The New York herald., 1878-09-30
THE RCCKAWAY BR ANCH
Cause of Previous Accidents and Posi-
bility of More in the Future.
SCENE OF THE LATE DISASTERS.
Rotten Ties, Poor Rails and Any Kind Of
a Roadbed.

The recent accidents on Long Island Railroad
near the western terminus OF the railway and
its brauches-one OF which involved the loss
OF one lie aud the injury, more less seri-
cusly OF ten pc sons another the wounding OF ihe
paymasicr the and OF two passengers, ana that
OF Saturday last, which cost two persons their lives
have directed public attention 10 the road IN an un-
favorable manner. The frequent occurrence OF Slight
accidents, which had in them every element great
disasters which on tailed OF being such by sheer
luck, or because there were lew passengers IN the
cars to XIII, have led people 10 believe that they
must nave due TO extreme careessness or GRIM
inay delecive tracks. The track is in so bad con
dition that II is wonder that accidens are not OF
weekly DAILY occurrence.
In pursuance OF instructions from the HERALD office
a fortnight ago the writer spent week riding ana
walking upon aud IN making thorough examination
of the southern division and Rockaway branch Of the
Long Island Railroad aud has also looked into The state
OF road dieren points The Central and North
Shore aivisions His instructions were 10 ''make
thorough examination OF the road bed, conditIon OF
the sleepers rails, &C. In all places where there are
connecting roads the KIND OF men employed and
the hours OF duty they have to serve Pay attention
particularly TO that section of the road between Hun
ters Point aud Rockaway Beach, Is in that
apparently accidents are most frequent"
RocKAwAY.
The examination OF the route to Rockaway, via
Valley Stream, some twen,y-six miles in length.
first begun. Tbe road leaving Hunters Point (LoLg
Island Cty) runs through Fresh Pond (near which
tho accident OF the 18th inst occurred). Glendale anu
Richmond Hi! to Jamaica. From the latter point it
passes TO Rockaway junction ana thence in nero
southerly direction to Springfield Junction. At this
poiut The trains TO Rockaway ruu over two routes
over the meadows 10 Ocean Point aud the other
Hewietps, Woodsburgh and Lawrence. From Ocean
Point the trains by both routes pass through FAr
Rockaway to RocEaway Beach. This may bs
said very bad condition. and especially SO
at The pont where the drst OF the late accidents
CURED, aud not tar IRON which the second took
place, and where from present Indications, another
may occur at any moment. Also along
the line from Fresh Pond to jamaica,
over the meadows IRON Springfield Junction
TO Ocean Point, and from Far Rockaway 10
Rockaway Bach. The road IN all cases seems TO
have been laid on bed Of whatever the soil hap
pened to Dc, with little added ballast; at
one point loan, at another sandy gravel, others
simply loose sea sand There Indications now
gravel is being added and there but nothing
Is being done at the worst spots. The rails vary,
occasionally being In good condition Tor long
stretches, while at other points-uotceably the
sands Rockaway Beach-,hey are In a fearfuliy
torn and Jagged stac. AS 10 iies, the enumeration
oil The places where a large proportion are rot
ten where pins that hold rails them and
elsewhere, would be as tedious as II became 10 the
writer who noted them. In Short the condition OF
the Rockaway route such that alter walking over
and examining, rides on IL with no little trepida-
lion.
NEAR HUNTER'g POINT.
