Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1910 Excerpt:... compelled to enter the car at the rear and to leave it at the front. The idea has been worked out in various ways, and in the more perfect types the car can be entered by the rear platform only, but exit can be made at either end. A dividing rail forms the passageway from the rear platform step to the entrance door of the car. The conductor stands behind the rail and collects each passenger's faro at the platform before the passenger enters the inclosed part of the car. The front platform is provided with an exit which is at all times under the control of the motorman. The position of the conductor on the rear car is advantageous in many ways. He is able, for instance, to collect the fares of every passenger entering the car, whereas, under the older methods many passengers were unable or unwilling to pay fares in crowded cars, and from 5 to 15 per cent of the earnings were thus lost to the company. The conductor is also able to prevent accidents at the platform steps, not only by assisting passengers to board the car and to alight, but by giving the proper signals to the motorman to start the car only when all the passengers are aboard or have alighted and are clear.of the car. In like manner the motorman by his control of the front exit can minimize the chance of accidents at the front platform. The desultory signals by conductors from the interior of the car have always been a prolific source of accidents, and the presence of the conductor within the car has also rendered it difficult to make stops effectively and start up the car again promptly. The conductor has often been dependent upon the good-natured assistance of riders on the rear platform. Another source of delay with the old types of cars has been the conflicting movement of passengers enterin...