The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-27
DOUBLE TRAIN SERVICE
Northern Pacific Will Doubtless
Inaugurate 1t Next Spring.
NEW DEPOT AT SEATTLE
A Model Station Building to Be Erected
by the Northern Pacific in the
Puget Sound Metropolis.
Railroad Gossip.

| the Pioneer Press of st. Paul. The
announcement has been made before
that the road you'd attempt a double
train, service but there was little au-
| thority, beyond discussion on the part
of officials of the system, for the state
ment Now Investigations have pro-
| crossed to such point that a practical
| decision to give the extra service has
been made 1t is believed by Northern
Pacific officials that a double train ser
vice is the only solution to the present
| difficulties in maintaining anything
like schedule time.
The road has found it Impossible to
make good time on the different divis-
ions. The trains are too heavy for
travel and schedules have been sacri-
| feed to run through the winter with
one train day. Passenger travel is
| larger than the road has known for
years and there is no appearance of a
| falling off. 1t is predicted by railroad
| officials that the travel next year will
be fully as heavy, if not heavier than
at present. 1t is not believed the road
can handle the traffic without addition
| al service.
In view Of the proposed double train
service, it is not likely the road will
revise its present time cards. Trains
are now running on the summer sched-
ule and are arriving at terminals about
as nearly on time as a revised schedule
| would be observed. Usually the run is
heightened six hours or more during
the winter, but this year this is not
done.
Inc Northern Pacific has been pre-
pairing Tor a change in @ rIlODin rf
us trains next year. Curves and grades
and wherever possible the line has been
shortened to make good, fast service
possible. The Palmer cutoff. which will
| make saving in time, will be ready
for the operating department next sum
mer, and other smaller cut offs will
shorten distance and time.
The equipment of the road is being
bettered and only first-class rolling
STOCK VIII pc provided next summer.
1t is probable one or both of the trains
Will make faster time than the present
| train is making. With the reduced
curves and the grades and shortening
of the line this will be possible and
Northern Pacific officials believe it will
pc attempted If one train is made
limited, it Will probably carry fewer
| coaches and stop at the larger towns,
leaving the second TO handle local bust
ness
A railroad official speaking of the
mater yesterday suggested that one
train might carry two Pullman sleep
| ers, one coming as far as Butte and
the other going through to the coast,
first-class tourist car a day coach
or two diner and the necessary bag
gage and express cars The number
of sleepers, he added, might be increas-
ed If travel demanded, but high rate
| of speed ought to be maintained by
| this train and everything else sacrificed
to speed and comfort.
Ihe plans for the Northern Pacific
uepot at Seattle have been COMPLETED
ana approved, and the structure will
be erected on these lines.
Seattle, like Butte is one of the few
cities OF considerable size still without
| adequate passenger station facilities,
the present structure serving as such
hardly meriting consideration as an ex-
cuse Tor such accommodations as the
city requires. The roads entering the
city are the Northern Pacific and it's
branch line, the Seattle & Internation-
al; the Columbia & Puget Sound and
the Great Northern, whose tracks and
terminals are also used by Canadian
Faclnc-tralns: The passenger terminals
| OF all these lines are located in close
proximity on the water front, immedi-
ately IN contact with the business CEN
Ter or the city, and thus closely hem
med in by business establishments,
The Inability of the railroad companies
to secure necessary room for terminals
OF sufficient proportions to serve the
trafhc requirements of the city on any
scale commensurate with future pros
poets has been the chief source of dis
couragement to the erection of costly
structures. During some years past the
scheme of a union station, to occupy
site purchased by the Great Northern
has been under consideration, but no
satisfactory agreement seems to have
been arrived at, and the idea of union
station has consequently been dropped.
So far as the Northern Pacific is CON
ing and terminal tracks has been re-
Gently taken in hand, According 70
proposals accompanying the plans for
the new depot construction will begin
as soon as the city government shall
have given it's consent to certain
changes in the location of the streets