Staten Island Railway Company. Use of soft coal on locomotives. COMPLAINT OF HARCOURT BULL against STATEN ISLAND RAILWAY COMPANY. Complaint Order No. 704 (see form, note 1) issued August 28th. A communication from the complainant was received September 8, 1908, stating, in effect, that matters complained of were satisfied. It is hereby ordered, That a hearing be had on the 26th day of March, 1908, at 2:30 o'clock in the afternoon, or at any time or times to which the same may be adjourned, at the rooms of the Commission at No. 154 Nassau street, borough of Manhattan, city and State of New York, to inquire whether the regulations, practices, equipment, appliances or service of the said company on its various lines in the city of New York, in respect to the transportation of persons, freight or property within the First District, are unjust, unreasonable, unsafe, improper or iuadequate, and if it be so found then to determine whether changes in said regulations, practices, equipment, appliances or service in the particulars following at the place or places herein mentioned, would be just, reasonable, safe, adequate and proper, and whether such changes shall be put in force, observed and used on the lines of said company, and also to inquire and determine whether repairs, improvements, changes or additions to or in the tracks or other property or device used by said company, in the particulars following ought reasonably to be made in order to promote the security or convenience of the public or employees, or in order to secure adequate facilities for the transportation of persons, freight or property, namely: Whether said company should be directed to equip all mail cars and all other cars operated on the lines or said company, which are not so equipped, with a vestibule on each platform similar in construction to the vestibules now installed upon the passenger cers operated by said company. And if such changes, improvements and additions, or any of them, be such as ought to be made as aforesaid, then to determine what period would be a reasonable time within which the same ought to be directed to be executed. All to the end that the Commission may make such order or orders in the premises as shall be just and reasonable. Further ordered, That the said Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company be given ar least ten days' notice of such hearing, by service upon it, either personally or by mail, of a certified copy of this order, and that at such hearing said company be afforded all reasonable opportunity to present evidence and to examine and crossexamine witnesses as to the matters hereinbefore set forth. Hearing held March 26th. The following final order was issued: FINAL ORDER No. 381. March 31, 1908. This matter coming on upon the report of the hearing had herein on the 26th day of March, 1908, and it appearing that the said hearing was held pursuant to order No. 342 of this Commission, dated the 13th day of March, 1908, and returnable on the 26th day of March, 1908, at 2:30 o'clock in the afternoon, and it appearing that said hearing was had by and before the Commission on the matters embraced in said Hearing Order No. 342 on the aforesaid date, before Mr. Com missioner McCarroll presiding, H. M. Chamberlain, Esq., appearing for the Commis sion, and J. F. Calderwood, Esq., Vice-President and General Manager of said Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company, appearing for said company, and proof having been taken upon said hearing, and it having been stipulated and agreed upon said hearing by said J. F. Calderwood, for and on behalf of said Brooklyn Heights Rail. road Company, that said company would comply with all matters mentioned in said Order No. 342, and would equip its mail cars with vestibules similar to those in use on the passenger cars of said company in time for the operation of next season, which should be on or before November 1, 1908, and that an order of this Commission issue directing and requiring the said Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company to equip all its mail cars with vestibules in the manner mentioned on or before the date mentioned, and it having been agreed that said order would be satisfactory to and would be complied with by said Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company. Now, therefore, upon said stipulation and agreement, and on motion of George S. Coleman, Esq., counsel to the Commission, It is ordered, That said Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company be and it hereby is directed and required to equip all its mail cars operated on its lines, which are not so equipped, with a vestibule on each platform similar in construction to the vestibules now installed upon the passenger cars operated by said company. It is further ordered, That said company equip all said cars with vestibules in the manner hereinbefore mentioned on or before the 1st day of November, 1998. This order shall continue in force thereafter until such time as the Public Service Commission for the First District shall otherwise order. It is further ordered. That said Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company notify the Public Service Commission for the First District, within five days after the service of this order upon it, whether the terms of this order are accepted and will be obeyed. Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company.- Side doors on elevated railTen-car trains on elevated lines operated over road cars In the Matter of Recommendations of the Chief Engineer with respect to the use of side doors on cars of the BROOKLYN RAPID TRANSIT COMPANY. ORDER FOR ANSWER Resolved, That a copy of the report of Chief Engineer Henry Seaman, under date of January 12, 1908, be sent to the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company for answer. The company answered February 25th and assured the Commission of its desire to co-operate with it and the Department of Bridges in bringing into effect the best practicable method of operation over the bridge. Brooklyn Union Elevated Railroad Company.- Air brake cqui ment. Letter of Electrical Engineer. To the Public Service Commission for the First District: September 25, 1908. The Bureau of Electrical Engineering has completed an investigation into the air brake equipment of the cars operated over the elevated lines of the Brooklyn Union Elevated Railroad Company and reports that such cars should be so equipped as to allow for quick recharging and gradual release. Respectfully submitted, (Signed) A. W. MOLIMONT, Thereupon the Commission adopted the following resolution: ORDER No. 746. Resolved, That the Brooklyn Union Elevated Railroad Company be required to make such changes as will carry out the recommendation contained in the above report. Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company.- Defective equipment and poor service on Smith street line. An order having been made and filed herein December 20, 1907. No. 164, under and pursuant to an order for hearing made November 20, 1907, No. 104, and said Order No. 164 having been duly served upon the Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company, the same to take effect immediately. and the said Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company having. on December 28, 1907, applied in writing to this Commission for a rehearing in respect to some of the matters contained in paragraphs numbered (1), (2) and (3) of said Order No. 164. and said Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company having accepted and undertaken to obey the provisions of said order except as to the matters upon which such rehearing was requested, and sufficient reason for said rehearing being made to appear, Ordered, That said request for hearing be granted and that said rehearing upon the matters contained in said paragraphs numbered (1), (2) and (3) of said Order No. 164, entered and filed on December 20, 1907, be held on the 23d day of January, 1908, at 2:30 o'clock in the afternoon, or at any time or times to which the same may be adjourned, at the rooms of the Commission, No. 154 Nassau street, borough of Manhattan, city and State of New York, to determine, after such rehearing and after consideration of the facts, including those arising since the making of Order No. 164, whether the original Order No. 164 is unjust or unwarranted in respect to any of the following requirements, viz. : 1. For the maintaining of gear cases half full of gear grease or other lubricant; 2. For the immediate replacement of flat wheels; 3. For varnishing the interior of all cars: and to determine whether said Order No. 164 shall be abrogated, changed or modified in such respects, end if such abrogation, changes or modifications are found to be such as ought to be made, then to determine the nature and extent of changes or modifications of the said order and to determine the time of taking effect of the order as changed or modified; All to the end that the Commission may make such order or orders in the premises as shall be just and reasonable. Further ordered, That the said Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company be given at least ten days' notice of such rehearing by service upon it, either personally or by mail, of a certified copy of this order, and that at such rehearing said company shall be afforded all reasonable opportunity for presenting evidence and examining and cross-examining witnesses as to the matters aforesaid. Further ordered, That pending such rehearing and the entry of an order by this Commission upon such rehearing. the requirements of said Order No. 164 in respect to the matters hereinabove mentioned be, and the same hereby are stayed. Hearing held January 23d. COMMISSIONER BASSETT : OPINION OF COMMISSION. South Brooklyn Board of Trade, complainant, against Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company, defendant. Matter of rehearing on matters contained in Order No. 164 entered December 20, 1907. Final Order No. 164 required the Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company to improve their cars as follows: 1. "That all gears and pinions on the cars of said company shall be operated with their gear cases maintained at least half full of gear grease or other lubricant." 2. "That all wheels on the cars of said company that show flat spots or undue wear shall be immediately replaced by wheels in good and proper condition." 3. That said company shall within one month thoroughly clean and varnish the interior of all its cars and shall hereafter maintain them in a cleanly and sanitary condition." The defendant on December 28, 1907, requested a rehearing on the items above set forth, claiming that a small amount of grease in each gear case was advisable; that a reasonable opportunity should be afforded the company to change flat wheels for perfect wheels, and that it is not reasonable, practicable or necessary to require the company to varnish the interior of all of its cars. The Commission granted the defendant a rehearing on the above items, appointing the undersigned to take the testimony and report his opinion thereon. Accordingly, a full opportunity was given the defendant to examine additional witnesses. Experts for the South Brooklyn Board of Trade and the Public Service Commission were also heard. It appears from the testimony that the first application of grease in a gear case is greater in amount than is requisite in later applications. The reason for this is that a large amount of the grease is thrown up in the case and adheres to the top and sides. If after the original application the gear case were filled up to the center point of the axle, which is the construction placed upon the order by the defendant, there would be a tendency for the grease to run out at the axle joint. The evidence shows that if enough grease is at all times kept in the gear case, so that the teeth of the gear wheel can run in it, that will be sufficient. The order should be changed in this particular, so that it will require that the lower half of the gear case shall be maintained at all times half full of gear grease or other proper lubricant. The item in the original final order regarding replacing of flat wheels should remain as it now stands. It appears to me that the strict compliance with present final order, which requires varnishing of the interior of all of the cars, involves an unnecessary amount of work in some cases and probably too long a withdrawal of cars from actual service. It would seem more reasonable to require the interiors of the cars to be varnished where not now varnished. Many of the cars need to have work done upon their interiors and cleaning alone is not enough. In many cases rubbing down with crude oil after washing with soda ash is not enough, because an unprotected surface of natural wood would be left, which is incapable of being kept clean. Such parts of each car should be varnished, and the whole of the interior of each car should present a cleanly appearance, with all exposed natural wood covered with a proper coat of varnish. Thereupon the following final order was issued: ORDER No. 239. February 4, 1908. An order having been made and filed herein the 20th day of December, 1907. being Order No. 164, under and pursuant to an order for hearing made the 20th day of November, 1907, and said Order No. 164 having been duly served upon the Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company, and said Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company having accepted said Order No. 164 in part, but having applied in writing to this Commission for a modification of paragraphs numbered (1). (* and (3) of said Order No. 164, and an order having been made and filed the 10th day of January, 1908, returnable January 23. 