New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-02
THE PENNSYLVANIA'S PUSH.
A GREAT RAILWAYS GREAT IMPROVEMENTS
ELEVATED TRACKS. NEW FERRYBoATs. a HUGE
TRAIN-SHED AND LARGER OFFICES AND
WAITING ROOMS ALMOST COM
PLETED IL JERSEY CITY.

! PLETED IL JERSEY CITY
| The comprehensive scheme for the improvement OF
| the terminal facilities Of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company in Jersey City and New York, which has been
in progress Of development during the last five years,
is advancing rapidly toward completion. 1t will prob
Oby be another year, however before all the details
have been so far elaborated as to link the separate
branches with another and thus reveal the mechln-
cal perfection of the original designs from the prac-
teal point of view Of opeatlon well as demonstrate
the immense advantage to the cOmpany's service. and
the convenience and accommodation of its patrons
which must therefrOm
The old " Point Of Rocks in Jersey City, was on
the Pennsylvania Railroad about 1000 feet westward
from the ferry. 1t part Of great mass Of rocks
which was formerly known Mount Pleasant, Ocalled
from the fact that its rugged summit used 10 be resort
for picnic parties III the milder seasons Of the year.
The survey the original line placed the route, west
and east from the boundaries of the city to the err".
along a sweeping curve southwark OF the Point OF
Rocks. Afterward a now and shorter line con
structed in the same direction, along the other or
northern side ard thus Mount Pleasant and the Point
Of Rocks became OblOng area Of waste and APP
parcntly unavailable territory, cncompassed by double
line OF steel rails.
In 155G William H. Brown, chief engineer OF the
Pennsy lvania Railroad Company perfected his original
plans. In JUL Of that year the work was entered
upou under the direction OF i. T. Brooks, engineer OF
maintenance of way, with N. J.. Gardener assistant
engineer, IN charge ofconstucton. The first step was
the reduction OF the great mass at Point OF
Rocks aud Mount Pleasant and 100000 cubic wards OF
rock were In the course of tim, removed The re-
duction was carried TO a line on the level OF the
top of the projected viaduc through the city, en-
blaced in the general plans Of Improvement me
depressiOns I'm the surface OF the ground surround
ing the rocky filled in with EARTH ana on
the entire space thus reclaimed were erected round
houses, storehOuses and other buildings adapted to
"a rfI ~ oars. =
houses are complete In their design and afford &C
oommodations for rtyivc locomotives. by the re-
mova Of the immense natural obstruction the company
IS enabled also TO take out six and a ten degree
curve and put in two thr2edegree curves thus
materially shortening its route through the city
The vladuct extends for distance Of 5000 feet.
and four parallel tracks will rest upon it, 1t is com
posed Of heavy plate iron grder pattern and IS sup
ported on lattced columns. II IS the heaviest clc-
yated railroad structure built in this country,
and was designed with special reference to the fast
running of trains. The chief object of this branch
Of the improvement TO obviatc the necessity Of
crossing streets at grade and the traffic Of Bruins
wckst Varclst., Jcrsey-ave., HaIrOwst., Grove ST.,
Ncwarl,ave, the principal thoroughfarc cf Jersey
CITY. and IIcndersonst. will hcnccfolWGrd be unds
turbed by the frequent passage Of trains and human
Lie will no longer be endangered from this cause
At IIcndersOn-st an cmbanltment begins and at
that point the four tracks converge into AA tracks
extending eastward. IlilS eHbaUhnlclt Is uputu Dy
heavy retaining walls on either side for distance
Of 700 feet TO Warren-st which crossed by an iron
bridge Between Warren and Washington SIS. the
number Of tracks increases until ten parallel tracks
or twenty lines OF rail, attained. The main
switches for the control Of the track system between
the Waldoave. yard the name given TO the old Point
Of Rocks Site and the nshcd ut the ferry
at Westinghouse, and operated at that point by
the pneumatic intcrlockng system.
The tran-Shed, which Is the modest name applied
TO the imposing building with the arched roof
from the ferryboat, 70 one Of the largest structures
devoted to such uses in the world. It's dimensions
are 653 feet Ia length and $50 feet in width The
extreme height above the rails is 115 feet. and
its weight IS 4,550,OOO pounds. There are twelve
parallel tracks under the roof and the intervening
platforms vary in width from II to PC feet These are
on q level with the tracks of the embankment and
vaduct. It Is proposal 20 the two north tracks
on the vadnct exclusively for fast running, and the
two south tracks for drilling purposes, especially In
connection with through trains. When these trains
arrive and tho passengers have aghted, the Will
be Immediately shifted or drilled westward b tho
drilling yarl at Wa,dD-ave where they will be steamed
and Inspected the dlung rcstOcked and the secp
put in Order and the locomotives receive
sary attention succeeding ssgnments duty. Tho
scheme contemplates the removal Of all drilling Oper
atOrs from the vicinity Of the trainshcd and passenge
station and also admits Of this important work being ac-
compshed promptly and systematically without the ne
cesity Of hauling empty the main tracks,
practice which IS often the OF vexatious delay
well danger In tue operation OF nearly all great