The Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company controls all of the elevated and surface lines in Brooklyn including those reaching Coney Island. It also has entrance to Manhattan over the lines of the New York Municipal Railway Corporation, which was organized by the B.R.T. to finance and construct a part of the new city lines allotted to the B.R.T. The New York Municipal line runs through the new Broadway subway as far north as 60th St. thence east through the 60th St. tunnel under the East River to a connection with the Astoria and Corona lines in Queens. Other subway and bridge routes have been completed during the past few years as part of a definite plan, which contemplates the elimination of the present stub end operation at the lower end of Manhattan.

The Brooklyn Bridge line built in 1883 and the Brooklyn Elevated R.R. in 1888 formed the nucleus of the present Brooklyn Rapid Transit system. Electrical equipment was tried out in 1898 and additional motor cars were put in service in 1902. This improvement rapidly displaced the “steam dummies” and facilitated the extension of lines and the handling of a rapidly increasing traffic.

Of the present lines on the Brooklyn Rapid Transit system 89.20 miles of route aggregating 258.35 miles on a single track basis can be classed as rapid transit lines and operate multiple unit trains with third rail current collection. This includes the several elevated branches in Brooklyn and the newer subway lines of the dual system all of which are operated by the New York Consolidated R.R. Co., which is the operating organization.

The lines of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit system, which are operated by the New York Consolidated R.R., according to figures for the year ended June 30, 1921, handled 404,970,640 passengers over the rapid transit lines.

Power Supply

The original power equipment consisted of engine-driven direct-current generators, which have gradually been retired due to obsolescence.

Power for operating the B.R.T. system is now generated in two alternating-current plants with installed capacities as follows:

Power is generated and transmitted at 6600 volts, 25 cycles, three-phase. Owing to the diversified feeding system it is not possible to estimate the portion used by the elevated and surface lines. Power for the operation of the Manhattan lines is purchased from the Interborough Rapid Transit Co.

Substations

For supplying 600 volts to the entire system the B.R.T. has in operation 98 synchronous converter units aggregating 142,500 kw. These units range in size from 500 to 4000 kw. each. Many of the stations feed both elevated and surface lines so that it is difficult to approximate the capacity available for the rapid transit service.

Distribution

Current collection on all elevated and subway lines is from an over-running third rail. The following sizes of third rail are in use:

Rolling Stock

The New York Consolidated R.R. Company operates in subway and elevated service a total of 1550 cars each equipped with two motors and multiple unit control. These include the equipment operated over the New York Municipal lines through the new subways. 900 of the newest cars use GE-248 motors and weigh, fully equipped, about 45 tons with seats for 72 passengers. These new cars are operated in all motor car trains.

Trains up to seven cars are operated in rush hour service and the minimum headways approximate two minutes. The maximum length of ride possible for a single fare is from Corona through the Broadway subway to Coney Island, about 21 miles. The maximum grade on the system is 5 per cent on the New York Municipal line.