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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 1962)
MEDFOHD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFOBD. OREGON SUNDAY. DECEMBER 9, 19S2 Bay Area By JOHN BARNETT United Pr.. !.....; . San Francisco - U'PH - The commuters were upset. "When." they moaned, "nre sve going to get a decent night's sleep?" -Members of the citizens committee for rapid transit couldn't help being a little mug. "Listen to us," they said, "and you won't have these problems." The problem of the moment was a storm, a full - blown gully washer that rained out the world scries for three days running, tore up streets and buildings in several cities -nd plugged up a tunnel that runs through the low moun tains rimming the eastern edge of communities on the Inland side of San Francisco Bay. The commuters were the unfortunate ones who lived on one side of the mountains and worked on the other. For more than a week after the storm, they lost two hours' sleep in the morning and cot home two hours late for din ner because they had to drive over or around the mountains to get to work. Voted on System The citizens conmiitlre's admonitions apparently struck home. These commuters and thousands of others in the Ray area went to the polls Nov. fi and put themselves $792 mil lion in drbt for a rapid transit (He will get his ystem. The margin of approval wasn't overwhelming - only one per cent more than the two-thirds needed - but it was enough to launch work on America's first entirely new rail transit system in nearly half a century. And, as a climax to more than 10 years of planning and studying and arguing, it marie San Francisco a pace-setter in the worldwide struggle of metropolitan areas to unsnarl the traffic jams in which they are becoming more and more enmeshed. II will take nine more years of planning and building, but hy the early in70's the Bay area will have a completely new 75 - mile network of streamlined electric trains that will whisk travelers around a three-county area at a speed of nearly a mile a minule including slops. Initial Plans Initially, there will be 37 stations in nearly .10 commu nities in San Francisco, Ala meda and Contra Costa coun ties, all lines feeding into the major business and industrial cenlrrs of San Francisco and Oakland. Eventually, its plan ners believe, the system will expand into al least three oth er Bay area counties. At the heart of the system will be a computer that, like the -model train hobbyist with his layout, will operate every train in the system simulta neously. The suburban l ro&isiit 'J hit vy ! mKft i ::,-f i'v- ft A jLp System DO F .-sr PROPOSED SUBWAY This rross-seclion cutaway is a photo-rendering of the Market si. subway planned for down town San Francisco. The multi level complex will be untiliz ed by pedestrians and shops (upper underground level); streetcars (center); and high-speed transit trains (lower). (UPI) bill al the such an idyllic life would he end of the month, the fare per automotive chaos and that trip ranging from 25 cents to traffic on Bay area streets and struction of a massive elevat ed expressway along the wa terfront. Then one newspaper (The Chronicle) suggested that the next logical step was to dynamite it, since it didn't go anywhere. (It still stands, how ever, although it reaches far short of its original goal, the Golden Gate Bridge.) If any one man deserves recognition as the "father" of Bay area rapid transit, it is a New York engineer named Walter A. Douglas. He is a member of the engineering firm of Parsons, Brinckcrhoff, Quade & Douglas, which de signed and built the original New York City subway sys tem, opened in 19U4. The transit plan developed by Douglas and his associates involves some radically new ideas, combined with cautious regard for the old tried and true methods. Automatic Basis The most revolutionary con cept is that of operating the system on an entirely auto matic basis, all control rest ing in an electronic computer system. "It is fundamental," said a report by the engineers, "that this rapid transit system in clude a fully integrated auto matic control system, assuring the highest degree of safe and reliable service." The central computer will start and coordinate all trains, and if anything goes wrong it will correct the situation. "In the design