Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-07-22
Important Railroad News.

Jones & Thorne, Of Baltimore. the
contract for radical changes at Har-
per's Ferry. 1t will use up about
$3.50, 900 of the 100000 appropriated
for the alteration which will strength
en- the main line and throw out the
awkward reverse curve which now
exists on the bridge across the Poto-
mac. 1t will also do away with the
single track on the bridge and
change the road radically along two
miles of its length.
The work includes a tunnel S75 feet
long through the corner of Maryland
Heights. From the point where the
tunnel energies they will build eight
lofty piers OF Gettysburg granite
across and in the Potomac river, upon
which will be constructed a steel
bridge 700 feet long. Its cost will be
betrayed out of the remainder OF the
money appropriated. The work is to
be completed in six months, in time
for the Worlds Fair traffic, and from
600 TO 800 workmen, including the
quarrymen of the Gettysburg granite,
will be employed. The tunnel and
the bridge will each be supplied with
double tracks and the blocking OF
trains by the two present signal towers
will be obviated.
Upon the completion of the i'm
provement train instead of curving
off to cross the river will enter the
tunnel in the bluff, LOO feet east OF
the old bridge, and, following a straight
line, will emerge from the mountain
side about 200 feet from the old bridge
and about the same distance back
from the rivers northern bank and
the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. 1t
will continue by u straight line di-
rectly across the canal and river upon
the bridge and strikes the West Nir-
ginia side 100 feet west OF the old
depot in the town of Harper's Ferry.
On that side it will continue until it
strikes the bluff along which the
tracks are to be laid, on the solid
mountain side, 400 feet south Of the
present tracks. The trains following
this course will strike the present
tracks a mile above Harper's Ferry.
This arrangement will do away with
all the trestle work threefOurths OF u
mile long at Harper's Ferry 1t Will
also straighten out every curve and
prevent many stoppages that occur
because of the single track on the old
bridge. The Valley branch OF the Is.
and O.. which connects with the main
line on the West Virginia side, will
also connect by straight line near
the West Virginia end OF the bridge
instead of striking it by curve.
The contractors have already
shipped several carloads OF lumber
and material to the point OF opera
tions and they are Fastening to get to
work at the earliest possible moment.
The plans for the bridge are under
way. The old bridge was built at the
close of the war to take the place OF
the one that was destroyed in course
Of the hostilities. The b. & o. man
acement has had the recently-adopted
plans under consideration many
yenrs.
we cannot state positively what re-
lation these improvements will bear
to the survey made by the b. " ..
along the river from Harper's Ferry
to Cherry Run, but it looks as though
this company has on hand a very
comprehensive system OF improve
ments. The absolutely level route
along the river that can be secured is
a very tempting thing to a railroad
in these days, when all plans are made
with reference to getting the maxi
mum results from equipment at the
minimum of cost. We anxiousIy
await further developments concern
ing the new route through Shep-
herdstown.
The Norfolk Il Western Railroad
made an important change in the pas
senger schedule last Sunday, although
but two trains were affected. No.
and No. were changed TO No. . and
No. 6, and designated as the wash
ington and Chattanooga Limited. y
The trains, which are composed of
solid Pullman coaches and sleeping
cars. run between the cities named,
via Shenandoah Junction, on the
fastest schedule ever made over the
n. & W., stopping only at Luray,
Shenandoah, Basic, Roanoke and
Radford. No. 5, south-bound, does
not stop at Shepherdstown, but leaves
Shenandoah Junction at 1. Is at night.
No. 6, which carries IA sleeper for New
York via Cumberland Valley route,
stops here at TAI a. IN, and also stops
on signal at stations between here
and Hagerstown. The schedule is a
fairly good one for Shepherdstown.
a force of hands are engaged on the
Cumberland Valley Railroad bridge
over the Potomac river and canal
near Williamsport. replacing a wooden
span in the structure with iron work.
The enemies OF the Norfolk d
Western Railroad have been success
full in their efforts to prevent Con
gress from giving it an entrance into
Washington City at this session.
The b. & 0. will run another OF its
popular excursions to Atlantic City
next Thursday. The fare FROM Shen-
andoah Junction is but $3.50 for the
round trip.