Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 89, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 February 1917 — NOISY STREET CAR CROSSING [ARTICLE]

NOISY STREET CAR CROSSING

Invention Designed to Remove Cause of Much Annoyance in the Larger Cfties. ■ There are many objections raised against tiae noisy hammering of the street car as it passes over the junction of two tracks. In the first place, the residents of the vicinity raise their protest, for every car passing in either direction gives three or four resounding' shocks as the wheels strike the channels of the crossing. This is no more agreeable' to the management of the railway company than to the persons living along the line,, for to the engineer it means waste. The experience is hard on the track and the rolling stock and the life of the metal crossing and the cars would be greatly prolonged ft the pounding Referred to could be eliminated. The problem is being given some considerable attention at the present moment in many directions and patent papers have been recently granted to S. B. Meeker <i£ this city for a new idea in the consrruction»of these crossings which may solve the matter of eliminating the noise and pounding, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Ordinarily the weight of the car as it moves along is supported by the broad surface of the wheel, the flange of which serves only to keep the wheel in its proper place on the track. The new crossing is constructed so that as the wheels approach the crossing track, they travel along on the flange, and, the floor of the channel through which they move being perfectly level, there is no concussion. The wheels make but a single revolution on the flange and then return to their normal position.