The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-08
CENTRAL SCORED FOR TUNNEL
WAS GROSSLY NEGLIGENT, SAYS
RAILROAD BOARDS REPORT.
Points Out Measures for improvements
Loop system for Suburban frame
Chief ing-Popular Suggestions
Mostly Impracticabie Tunnel. Best
Equipped rs to signals In tho World.

>a16. - 49,
collision on the New York Central In the
Park avenue tunnel and Of the operating
conditions In the tunnel was given out
yesterday. The report declares that the
witnesses who testified before the COM
mission concurred with marked unanimity
on the following points:
THE best method OF dealing with the
tunnel itself would be to take of the roof
and reopen 1t as a cut, using bridges at
the intersecting streets. From the
public point Of view this change is deemed
impracticable and intolerable.
Electricity is the most desirable motive
power for the tunnel as a tunnel, but leg
islation is necessary. not merely to enable
its Use, but also to relieve the railroad com-
pany OF the present obligation TO use steam
only.
THE operation of tho tunnel as a single
signal block would be as safe, in this re-
spect, as a railway tunnel can be made.
but It would be impossible to transact the
daily public business within the hours
when the people who patronize the road
require It TO be done. Nor could a time
table be arranged 30 that the three rail-
roads using the tunnel would each have
its train at the north end of the tunnel pre-
cisely at the time when the schedule re-
quired II to be there TO make it's run down
to the terminal, at the required speed.
Finally. under existing conditions, the
light or empty trains must be got rid of
practically as fast as received at the depot.
either by running them out OF the yard to
Mott Haven or by storing them on the few
sidings now available. II would be dan
gerous in the extreme, as well as difficult,
to keep up a return movement OF these
light trains across the two main inbound
tracks.
1T IL not safe or advisable TO light tbs
tunnel in the sense Of making a clear IL
Elimination in it. though this idea has been
advocated with intensity in many quarters
as -the solution of the problem IL was
tried in 1891 under the direction Of the Rail
road Commission. but the lights were re-
moved soon sfterward upon the written
remonstrance and request OF lightweight
enginemen employed on the tunnel run.
The proposition Is opposed to-day by loco
motive engineers generally. There does
not appear TO be any feasible way Of ven
tilating this tunnel. The most trustworthy
civil engineers who have appeared before
this board say they regard ventilation,
tliItl w. tOiOtN "a VI W tNNAOA ~
impracticable.
CAUSE N RESPONSIBILITY.
with respect to the causes Of and respon-
sibility for the collision. the board finds:
THAT the engineman Of the Harlem train
was inexperienced; that he lacked reason
able presence Of mind when he had lost
or failed to see his signals, and that he
Enthusiastically violated the well-known rule
which. under the conditions surrounding
him, required him to stop his train.
THAT the New York Central and Hudson
River Railroad Company was grossly neg
ligent of its obligations TO the public in
putting an engineer OF such limited ex-
perience and unascertained capacity In
char gs Of n passenger train for operation
through this tunnel in what are called
the rush hours
THAT the New York Central and Hudson
River Railroad Company has been negli-
gent, derelict and unprogressive in failing
TO take measures 20 increase its terminal
facilities at the Grand Central Station
and yard to keep pace with the yearly
increasing traffic.
THAT the said railroad company has been
negligent in failing to examine more closely
into the qualifications OF new engineers
and lax In discipline in failing TO hold en-
eineers TO accountability for violation
of the running rules in this tunnel
After setting forth that the Railroad
Commissioners nave not the power. under
the present laws. To require "A change from
steam TO any other motive power, but
,nev hope 20 get such authority
through a bill introduced Al their request
A.. I'll Ira4gkaA 81 the InQl1lafuFa the A.
port recommends;
IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENTS.
That the signal or train block in the tun-
mel. bet ween f1fty-hfth and fty-eighth
streets. b. abolished On all -four tracks and it,
trackage added 10 the next northorly block,
which extends from Seventy-second street
to Seventy-third street on the outbound
track
That this block loo length
sned by removing the signals on the IN
hound tracks, now az Ninety-oigh'h street.
Go I02d street. and on the outbound tracks
from Nincty-seNent street Co lOist street.
and that the location 81 the cross-oNer
tracks, nov at hinety-seventh aud Nin"ty-
eighth streets. be- changed 10 CorTcspuHI- |
ing petition between i0ist and iU2d nifs-ts
Tie bard l. IL The opinion that the.a last
mentioned signals aud UTo-s-oNrfs are
nov too olose tu outbound traius
That all distant and home lamp signals
OH We MfilfN q nhlff ~ Wv tfiIl' AAiitfls D
h. pianu,d un standards AZ a height ~ uina
fest above uis top 81 "a" rail, ~ that tho
lrn- vii TO- on a lowell with the cab ~indos
aud that in ths aldo tunnrls uIs lamIu ~
tainai a. q iFlFht - nins fost above tho
tup ~ ths rail un rarh side ~ tlu tunnel
alno. that uarh signal lamp 10 duplicated
hy plaoiis an additional lamp ~ Tie raun.
slns aud puNrf $50 ia.t atsltu, 90 tNo iu.t
isflYv us ulus fsut IlFht
Ilgn frIstff Huss 900 Co recommend ~"
pHuIsa.Hi undai fruuud rad iuf %ru1Yflan
tfahlf hnd ilirN rtaisr utaI uH tunnel d.
nui sriaa ally dirlUlt tu u~iHiaifI 'AsepI
g. u b. ulsfnstri ~ HraiH. FsHH Hhh
fuFa. Ntat tla skisnHlIh ~ utr trilrlif I'D
hfsnd tsnifal hiailuu seventy ird furlrf
nnul thu. diminishing thr fafd iuuin sec
o. rffu iu tItH HfuHF dUtH BOOB Nlai HFhaI
tht~fif uu.Iu h. tHiarnF uHf TO tHfHnFl
81 no - niuIHsl hH d" HFais 10 fi"
sund hH naI flHf tIHfH a hI HIfI 600
iHI 80 dinNuH uf nIafaiHaI tHHN ip HaHfN
~ ts lafsf auHtiHf Hi hahF aitn NH W
Hfuiatf laaflH FL .lus iH lhn hfnHisaI
falH o. CO. uislH.NN nf tffHIHHafl afld
faHasnsHf friufslsa us frffl 80 hH'
tH sJafafFH H fIu HlHnfiuN NauH
uufH Co. uuuuFI Hfan. d. aiIfHE ia
f.hHlaH utHa uHt rfHunI htn tH
ttufsl 90 = HrH - afHIH iH N 800 FHnn
mafNfH 900 ffafHiHaH NH NHH' tfnlf.H %