From Our Berlin Correspondent.
Page 13
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Marienfelde single-deckers to carry 2o passengers have been acquired for the working of a new Wurtemberg line which links Kirchberg and 011shofen ; the route was opened to days ago,
The Piacenza Mobor Show.
The motor show begins the series of festivities, contests, and what not in connection with the opening of the new bridge over the River Po, near Piacenza. Practically all exhibits have come from home firms, but I notice amongst the " heavies" a couple of Gaggenau military lorries.
Moscow's First Motorbus Line.
Moscow has made a beginning with a motorbus system, the first line, which connects Petrovsk Park and Glebovo via Pokrowska, having been formally opened a few days back in the presence of Governor-General Dchnukovski and other municipal dignitaries. Messrs. Laurin and Klement have secured the contract, the route being worked by their light type of omnibus.
Ambulance Organisation.
From the 1st October, the Corporation of Schdneberg, a Berlin suburb, will manage ambulance affairs within the borough, making the ambulance department subordinate to the fire brigade. The rolling stock will consist of an electric-driven vehicle and a horsedrawn ambulance wagon, but this is only by way of a beginning ; by degrees, the stock will be augmented and placed on a uniform mechanical basis.
Engineer Zechlin on the Prospects of Motorbus Traffic.
Engineer Max R. Zechlin, the Berlin official expert in legal cases, involving automobile affairs, contributes to the Imperial Motor Club's sixth Year Book an interesting article on the prospects of motorbus traffic in general. While admitting a crisis in the automobile branch, he contends that " results are not tantamount to experiences," and that, according to the latter, "right will be found on the side of those who still maintain that the motorbus has a big future," given sufficient capital, scientific organisation, proper handling of vehicles, careful adaptation of supply to demand, and what not. The main competitors of the motorbus are tramcars and small railways, for towns and rural districts respectively ; but, from the financial reports on such concerns, Herr Zechlin arrives at " no unfavourable conclusion for motorbuses "; indeed, these reports have served to strengthen his opinion that the selfpropelled traffic is developing along the right lines, that there is a large field of activity for it, and that, in many cases, the tramcar and the small railway are unsuited to the localities, and might advantageously give place to automobiles.
That a number of automobile concerns have failed to pay, while others have been dissolved after a short period of working, "affords to-day, where the
whole development of the motorbus is still in its initial stage, no proof of a general nature against it ; for many tramcar and small railway companies have yielded no profit (especially in the early stages of existence, or have ceased working)." Not to go back farther than 5936, and this is conceding much to the tramcar and small railway, which have had an abundance of time for technical improvement, in that year of Prussia's 138 tramcar systems, 18 paid no dividend at all, 30 yielded between to 3 per cent., 7 as much as 4 per cent., et cetera. Whether or not the motorbus is technically superior to the older instruments of traffic Herr Zechlin does not care to discuss, but he has no doubt that, in several instances, its superiority is incontestable; for instance, its independence of rails and a central power station, which require immense capital, necessitate tedious negotiations for concessions, the acquisition of land, and so forth. Whereas, " with a very modest capital and without any difficulties worth mentioning, a motorbus line can be quickly created. Should it not pay, the loss is considerably smaller in comparison with the tramcar and its permanent way. There are no permanent ways to remove, or feeding cables either ; the vehicle has but to be transferred to a better paying line."
Having dwelt upon other advantages of the motorbus, Herr Zechlin goes on to say :—" If these adavantages are regarded in the light of Berlin's suburban traffic, they become all the more obvious. Around Berlin, there are some 270 suburbs which strongly need to get into closer touch with the traffic. Only a few enjoy the advantage of lying near sufficiently fast and frequent railway or tramcar connections; .the rest are hindered in their development by insufficient means of transport. In many of them, circumstances in relation to their development and dwelling accommodation are extraordinarily favourable, yet the several parishes are too small and too poor to create a traffic connection with a permanent way." He sees here an extensive field for the selfpropelled omnibus.
As to cheaper travelling with motorbuses, Herr Zechlin does not consider that the value of money justifies any expectation of this, remarking : " precisely, the good future of the motorbus. lies in the fact that the remaining instruments of traffic, which have reached the height of their technical development and can show copious administrative experiences, will not henceforth be able to lower their fares by economising on the working expenses, but rather, will have to raise them in consequence of the general depreciation of money, whereas, in all probability, as a result of steady improvement and progressive experiences, the working costs of motorbuses will materially drop, and will enable the managers to maintain easily the present scale of fares."
One quotation more, and this on the disadvantage of struggling against the concern already in possession of the best routes—a point which opponents of the self-propelled vehicle often find it convenient to burke : " for the electric tramcars, it was uncommonly easy to find support against the old horse cars, but I strongly question whether the former could have been so lightly established in many places if the motorbus had been there beforehand, or had appeared on -the scene simultaneously. Let one consider, too, that the tramcars have long been in possession of the busiest and most suitable thoroughfares, so that the motorbus has to take their leavings. Particularly in Germany is this a great obstacle in the way of establishing motorbus lines, since for most routes, especially in the towns, double concessions are not usually granted." Engineer Zechlin quotes Mr. Manville to the effect dint, under given conditions, motorbus traffic not only pays well, but is also superior to
any other form of traffic, He also mentions the paying lines in Bavaria and elsewhere in Germany.