Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-28
The question Of the best form of railroad

The question Of the best form of railroad
terminals for Washington is now under careful
consideration in the Senate District committee.
An article printed in The STAR of the 9th in
slant gave an elaborate description Of the
Berlin terminal and local rapid transit system
with its ''stadtbshn'' or elevated road running on
an arched masonry viaduct through the heart Of
thecity This Berlin type of terminals is gener-
ally conceded to approach the nearest to the
ideal system, and it is strongly commended for
local adoption It seems to avoid all the OBJ
jectionable features Of ordinary rapid transit
and city terminals. Itpermits imposing sta
tions in the heart Of the city without
grade crossings, or disturbance Of the
street grades in abolishing them. The Berlin
structure is not ugly, the passage of trains
along il is almost noiseless. and the space be-
meath the tracks is rented at high prices for
stores, restaurants, and other purposes. 1t
cuts through the blocks and occupies and OBJ
structs no Berlin street. In this city such a
viaduct would not run through the
blocks, but would occupy the center Of
such wide thoroughfares as Delaware. Mary
land and Virginia avenues, furnishing easy
passage under it at all points. There are some
points in respect to which Washington could
profit by the teachings Of Berlin's experience
with its road. and even improve somewhat on
the Berlin system This method of
sbol;shing grade crossings is i'm
provemens In obvious and notable re-
spects upon the plan Of track depres-
sion with bridges at street crossings. 1t is
hoped that the District legislators and the rail-
roads will give due consideration to its points
of superiority in determining how the city sta
tions shall be approached.
The Engineering Record, in discussing re-
Gently the best form of road for rapid transit
and railroad terminals, says: I'VE believe that
the day is rapidly approaching when large
cities will be traversed by viaducts con-
structed on property exclusively dedicated to
that purpose, and on which trains of cars will
be propelled q. high speed through the open
air by nearly noiseless motors, two tracks
being devoted to long distance and two tracks
to short-distance travel"
The New York rapid transit commission Of
1887 reported: I'VE are led to the conclusion
that there Is but one way to obtain such rapid
transit, and that is by the construction of
solid viaduct line through the blocks as far as
possible, and when compelled to cross or follow
the lines Of streets to be constructed with
much greater Strength anu sOldlty tnan the
present elevated railroads. Such viaduct
road should be built in accordance with the
following conditions: First. the structure
should be built through the blocks of brick and
stone in the most solid manner. The streets
should be crossed by massive steel girders with
solid steel floors, having no openings The
track should consist Of heavy steel rails on ties
laid in an elastic material between floor and
ties There would be no jar or break of con-
tinuity Of motion in such a structure, and
trains could be run at high speed with little
noise"