1908, being Order No. 197, directing a rehearing of the matters contained in said paragraphs numbered (1), (2) and (3) of said Order No. 164, and it appearing that said rehearing was duly held by and before the Commission on the matters in said Order No. 197 specified on the 23d day of January, 1908, Mr. Commissioner Bassett presiding, and proof being taken, and Grosvenor H. Backus, Esq.. assistant counsel, appearing for the Commission, and John J. Kuhn, Esq., appearing for the railroad company. Now, it being made to appear after the proceedings upon said rehearing that it is just and proper that said Order No. 164 should be modified in the manner hereinafter set forth; Therefore, on motion of George S. Coleman, Esq., counsel to the Commission, It is ordered, That paragraph numbered (1) of said Order No. 164, made the 20th day of December, 1907, be, and the same hereby is, modified so as to read as follows: "(1) That the axle gears and armature pinions on the cars of said company shall within one month after the date of this order be replaced by new gears and pinions where the teeth thereof are worn to less than one-sixteenth of an inch on the top, and that hereafter no gears and pinions shall be used the teeth of which present a smaller top than one-sixteenth of an inch; that all gears and pinions on the cars of said company shall be operated with the lower half of the gear case from the bottom of the case to the axle opening, maintained half full of lubricant when the car is at rest." And it is further ordered, That paragraph numbered (3) of said Order No. 164 he, and the same hereby is, modified so as to read as follows: **(3) That said company shall by or before the 1st day of March, 1908, thoroughly clean the interior of all its cars and shall revarnish the same wherever the varnish shall be worn away or otherwise impaired, and that said company shall hereafter maintain said cars in a cleanly and sanitary condition; that within one month from the date of this order, the seats in the closed cars that now have backs and seats covered with carpet shall have this carpet removed and the backs and seats covered with rattan, and that this covering shall be maintained in a cleanly and sanitary condition." And it is further ordered, That except as to the portions hereinbefore modified, said Order No. 164 shall remain in full force and effect until modified by the further order of this Commission. And it is further ordered, That this order shall take effect immediately. And it is further ordered. That within five days the said Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company notify the Public Service Commission for the First District whether the terms of this order are accepted and will be obeyed. Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company.- Automatic circuit breakers; new car bodies. Hearing Order No. 203. Opinion of Commissioner Bassett. In the Matter of the Hearing on the motion of the Commission on the question of improvements in and additions to the equipment of the CONEY ISLAND AND BROOKLYN RAILROAD COMPANY, in the particulars hereinbelow mentioned. ORDER FOR HEARING It is hereby ordered, That a hearing be had on the 23d day of January, 1908. at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, or at any time or times to which the same may be adjourned, at the rooms of the Commission at No. 154 Nassau street, borough of Manhattan, city and State of New York, to inquire whether the regulations. practices, equipment and appliances of the Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company in respect to the transportation of persons in the First District are unsafe, improper or inadequate, and if such be found to be the fact then to determine whether changes in said regulations, practices, equipment and appliances in the particulars following would be just, reasonable, safe. adequate and proper, and whether such changes should be put in force, observed and used on the line of said company, and also to inquire and determine whether improvements, changes or additions to or in the motive power or other property or device used by said company in the particulars following ought reasonably to be made in order to promote the security or convenience of the public or employees, or in order to secure adequate service or facilities for the transportation of passengers, namely: Whether said company should be directed to equip each of its cars now in service or hereafter to be put in service with two automatic circuit breakers of modern type and of first-class quality and efficiency; and to arrange said circuit breakers in multiple on each car: and at all times to maintain both of said circuit breakers on each car in good and perfect repair and keep the same properly adjusted for the capacity of the motor on the car on which they are placed. And if such changes, improvements and additions be found to be such as ought to be made as aforesaid, then to determine what period would be a reasonable time within which the same should be directed to be executed. All to the end that the Commission may make such order or orders in the premises as shall be just and reasonable. Further ordered, That the said Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company be given at least eight days' notice of such hearing by service upon it. either personally or by mail, of a certified cony of this order, and that at such hearing said company shall be afforded all reasonable opportunity for presenting evidence and examining and cross-examining witnesses as to the matters aforesaid. Hearings held January 23d, 29th and February 5th. |