Evening star., 1901-11-16
HINTS FROM EUROPE
Valuable Now in the Framing of
Railroad Terminal Plans.
BERLIN'S VIADUCq SYSTEM
Facts Gathered a Decade Ago of
Value at This Time.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE HERE

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE HERE
The announcement recently made that
the Pennsylvania, railroad, now controlling
the Baltimore and Ohio, contemplates COM
bining the terminals in this city on the
Baltimore and Ohio site, directs attention
| more closely than ever toward the charac-
ter of the viaduct which, in the light of the
existing law for the Baltimore and Ohio
approach to its station, will doubtless form
the mode Of entrance for the combined
| roads. The law now calls for masonry
viaduct without particularly specifying the
| character. Citizens of Washington are
now asking whether under the changed
conditions of ownership, with a viaduct
contemplated for the carrying of all the
| tracks of both lines, Congress will not un-
dertake to specify more exactly as to the
manner of it's construction, to insure a re-
suit in keeping with the permanence of
the work and the Importance of its sur
roundings. The natural demand of the
city under these circumstances will be for
more satisfactory treatment of Delaware
avenue than might have been possible be-
fore consolidation.
In this connection a letter written to The
Star by Mr.. Theodore w. Noyes, as a re-
suit OF observations IN Europe on this SUD-
ject of railroad city terminals, printed In
the issue of January 8, 1892 is of renewed
| and immediate interest. Bearing upon this
subject that letter was as follows:
The WaShingtonian in Berlin, noting
municipal features that commend them
selves for adoption in his own city, is
struck by the cleanness both of the broad
streets and of the obscure byways, testify
ing to the excellence of the street cleaning
and garbage systems. He is attracted by
the absence of overhead wires and towering
poles, and by the admirable railroad termi-
nal and local rapid transit facilities. VAL
liable suggestions in a.. these matters may
be derived by developing Washington in its
struggle for healthful cleanliness, the
burial of disfiguring wires and adequate
railroad terminals. The lesson taught on
the last point l found especially novel and
instructive.
Finest Elevated Road I'm the World.
Like London and Paris, Berlin has a
ring railroad, circ ng the city and fur
nishing both local rapid transit and city
terminals and a connecting link to the
great trunk lines.
1t has also, which they have not, road
which follows, though with many devia-
tions from a straight line, the diameter of
the suburban ring. This road traverses the
very heart of the city. At intervals of it
are magnificent stations, constructed with
all the modern improved devices including
that OF absolute separation of incoming and
for ST. Petersburg or Paris, as we'll as the
local rapid transit trains. This city road
or Stadtbahn connects with the ring road
CRingbahnD at ralau-Rummelsburgh on
the east and Westend on the west 1t is
the most celebrated elevated railway in Eu-
rope. 1t Is 8.S miles long, and its four
tracks. two for distant travel and two for
local business, are carried on an arched
vladuct of masonry, and on iron bridges
with massive masonry abutments In cross
ing the streets. 1t has Iii all sixty-six
bridges over streets and water courses
Its general elevation is about twenty feet
above that of the street. 1t is about fifty
feet broad. 1t is primarily intended to re-
lieve the street traffic, but five stations
structures of impressive size and most ad-
mirable arrangement, are also used for gen.
eral traffic. The Friedrichstrasse station
has an immense vaulted hall 30 feet wide
and 492 feet long. The main line, with its
S,S miles, has ten stations The North Ring
is 12.56 miles long, with twelve stations.
The South Ring is 1880 miles long with
nine stations. The local rates of fare are
very cheap, the purpose being to encour-
age the building of suburban residences
Local trains now run about every three
| minutes. The speed of trains between sta
tions must not exceed twenty-eight miles
an hour, and the run is made at an aver
age speed of about sixteen miles an hour
including the frequent stops, probably as
fast says Mr. Osborne Howes of the Bos-
ton rapid transit commission, who has re-
Gently made an admirable report on the
subject, as any similar service in the
world In no part of the system, of course
| Is there street crossed at grade. nor ia
| there any railway track crossed excent at
different elevation.
Some Attractive Features of tho
Stadtbahn.
In examining the Stadtbahn In the yicin-
| fly of several of the largest stations I was
much impressed with the manner in which
| the objectionable features of rapid transit
| lines and railroad terminals were mini
| mized or avoided altogether. The road was
| punt on private property, except for a short
| distance on the river bed at a great ex-
| pense In condemnation of land. No street
Is consequently, occupied and obstructed
| streets are crossed by arched bridges where
| their use is possible; In other cases the
| bridges are supported by neat iron columns
| between the sidewalk and the street The
| structure throughout is solid and has no
dlsagreeable vibration. 1t Is absolutely
watertight, and is so constructed with ra n 9
| and rail carriers bedded in gravel that the
| passage OF trains is practically noiseless
| There are no droppings from above upon
the heads Of those who pass under it, The
| masonry Viaduct presents the appearance
@ ol series SOL OF orlck arches sustaining the
| foadbeo The space underneath Is utilized
| IN this part of the city for various purposes
| according to location Here an attractive
store or restaurant Is seen; here a stable,
carriage house or storehouse. The road is
| built in this thickly settled section 40 that
1t occupies the street edge of the blocks.
and the buildings constructed under it omen
upon street on one side or the other. The
viaduct here LOOKS like a row of occupied
| brick houses With fiat roofs and arched
| fronts, embellished by stone trimmings.
cornices and recessing of the masonry, and
the effect Is not at all displeasing. Lewis
| M. Haupt, In an article on rapid transit in
the December Cosmopolitan, says: The
| serious objections to rapid surface travel
and the unsightly appearance of the iron
superstructures in vogue have led to va
| rfous propositions for the construction of
| masonry arcades which shall eliminate
| these defects. Among the completed lines
| of this class may be mentioned the grand
arcades in Paris and Berlin These, how
ever, are not used exclusively for local
| traffic, but also to connect lines of railways
! with each other" 1t is only upon certain
| portions of the Stadtbahn, however, that
! this space under the tracks is thus utilized.
! Mr.. Osborne Howes, in the report to which
l have referred, says that If the road were
| to be rebuilt arrangements would be made
| to utilize all this space since it has been
| found that when open arches have been
| left that can be utilized for store purposes
| the space can be rented particularly near
the stations, to exceedingly good advan-
| tage.
A German publication concerninp tho