Evening star., 1896-12-04
Track Depression OF Elevation.


chief Engineer Brown Of the Pennsyl
vania railroad in deprecating the idea Of
an elevated track solution of the local
grade-s-r0sSing problem gives the citizens
Of Washington reason TO hope that event
uaEy that device may he chosen in prefer
cHGe to that of track depression In his
interview with Star reporter the ether
day he based his objections to elevation
of the tracks on the ground that the topog
rfHhy OF The cry made ii Impossible to run
trains on an elevated structure between
TN tilrr-l ON the east and the Long Bridge
or the west. In I>ol the Pennsylvania
isalirast company opposed the depression
OF the tracks on the ground that tnat pro-
jcCt would not bring the tracks TO the Long
Br4de" i'll proper relation to an elevated
structure. such projected by Col.
Ii,.Ins. Thus the road bubbles. Accepting
at on" time the prospect of an elc vated
structure across the river it protests
against track depression as inconsistent
with shat Improvement: then al arc. 'ler
time. insisting that the Long Bridge should
he regarded ..s d fixed institution il objects
10 track elevation because of Il difference
OF levels Having argued itself into this
position il is now vuln cradle to the sug-
se~tior that combination may we'll be
=
iiainS wai.h it seemed to acknowledge
"a rr";,er i'll i>al and the plan of track ele-
N"fio@ which it then indirectly favored but
wai"h it now rejects.
In truth the elevated road project adapts
Itself h' 81 To the necessary level of the.
ideal Long Bridge of the future. To con-
Vert that structure from a dam into IA
bridge sHd 10 relieve Washington from it's
a.iuai threat of a destructive flood Long
ETlIS" must he raised. proposed in tine
PANS Of the army engineers: and the
tracks on The elevated bridge at its ap-
IEoaches Will more conveniently run upon
ami traverse an elevated structure within
TIE city than connect with the semi-dc-
pressed tracks proposed .Isy Mr.. Brown. or
tn trtsiy depressed tracks suggested by the
alternative plan of tine. commissioners In
tins connection it is gratifying, to note that
Nr- Brown has changed his view as TO the
i-,:.S>it: of = new Ions: Eriei-,, III the past
var Il january last he claimed thal th,.
bridge was entirely sufficient and satisfac-
tory TO thr road. AMI today he sensibly a,l-
mits IT. inaiel-- tcy ana says that it must
he either rel ace1 by larger structure or
"ir"rri. in = Of the proposition to locate
da "Xte usivt- freight yard on the Virginia
shore Of The Potomac
Objection To general and comprehensive
track elevation as Mr.. Brown claims to be
Offrrt'r: hv tn" topography OF South WASH
i:I-t"n against relatively small project.
That city possesses the most satisfactory
system If viaduct transportation known 10
the. "ortl. overcoming all difficulties of ua-
t"rr ana settling satisfactorily all the prob
l"fHs arising from the necessity of handling
ytat amount of focal freight. When the
PrGjrC; Of Il north and south tunnel for the
l.. AMI -. road a part of the proposed
Unt5f: station scheme abandoned sev-
Cral ycorS ago it was then pointed out on
excellent engineering authority that ther.
Was 10 reason against the elevation of the
tracks either regards their relation to
tL- tunHei or the bridge If agreement be
tween The municipal engineers and those Of
thr. railroad TO the proper extent of
track depression is beyond reach. ii may be
suggested that compromise he effected
upon an elevated structure. Il result which
would be highly satisfactory to the people
o. " aSiIin2;oI.