The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-10-24
A Splendid Building.

A short description Of the Vanderbilt
interesting to our readers. The building
is used as depot for the Hudson River,
the New York Central, the Harlem and
the New Haven railroads. In point of con-
venience it is ahead of anything of the
kind on this continent. 1t is 695 feet long
and 240 feet wide, and covers nearly four
acres of ground. More than two-thirds of
this space is devoted to the grand car house,
in which and from which nearly two hun
dred trains arrive and depart daily. This
immense room presents an uninterrupted
superficial area of $50 feet in length by
200 in breadth, grand parallelogram of q
trife less than three acres, without wall,
pillar, or post to disturb its entire ty. This
colossal room is surmounted by an arched
roof, made wholly of glass and iron, sup
ported by 81 iron truss girders each form
ing complete semi-circle and resting at
their ends on the foundation walls of the
structure. The apex of this lofty dome is
at an elevation of liz feet above the floor
of the room. tiua 3d. I
All trains arrive and depart through the
north end of the building, which is finished
with ten lofty arched openings, having iron
doors or blinds made to roll up like the
blinds of store window. In the center of
this end, and nearly half way up to the peak
of the lofty dome is little apartment like
an old-fashioned pulpit, enclosed with glass,
and giving observation over the entire in
terror of the apartment and the yards and
track without. This perch is reached by a
light spiral staircase, and is devoted to the
use of the depot master. From it he not on
ly directs the movement Of all trains, but an
nounces their readiness to the several wait
ing rooms. BY a system of electric signals,
entirely under this officials control in his
isolated and lofty perch, he communicates
with switchman in the yard, with conduct
ors and engineers of trains, with doormen
through the building, and directs all the
servants under his control. Each track in
the building is numbered. When he de-
sires to send a train out on No. 0 he directs
the switchman to connect that track with
the main track. The accomplishment of
this order is announced on signal tower
outside the building. Thenhe orders the
engineer OF the tram to go. The engineer
on receiving his order has but to glance at
the signal tower directly before him to
know whether his track is right or not
When the depot shall be fully in use by
all the roads there win be eighty-two trains
arriving, and the same number leaving IL
daily. In order to provide as far as posi-
BILE from accidents from such multiplicity
Of trains, and also to obviate danger at the
street crossings electric signals have been
PLACED at all the street crossings up to the
Harlem River. These are the same signals
that have been in use at the drawbridges
and stations on the New Haven road, and
work automatically. Thus, as at rain ap-
proaches street crossing, when yet a
thousand feet away, it sets q bell ringing
al tho crossing, which continues to ring
until the train is passed. lsu 8n.a6i
Eachcompany using this depot, has its
own suits Of waiting rooms, ticket Offices,