAY JOURNAL. 521 transit railways in the world, those of the Interborough RapidTransit Company. For some time prior to the appointment of the receivers theoperation of the Metropolitan Street Railway had been besetwith increasing difficulties due to the heavy financial require-ments of the system and the unparalleled and unbusinesslike de-velopment of the transfer system as a result of legal require-ments. There was also a recognition of the fact that thesystem was too large and complicated to be operated economi-cally at a 5-cent fare with universal transfer privileges. TheMetropolitan Street Railway serves the greatest density ofpopulation of any property of this character in the world andhas an advantageous short haul traffic as a result of the re-markable development of various centers of business and popu-lation on Manhattan Island. The probability of profitable op-eration was supposed generally, however, to be greater thaninvestigations conducted in

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