Light Up Your Lamps At 6.52 on Thursday ; 6.49
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on Friday ; 6.47 on Saturday; 6.43 on Monday ; 6.41 on Tuesday ; 6.39 on Wednesday next, Regulating Traffic at Converging Points.
Tire sender of the following communication has been awarded the 10s. prize this week.
L1332] " Komi " (New York) writes :—" I enclose a rough plan [We have had this redrawn.—ED.] showing one of the busiest traffic spots in New York City.
How theItraffic is handled in New York City.
The sketch is merely diagrammatic ; return-journey tramline branches being, of course, incorporated in the system inside the police control. It represents Columbus Circle, at which point seven of the main streets of the city converge ; six of these have tram tracks. I consider that if the following-on system, as indicated by my sketch, were employed in London at like centres, a lot of unnecessary delays could be avoided and accidents would be less frequent. The point under consideration brings to my mind as near as can be the Elephant and Castle, which I believe is one of London's danger spots. The gyratory system of control, as it has been called, has several times been proposed for London.—ED.1 "Statistics show that, by adopting the following-on system, the risk of accident is greatly reduced, especially where trams—if we must have trams—halt at these busy centres. From a driver's point of view it is much easier when he is once acquainted with the method. Of course, all roan traffic in Arrrerica, as you know, is right-handed, but that makes no material difference. Giving the trams a limited area in which to pull up, instead of straggling at all
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points, is its chief advantage. A safe haven is also provided inside the police control for foot passengers. The area of this police control is indicated by standards, which are lighted up at night with green lamps. The lamps are movable and can be set at any position, and inside the area determined by these standards there are tram halts and pedestrians. This system to me is the easiest possible to negotiate traffic at converging points, and as vehicles must pass on the left, there is no danger of a collision at the turning-off point.
Good Work with a Paden.
[1333] " Y.D." (Manchester) writes :—" Many of the steam-wagon drivers' letters you have published certainly show some good performances accomplished by (Efferent machines and their drivers, but I consider the following equal to any of which I have read. "I know of a Foden wagon that has recently completed 816 miles in three weeks and four days. During this period 24 separate loads were picked up and delivered."
Technical Evening Classes.
To drivers and mechanics situated in London who are desirous of strengthening or improving their present position we would mention that the 1913-14 session has opened at the Northampton Polytechnic Institute, St. John Street, E.C. We have received a syllabus of the subjects which can be taken up. It will interest our mechanic readers to know that there are many classes which would be of particular use to them, such as the construction and characteristics of heat engines, automobile engineering workshop practice, petrol motor classes, and mechanical engineering. A prospectus of all the subjects and syllabi of these trade classes may be had on application to the institute.