Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-13
RAILROAD CROSSINGS
Investigations Made Outside the City
Limits
ON THE SUBURBAN HIGHWAYS.
Report Made Today to the Dis
trict Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS SUGGESTED.

IMPROVEMENTS SUGGESTED.
For some days past the engineer depart
ment. through Inspectors Beggs and Brad
shaw, has been conducting an investigation
Of the condition of the steam railroads
within the District outside Of the city Tim
Its. with view of ascertaining whether the
proper means of safety have been provided
at the crossings Of the public highways.
and to learn what was necessary to be done
for the safety and convenience of travel.
Similar investigations were made some
time ago on the roads within the city lin
IT'S, and The STAR at the time published
the reports of the inspectors thereon in
full.
Today the report Of the inspectors was
submitted. 1t IL follows:
The baltimore and ohio Railroad.
The only public crossing of the wasbn,+or
pianch OF this road between Florida avenue
ana the District line. upon grade, Is at ivy
C"J. Ihls crossing has recently been out
III SAFE ana passa BILE condition having been
atOxiuIo WIN both safety gates and electric
ance fr",a , 3 a.so with a gateman in attend
paanhhS OF the crossing also, meets with
the approval of this office and is ali that
tou,a be desired for the convenience of
IN the Metropolitan branch Of this road
t,, hmo tne following as necessary for the
pI At tb so1 rsa and safety:
AT the chestnut avenue CROSSING Takoma
lark, u. c., this being unouestionabiy a
t thnoroushiare of considerable Importance
d dne requirements Of travel are such ss to
thu ~. hos Sniy its proper lighting. hut
III .ne Pianking or ballast between the
rails be sufficient in extent to accommod.ts
.ne franc OF both vehicles and foot passen-
srsst,o would. therefore. recommend the
erection and maintenance Of two oil lamps,
ana either the pianxing of the crossing to
lnclude the brick sidewalks. which now ap-
proaen the tracks on both sides of the ave-
mug, or Dailasting with broken stone to a
level with the top of the rails OF the spsce
over which vehicles pass, and the con-
strnetion of plank sidewalks for foot pass
At the Carroll avenue crossing the neces-
sity Tor plank footwaIk on the south side
and one lamp at the northeast corner Is Oh
the Park. ~
AZ Lamond's crossing the condition are
such as TO warrant the erection of alarm
sgnais 70 warn as to the approach Of trains
Irains approaching this crossing from the
nortn are hidden from view by trees and
shruppery, and those approaching from the
south ny curve in the road. The require
menus OF travel here also justify an in
crease OF the width Of the crossing 10 at
least thirty five feet. to be either Of blank
or broken stone ballast to a level with tile
The roadway Of the South Brooklana
crossing should. also. be made thirty-6ye
feet In width for the same reason. end
oo The Er o. tne same material as hove.
me brookiand crossing proper is now be-
safety. ineons VI
The crossings for the most part of the B.
az w. Heignt line across the Eastern branch
are In good order and sufficient In extent 10
meet the demands Of travel / would recon-
memo. however. the following as necessa nv
IN tne interest of the public safety and con-
The extension of the planking the entire
wiotn OF Benning road SO as to afford a
crTssins for foot,passengers.
Fne repair OF the planking of the Anacos-
tia crossing and the attachment on ssde
arms to the gates at that point
me erection and maintenance Of one oil
lamp at the Howard avenue crossing
The extension OF the planking at the Sum-
ner avenue crossing to a sufficient width as
VIII admit of two teams passing over N at
the same time say thirty five feet. which
VIII accommodate both vehicles ana poot
passengers: also the erection and mafnten-
ancc Of one oil lamp Is deemed necessary.
i would, aiso recommend the erection of
whistle posts at all crossings on this line
where they have been omitted
The Pennsylvania Railroad.
There are but three public crossings of
this road beyond the city limits to the Dis
trict line, namely. the Benning Deanwood
and Sheriff road crossings
The Benning crossing is well s,,ppliesi with
safety appliances, and Is sufficiently well
Itghted. Gatemen are in attendance upon
the gates day and night and the crossing
Is generally In good order / am Informed
however that the lamps here are not light
ed regularly. would recommend that the
company require them to be lighted nightly
AS to the platform Of this station l would
recommend. as a convenience to travel its
extension fifty feet southwark, with plank
ing between the rails to coincide. and in the
event of such extension lamp at the south
end of the platform.
DeanwOod Station.
The platforms here are in good order
They are made long for the accommoda ton
Of the crowds that frequent the races.
There is. however. only a narrow plank
walk leading across the tracks from one
platform to the other the tracks on either
side of which between the platforms being
bare and unprotected. and ballasted only to
a level with the ties
In view of the crowds brought here during
the racing season. who in their rush to get
on and off trains, pass over these tracks at
all points, there would seem to be an ele-
ment OF danger In permitting them to be
thus exposed. that should be done away
with as far as possible. / would, therefore,
recommend as tending to lessen the liability
to accident from this source either the
plankfng or ballasting of the tracks to a
level with the top of the rails the entire
length OF the platforms
This station and the Anacostia road cross
ing. which adjons 1t Immediately to the
north are one and the same. Here there are
safety gates and lamps in sufficient num-
bers. and the crossing Is otherwise in good
order, the gates are operated by telegraph
operators who are on duty from q a m
until q am There is but one recommends
ton l desire to make with respect to this
crossing, which think is necessary as a
matter Of public convenience and that is to
extend the roadway planking to meet the
east platform of the station. The reason
of this is obvious, since the trains stopping
here are long and oftentimes extend across
the roadway of the crossing.
The Sheriff. Road Crossing.
might pass this crossing without COM
ment as having the requisites of safety and
convenience. were it not for the manifest
necessity Of lighting II.
The approach to this crossing from the
Anacostia road. which runs parallel with
but considerably below the grade of the
railroad tracks at this point, is made by
means of a dirt embankment. having two
roadways of gradual incline leading up to
the crossing, one for the accommodation of