The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-11
GRADE CROSSING REFORM.
Progress in AboIishing Railway In
tcrsections in New York

crossings in this State. many OF which
are a menace to life and property Under
the law of 1897 the work of abolishing
these dangerous crossings is well under
way. No work was done. however, until
1898, when the law became operative. The
first change was at ShortsviIle. where a
single highway was carried under the
tracks of the New York Central at a cost
OF 5000. The law provides:
THAT no steam railroad hereafter con-
structed shall cross highways at grade
without the consent of the Board of Rail-
road Commissioners. That no highway
shall hereafter be constructed across a
steam railroad excepting in manner to
be determined by the board. A method
for abolishing existing railroad crossings
of steam railroads-the expense of build
ing new steam roads at grade or over or
under the grade. or highways, must be
borne by the company. The expense of
building new highway crossings at grade
or over or under the grade of steam rail-
roads must be borne. half by the munich
pal corporation ard half by the railroad
company. The expense of abolishing eX-
listing railroad crossings must be borne 80
per cent by the railroad company, . per
cent by the State, and % per cent by the
municipal corporation
The law also provides that steam rail-
roads hereafter constructed across the
tracks of any other railroad. and any
street surface railroad hereafter con-
structed across steam railroad. shall be
above, below, or at grade of such exist
ing railroad, as the Board of Railroad
Commissioners shall determine, and the
board in such determination shall nix the
proportion of expense of such crossings
to be borne by each.
In the two years the work has pro-
crossed forty-eight grade crossings have
been abolished and the work on ten others
is nearing completion. Plans and specih-
cations have been approved in a number
of cases. which means that the work will
proceed as soon as practicable. In sew
eral instances public crossings have been
changed to private crossings. In some
cases where it is necessary under the law
that the local authorities acquire the nee
essary land the authorities have failed
to do so. The most important of these
cases is that of the proposed overhead
crossings of the Delaware and Hudson
Railroad at Ontario Street, in the city
of Cohoes. This crossing is used by
street surface railroad, and it was there
that occurred the shocking accident on
Labor Day, 1898. when a loaded trolley
car was struck by a steam train.
The total appropriation thus far made
for the States proportion, less $4,000 for
administration, is s275,OOO Up to Decem-
Der 81 the State had paid out So, $50. 1t
had. however, made decisions on applica-
lions for construction and for the compile
ton of work the estimated cost of which
is sl50.2Ol. This estimate in some cases
includes land to be acquired There are
a number of cases on Long Island, where
the board has made determinations in
which the total expense wifi be the ac-
quirement of land for and the laying out of
new highways The amounts for these
are not included in the estimate given.
Petitions from the city of Buffalo for
the changing of seven grade crossings of
the belt line of the New York Central and
Hudson River Railroad from grade to
overhead crossings were received. but as
the amount available to pay the States
proportion was not sufficient the petitions
We're dismissed.
When this work was undertaken it was
discovered that in many instances grade
crossings could be abolished by simply
altering highways and at slight cost to
the town. This was done at SolsVille
Madison County. where by building about
two miles of highway along the towpath
of the old Chenango Canal three crossings
of the New York. Ontario and Western
were abolished. Another case where four
crossings were abolished was in Golden.
Erie County A highway crossed the
track four times in a comparatively short
distance because it partly followed the
base Of the hill. To do away with all four
crossings highway was built to the west
of the hill.
In many places high banks exclude the
view of approaching trains. and unless
a tagman is stationed at such points the |
utmost precaution must be taken to pre-
vent accidents. AT Randolph, Cattarau-
gus County, the intersection of two high
ways was crossed by the main line of the |
Erie Railroad. y filling was constructed |
a short distance to the west, and the |
,rossing transferred to that point and put |
under the tracks At another point in |
Randolph We're two highways. both cross |
ng the Erie at grade. They met a short |
distance north OF the track, intersecting |
each other at right angles. To remedy !
this condition one highway was carried !
lnder the track and travel from the other |
was diverted to this one on the south |
side of the track.
At Brookview, on the Boston and |
Albany road, by the construction of a |
bridge over the Boston and Albany tracks |
and the building Of the necessary con-
lecting highway, three crossings at grade
we're abolished At St. townsville a via
iuct was carried over the nine tracks of
he New York Central. This was a dan
serous crossing. as trains pass through
St townsville at full speed and the view
rom the north was much obstructed,
,roaching trains.
The piece of work of the greatest mag
iitude undertaken thus far is at Bing-
lamton, where Chenango Street, the main
rterY between the north and south parts
# the city. was carried over five tracks
# the Erie Railroad and two tracks of
he Delaware, Lackawanna and Western.
'he hearings given by the railroad com
mission in this case showed that between
!. 600 and 1900 persons used this crossing
ally. The crossing was frequently block
d for from fifteen to twenty minutes at
time. causing great annoyance The
Ost of the viaduct, exclusive of land
amageS is $4,000. the greatest cost of
NY of the changes thus far made under
he law providing for the abolishing of
rada crossings.
In all cases where there is a desire to
boIsh railroad crossings a petition must
e made to the railroad commission either
Y the municipal authority or by the rail-
Dad company, after which the board !
ives a hearing at which all Interested
arties may appear or be represented
pom the evidence submitted at the hear
* the board renders its decision. which
lust be complied with. In case the de- |
siOn orders the crossing to be abolished
lans are prepared by either the railroad |
or the engineer of the board. |
uch plans must be approved by the COM
Mission. The work may lac done by the
abroad company or by contract " hen
one by contract bids must be submitted
, the railroad commission for its APP
rova. Upon completion of the work,
hich has been regularly inspected by ain
lspector from the railroad commission |
flee. a final inspection is made by the
cards engineer, and the work is APP ,
roved or disapproved, as he may recon-
lend.
4 New Rubber Tubing.
Consul Hughes. of Coburg. Germany,
ports to the State Department here
nat a Pankow firm has brought out a