oulded into suitable forms
of asbestos compound. Special precautions have been taken with the
insulation of the wires, the specifications calling for, first, a
layer of paper, next, a layer of rubber, and then a layer of cotton
saturated with a weather-proof compound, and outside of this a layer
of asbestos. The hangers supporting the rheostats under the car body
are insulated with wooden blocks, treated by a special process, being
dried out in an oven and then soaked in an insulating compound, and
covered with 1/4-inch "transite" board. The rheostat boxes themselves
are also insulated from the angle iron supporting them. Where the
wires pass through the flooring they are hermetically sealed to
prevent the admission of dust and dirt.

At the forward end of what is known as the No. 1 end of the car all
the wires are carried to a slate switchboard in the motorman's cab.
This board is 44 x 27 inches, and is mounted directly back of the
motorman. The window space occupied by this board is ceiled up and the
space back of the panels is boxed in and provided with a door of steel
plate, forming a box, the cover, top, bottom, and sides of which are
lined with electrobestos 1/2-inch thick. All of the switches and
fuses, except the main trolley fuse and bus-line fuse, which are
encased and placed under the car, are carried on this switchboard.
Where the wires are carried through the floor or any partition, a
steel chute, lined with electrobestos, is used to protect the wires
against mechanical injury. It will be noted from the above that no
power wiring, switches, or fuses are placed in the car itself, all
such devices being outside in a special steel insulated compartment.

A novel feature in the construction of these cars is the motorman's
compartment and vestibule, which differs essentially from that used
heretofore, and the patents are owned by the Interborough Company. The
cab is located on the platform, so that no space within the car is
required; at the same time the entire platform space is available for
ingress and egress except that on the front platform of the first car,
on which the passengers would not be allowed in any case. The side of
the cab is formed by a door which can be placed in three positions.
When in its mid-position it encloses a part of the platform, so as to
furnish a cab for the motorman, but when swung parallel to the end
sills it encloses the end of the platform, and this would be its
position on t