of all con trol functions," the report said, "the 'fuil-safe' principle of operation is observed to in sure complete safety. The failure of any control element causes a train to react in a safe manner, including stop ping tile train." The implication of the Bay area's rapid transit plan are immense, both locally and to metropolitan areas every where. "I don't think the people realize what they've done." said Clair W. MacLeod, a di rector and tormer president of the rapid transit district. "I don't think anybody is really able to grasp the scope of this. It's incredible." i With interest and the cost , of associated projects and roll- j ! ing stock, the $792 million bond issue will mushroom I ' into a total bill of more than j $2 billion. I An average of 3.000 work-. ers will spend most of the j next nine years on the system, : and at times their number j 'will swell to 8,000. They will I erect 310,000 tons of steel,1 pour 3.5 million barrels of i concrete and use 00 million . i board feet of lumber and $H0 ' million worth of electrical materials and equipment. I j The $792 million bond issue i ! will pay only for construction ! : of the rail network, including i ground - level track in the i I suburbs, elevated track in; j some urban areas and sub- j ways under San Francisco's ' famed Market st. and down- j ; town Oakland. Earthquake-Proof Tub ' The key link in the system j 1 w ill be an earthquake proof J j tube under the Bay helwren j San Francisco and Oakland, j Tins will cost $133 million,! all to come from excess toll I revenues of the Bay bridge, The big question, of course, is whether the people will use the system once it's built. "We believe they will use It," said B. R. Stokes, infor mation director for the tran sit district. "The basic idea of rapid transit is to complement the freeway and municipal transportation systems - but at the same time we must compete with the automobile. "We're convinced we can compete. W'e will offer speed, convenience, comfort and economy -and no traffic jams.' The Implications are almost certain to be felt elsewhere loo. "Cities all over the world have been watching us," Mac Leod said. "New York, Chi cago, Cleveland, Boston, At lanta - even Tokyo and Paris were watching to see if we could persuade the Bay area's citizens that they need rapid transit, "The nlher cities figured that if we could do it, maybe Ihey could too. Well, we did it." COUNT DOWN BONUS MOTOR OVERHAUL DELUXE RING AND VALVE ON ALL MAKES CHEVROLETS PLYMOUTHS FORDS DODGE BUICKS ALL OTHERS 50 NO DOWN PAYMENT! 25 Pr Week With Your Good Credit Crater Lake Motors, Inc. Between 6th I Main an Fir Phona 773-7591 Low soya KKNNKYSe3r a dollar.) Attendant Aboard Car In case he's nervous about putting full faith into the electronic computer that runs the train, he'll find an at tendant aboard his car. Chances are the attendant won't do anything, but he will be able lo stop the train in an emergency. Settled in a comfortable seat, gazing out wide windows if he wishes, the commuter will zip along in air-conditioned ease at speeds up to 70 miles an hour. There will be no crossroads; exclusive right of way belongs to his train. In 50 minutes or so, depending on where he lives, the train will glide into a station in downtown San Francisco or Oakland, and the commuter will go to work. He won't even have to find a parking place. Without rapid transit, the experts say, the alternative to Moforcycle-Aufo Collide in City A Medforri man was injured slightly Thursday in a molor-eycle-car collision in the city, according to city police. Hurl was Antonio Alberto Valentin Tillel. 22. of 1R0 White Oak dr. He was oper ating a motorcycle which col- rommuter 1 "cpcl wil'1 a car driven hy Leo will get perhaps another hour of sleep in the morning before walking, driving or riding a feeder bus to the nearest tran sit station. He won't have to worry about, timetables; dur ing rush hours a train will he available every 90 seconds, and the rest of the time he won't have to wait more than JS minutes. From the platform of his attractive neighborhood sta tion, he will step aboard a sleek, streamlined railroad car of lightweight aluminum or steel, and slick a coded ; Minor damage was dime to credit card into the slot of an 1 the pole, officers said. Weitzel electronic accounting gadget.! was not cited. Clears