Evening star., 1901-10-05
A UNION STATION
Plan for One on Site of the B. and O.
Depot.
BUILDING 10 Be WORTHY THE CITY
A Tunnel Under Capitol Grounds
Will Be Necessary.
NO UNION OF ROADS

|
washington. said there was a project on
| foot for grand union station in Washing
ton. According to his understanding the
station was to be constructed upon the
present site Of the Baltimore and Ohio pas
senger depot, and that the present Pennsyl-
Vania or Baltimore and Potomac station
| would be abandoned. This, of course. would
necessitate additional legisla ton from Con-
gress this winter, and the proposition as
outlined contemplated asking Congress to
amend the two laws which were passed
last winter relating to the two railroads
| so as to provide for one union station 1t
was stated that such legislation would be
necessary to meet the changed conditions.
such as station arrangements and track
age which were provided for under the
laws of the last Congress. One reason for
the proposed union station was the fact
that the Baltimore and Ohio was owned
and controlled by the Pennsylvania Com
pany, and that both roads could operate
from union station to a better advan-
tage than from tive separate stations Fur
ther than this, under the present laws both
companies are compelled to build stations.
| and one magnificent station could be erect
ed for much less than the two stations, and
would answer every purpose of the passen-
ger traffic of the city.
Worthy of the City.
This official Of the Baltimore and Ohio
Company said the purpose of the Pennsyl-
vania Company, which was the real con-
trolling factor in the matter, was to build
station in Washington which would in
every way be worthy of the capital of the
nation. 1t would be to railroad stations
what the Library building was to similar
buildings Of the world, and its appoint
ments would be the best possible that
could be devised by modern engineering,
while the structure would be of the best
architectural design Neither money nor
talent was to be spared In the construction
or this new station, and those who have
It In charge are making a study of WELL
equipped and first-class railroad stations
OF the country in order to see that Wash
ington shall have building unsurpassed in
this branch of raiIroading
Tunnel Under Capitol Grounds.
A part of the scheme contemplates a tun-
mel under the Capitol grounds so that the
| passenger trains from the south may reach
the new station. 1t was recognized that
IN any scheme for union station provis-
Ion must be made for the trains of the
Pennsylvania road south, the Southern
Atlantic Coast Line. The trains Of these
roads now enter the present PENNSYLVANIA
station at and 9Th streets To reach the
present site of the Baltimore and Ohio sta
ton with any advantage suoh a tunnel as
suggested would be necessary. These
trains could not cross the Potomac river
at the present site Of the railroad bridge.
skirt the city and come into the Baltimore
and Ohio station to advantage, although
one of the alternatives would be passing
directly east, through the present Penn
sylvania tunnel and then swinging around
the city until junction with the Baltimore
and Ohio tracks was made. This would
largely increase the distance which the
southern trains would have to run, and
probably be unsatisfactory to those roads
BY commencing tunnel back somewhere
On Maryland avenue southwest and going
down under that street and the Capitol
grounds the Baltimore and Ohio station
could be reached without largely increas-
ing the distance which the trains run in
reaching the Pennsylvania station
Details Still Immature.
Or course, many questions arise as to
the details of the proposed plan, as to how
the station will be located, the depression Of
all tracks and the passenger station proper
over them. etc. but it Is understood that
all these matters are being worked out It
is believed, however. that the very fact
that the southern trains would have to
reach the station by tunnel under the
Capitol grounds would necessitate a de-
preston OF the tracks, much lower than
the present tracks of the Baltimore and
Ohio; thus the trains would be reached
by descent from the entrance to the new
station.
Why the b. and o. Site IN Preferred
1t is stated that the Baltimore and Ohio
site is preferred to the present Pennsylya-
MIA station, because all important trains
on that line pass through Washington.
while for all the other roads Washington
is the terminus. The through trains of the
Baltimore and Ohio could not be run to
the present Pennsylvania station. backed
out and sent on their way without a great
deal of trouble. 1t would mean that such
trains would have to double on themselves
two miles or more, and the trains from
the west would have to skirt the city to
the north, the east, and finally enter from
the south, while the trains from the east
would make the reverse circle of the city,
and both would go over the same route
twice The suggestion that the Baltimore
and Ohio road might reach the present
Pennsylvania station by tunnel from the
Baltimore and Ohio station has been con-
sidered, but the same objection to doubling
the track by through trains. is made, and
also through a tunnel, and the further
fact that a station at the present site of
the Baltimore and Ohio would have to be
maintained just the rame to meet the de-
mands Of the public, especially for the
LEGAL trains on the Washington and Metro
peltan branches. 1t is said that the ter
nlinal at the present Pennsylvania station
would not be practical for the Baltimore
and Ohio local trains. Another consfdera-
tion is that the Pennsylvania trains would
avoid the present tunnel under the city and
also the long swing around the eastern
part of the city, making their entrance
from the south, thus saving considerable
time- It will be an easy matter for the
Pennsylvania to reach the Baltimore and
Ohio tracks northeast Of the city The
two roads are not far distant and the in
tersection of each will not be difficult
To BE Operated SeparateIy.
Should the scheme Of a grand union sta
tion in Washington be carried out, it does
not mean that the roads will be operated
this separation is to be carried to the ex-
tent that the Baltimore and Ohio trains
as one concern. In fact. 1t is stated posi-
lively that there is no such intention, and