To proceed with detailed account OF the examna-
ton OF the road ana the results. While waiting Tor
the $50 Z. NJ train on the RocSaway branch. on
Monaay, the l6.h inst.. The writer walked out on
the line along which the trans pass IN running to
Flushing and beyond, on tho North Shore division,
part oil the line which runs through the
centre OF tho Island The rails ai THIS point are
In fair condition, which Is than said OF
sleepers lies wnlch tney res OF when every
thIId ,ourth one Is badly rOLled away about tho
pins wnich secure the rats tncn, uud about the
rail- joints. Ihs rottenness often extends tor sorno
side the faiis, the securing plus
cases being useless la walking a!oug on the
edge The ies the writer's often cruncned
mo rotten part ana brOse oil sIyers OF tue wood
just before arriving at the switching of point OF the
Norm shore line is small trestiewofk, supporting
some twenty ties aud spanning tttlc tributary OF
Newlown Creek. The ties here are quite rotten aud
the BRIGGS unsafe condition The spikes 40 not
cnmu te rails down but o We tle m some hat loose
tho along tue track Oh either sldo Oi tue
stream fnerondbed, though seemed solid ebough AT
this point AZ lreight uan passed over the lttie
bridge IT shook sway ed badly. At tue rHt switch
hey the IN cuhree, near tue oce OF the teie-
grapn operator, has some eighty trans oay 10
sNltch, rev s'ePs oeyohli Que hhh - IN onage W
three switches. Hcre freight track ioins the main
line, the North Shore branches Of ana the new rouo
10 Mannatth Beach crosses over lie is on duty
twelve hours ana switches some sixty trains Hs ply
SO month
By the $50 train Jamaica was reached, the route
parI OF tie way being over branch road, the Track
via Ftesh Pond not havn- Yet been put IN RAINING
rondition. Wncn wei out along the line the train ran
very uneveniy. IL swaycd, Jumped ana lurched In
most uncomfortable way. Ibe ties arc ~ about the
same condition those before described though on
nearing Jamaica they are much better. AT jamaica
Two trans came ~ quickly bohina-one from Bnsh-
cars, ana the switchman nad 10 jump nurrleaiy
IRON TRACK ~ track to sWitcn them.
A DANGEROUS ROAD
Leaving the cars at Ear Ruckaway, the track, which
from tnis point ruus aiong sandy wastes and
marshes, was walked over for thrce mites 10
runs bed o loose sea sanu, winch would be seri-
ousy a,mRged by heavy gale. rms ties are simply
lad the sand, Win no slRn OF suitable ballast.
Tue rails are OF light, poor iron, very bad condion.
Tney are often Dg0kcu OF AT the sides, spayeG open
mashed IN The middle. aud at nesry every rail end
sphtefs oil several ibches IN length ol lhe crushed
DANCE protrude On thesc, ~ doubted az, an eIgiAe
wheel would mount an1 uhirack The tram Az
spot rail ls split Tor three iect The
splinter portion IS broken IN the ccntre and coulh DO
kicked OIL IL Is liable 20 otoak ana cause dangerous
obstruction to engine and car wheels az any moment
The INSIDE nange ol the ran is also shattered. the
whole widIh being split oil for several ieoL some
thirty or forty feet distant other SIDE OF tho
single track rail is spread out tor bad
spIiutered. SOUND rail- Is seldom seen, aud at the
FONTS they arc mere and there one nd haIl ana two
inches apart They are sci in the old lashioncd chair
JOINT iastenings
Along TINS sand route, from Far Rockaway 10 the
Beach, gang oil men have continually 10 iiit up The
ties where they have SUNK Ia tue sand Tue foreman
OF gang. who WAS experimenting THIS wofk, WAS
sskea now long tncy stayed up. lie said ior a lew
days un. The poundng oi the trains iolcca tho ties
down aud the spikes up. train gong at good speed
along such track cOud, under cet tam coDdtsons lit
iiseif on the track. GA going round curve on ihs
part o thc line. not ioDg ago, an engine "c'uaIy
keelcd over.
swAYtsG TRAINS.
The trains as they pass over the track sway
from side TO sdo ana jump about with long, funginR
motion. All the way 70 ROCkRwdy tne rails are
Ia the sans conditon ana The track is uneven.
Au engineer on oil tno trsins that the ssnd
the rails badly, and that sue ends got buried al The
iOints BY eetling OOse IRON the ties. tney did not
ususly run ut rate OF ovur hltetu twenty mlies
an hour account OF the Dadmess OF the W
there Is such uc deposit Oi gravel near at nanu,
NJ Hcmpstead, sucn rOad bed Is Inexcusabie Inc
cuipuv looao ana h.tr hotds iron, hall nm