Automatically . . . yet makes air-tight seall Arno Young, 75, of 1557 Slew- art ave., according to police reports. The mishap occurred about 7:50 p.m. at Crater Lake ave. and East Main si. Young was cited for failure to yield the right of way. Tillel did not require hospital ization, officers said. In an accident early Friday, Elmer Norman Weitzel, 33, Talent, reported to police that his car had hit a signal light pole about 2: 1 1 a.m. as he was attempting to turn on to East Main st. from Almond st. n5fl Seal-o-Matin LjL DCOR BOTTOM Stvrdy, compact aluminum with durable, flexible vinyl bottom. Won't drag over your carpets. Yet keeps out drafts, dint, dirt and noises when door is closed. Comes in Anodized Sattn or Mbros finishes. Fits doors 23" to 49" wide. WORKS LIKE MAGIC to moVe your heading and oir conditioning more eec favA . , , less expensive! IAISES outomotirqlly to dor rug o door optnt towns ou'ooicolly o twjl ep'q wMn door (0l Get Scal-O-Matic at Mi S333 highways would come to a honking halt by 1985. Right now there are nearly 4 million persons in the area and they drive a million and a half cars. By 1985, the plan-, ners say, there will be 7.4 mil-'. lion residents and 3.4 million : cars.' Most of the people will settle in the suburbs - but most of the new job opportu nities will develop in the cities. The highway system al ready is deficient In its ability to handle the area's traffic, particularly at peak commute hours, and no matter how fast they build new highways, the planners say, the situation will get worse. A commuter trip that al ready takes an agonizing hour may take twice that long -or more. Besides the Inconvenience, there would be the ugliness. Freeways would slash across more and more neigh borhoods, driving the resi dents away and blighling oth erwise pleasant communities. In the cities, still more build ings would fall to (he wreck er's hall lo make room for more parking lots. Air pollu tion would get worse. Freeway Revolt San Francisco has always haled freeways. Three years ago, in a celebrated""freeway revolt." San Franciscans forced the slate to halt con- 4-H News j Antelope Club ' Members of the Antelope 4-H Clothing and Cooking club will provide cookies for members of the Veterans Domiciliary for Christmas. Each girl is to take her rookies lo little Butte Grocery Dec. 10. ! Mary Ellen Wallis demon j st rated how to make a quick- every day cake after the conk ! ing club meeting at the home of Margie Lehman Dec. 1. i One of the new members, j.lanis- Pritchard. took Deanna Grissnm's place as song lead- rr. Other new members are .Julio and Eva Mnrey and I Laura Waddell. Jan. 5 is the date sel for the next meeling. lo lie held at the home of Grrlchen Ousterhout. Grrtfhen Ousterhnut, Reporter Desert Pfgasm The Desert Pegasus 4-H Horse club held its regular meeling Dec. 1 m the Com- i munity building in Eagle I Point. Two new members j were introduced. Eddie Raker j and Delmar Robertson. Dale West tiave a demon stration on how to give a re , port, and Ronnie P ck gave a 1 tlk on his horse. Plans were made fnr a Christmas party lo he held ! Dec, 22 at Dale West's home. Each boy brings a gift for a j hoy and each girt brings a ! gilt for a girl. There was a 50 cent limit put on the gift Mr Dunn talked on record books. i Thr re were Ihrre visitor? 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HOLD THEM ON LAY-AWAY OR CHARGE THEM NOW ...ASSURE YOUR SELECTION FOR CHRISTMAS! i 20" CUODIE-IEE BABY DOU Dressed in either dot ted pink party dress or miii sleeper. Sleeping eyes, silky soft rooted hair and imooih vmyl face, arms, legs. 16" DRINK AND WET BABY DOU Choose a blonde in pink checked dress with oversktrt or brunette in maize. Both with sleeping eyes and lovely root ed hair. 21" BRIDE DOLL Choose from 2 styles, both all veiled end lacy in classic gowns. . Roth with lovely sil ky soft rooted hair and sleeping eyes. 498 398 498 1 498 SHE'LL LOVE A FOLDING DOLL CARRIAGEI Pretty red and white carriage, 23'i" high wilh metal wheels and frame, folds for easy carrying and stoi age. 449 CHILDREN LOVE TO ROCK, TOOI Well-designed, sturdy hardwood rocker with maple finish, comfortable contour seat. 23'i" high, seal is 1S"xI2". 5 LARGE 27" STURDY STEEL WAGONS Bright red body, white wheels, black gear and lires. Body rrfeasutes 77" long, heavy duly. Penney's Street Floor T
