New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-20
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~ there is tho Metropolitan West Side line. 10
some extent a rival OF the Lake-st road. 1t IS
operated by electricity, and Is more modern I'm It's
management in other respects than some Of the
other lines The Metropolitan the south
fork at Madison-st.. and reaches eastward to
Franklin. Finally there is the North Side road.
running out into the region which Its name sug-
gests. At present its southern terminus IL point
north of the Chicago River This road, too Is
operated by electricity 1t is the latest OF the four
10 begin business.
The general plan adopted by the elevated roads IS
not 10 erect union station. but to build a great
square double track loop" and run their trains on
to it from their incoming tracks and off from it to
their outgoing tracks. The loop Will he bounded
the north by Lakewood-st. on the south by Van
Buren, (seven blocks distanO the by Waba sh-
almost within stones throw Of Lake Michi-
gam. and the west by Fifth-ave.. which is five
blocks away from Wabash-ave. Within very close
this district the courthouse. postOfce Masonic
temple Auditorium and several Of the leading hotels
and banks. In fact this is the very heart Of the
city The proposed arrangement has another adj
vantage than that OF penetrating A region where
only the surface roads go II person coming
in on one of the West Side elevated lines wishes t.
take either the Alley the North Side road ne
present walk half mile more take a surface
road and pay an extra fare Between the terminals
Of the North Side and the South Side (Alleyj roads
the distance is still greater. But the loop is in
opera ton person step off from the trains OF one
road at station on the loop. and then board the
trains OF any other road. without the trouble Of
descending to the street He will need only to wait
a moment two until the right train comes along
This will he immense convenience lie will doubt
less be compelled pay fares each elevated road
But least he will avoid paying third one for
intermediite transportation on a surface road and a
great deal OF trouble will be spared him.
Besides the loop itself, several sections Of
Meeting track will be built by the various roads Tho
Iake-st line vii. doubtless continue to operate its
Market-st DIVISION as at present: but It needs to
construct line from the corner Of Marketst along
Iake-st TO the northwestern corner OF the loop The
Metropolitan will put in curve on Marke-st.. just
short of its Frankn-st. terminal and run southwark
10 Van Buren-st., and then eastward to the south
western corner Of the loop. The Alley line will be cX-
tended one block only and in 1T the corner Of
Van Buren-st. and Wabash-ave. And the North Side
road will push down Fifth-ave., which is southery
extension of it's route north Of the Chicago River
It will readily he that II the trains were
not very numerous. and if all of them proceeded
around the loop in the same direction. one track
would he adequate. But there already LgJ
trains a day the two West Side lines and the
Alley road; and to this aggregate it is said. the
North Side will add fully 800 more. II has been
deemed necessary. therefore, to have two tracks
All trains from the Lake-st. and North Side roads
Will use the outer one. and those from the Met
son not publicly stated the loop IS to be operated
.left-handed" That Is 10 Say; the trains Of the
their own right-hand track to the left just before
entering the loop at their Respective corners. and
emerging. These trains will proceed northward on
Wabash-ave.. and westward on Lake-st. The
trains Of the Lake-st road which move in the op
poste direction. also cross over from right 10 left
PgiSrg so Hho Sn To e is not G0 snc a
hg M9rth Sde R own TO ne Is n d
the diagrams OF the tracks recently printed IN Ihe
to run on the outside track OF the loop Will
proceed eastward through Lake-st, and southwark
Only a practical railroad man can appreciate
the perils involved IN such an elaborate set OF
three iuIctions soon to be established IN connec-
ton with this enterprise The best INTERVIEWING
employed. however; and it Is given out that safety
is 10 be made the frst consideration; regardless 81
expense. in the equipment Of the loop at these
~s IN tbn tower OF ,fth-aye and Lake-st viii
contain no less than forty levers, that at Wabash
and Van Buren,. thirty-iwo; and that at van burrn
1T. company will put I'm twenty -four-l"yer ma
chine on IT'S own track, AT thc corner OF Mark.t-
It Is customary. in tho best railroad practic,e
with II signal but also with some other device That
train OFF III, rails If u danger signal j. as,
regarded. Instead OF THIS or any smiiar bntHs,oai
method OF compusion. the managers OF INC Shlcago
ooR VIII employ Dra ng Dgsa9b c
II no disaster occurs. In this apparatus torp'no
Is exposed whenever he signal Is SET a, dane ,h
torpedo The man IN charge OF me m h tor
peaoes intrustcd to him. and he keeps close watch
OF them. He is therefore Obliged to report under
what circumstances any of thos" "detonat tors are
fired off. The railway engineer knows that II ~ Tor
some one else's interest to file report against MN
for disregnrdng signals, and he ~ therefore more
careful TO heed them than he otherwise would be-
The moral influence Of this torpedo signal Is con,
sidered to be very valuable" says THE Railroad
Gazette"
The idea Of a loop for railway terminal IL not
new although II has not been adopted In many IN
stances It %9s PROPOSED 70 provide the New fora
four years ago. but the scheme fell through one