The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1902-02-08
RAILROAD CENSURED
State Commissions Report on
Tunnel Disaster.
CENTRAL OFFICIALS WERE NEGLIGENT
Company Has Not Kept Pace with
Increasing Trahic, but Has Been
unproGressive and DercIict
ana Lax In Discipline.

| ALBANY, N. Y, Feb. S.-The state
board of railroad commissioners las
handed down its decision regarding the
recent disaster in the Park avenue
tunnel, New York city.
Among other things the report says
that the New York Central and Hud.
son River Railroad company was
/ grossly negligent of its obligations to
the pu9lic In putting an engineer OF
such limited experience and ascertain.
ed capacity as the engineer of the
Harleln train to be in charge of pas
senger train for operation through this
tunnel in what are called the rush
hours"
The New York Central and Hudson
River Railroad company has been neg.
ligent. dereict and unprogressiyp in
railing to take measures to increase its
terminal facilities at the Grand Cen
tral station and yard by such dimen.
SONS as would reasonably keep pace
with the yearly increasing traffic he.
ceSstirs Of the lines entering this sta
ton.
The said railroad company has been
negligent in failing to examine more
closely Into the qualifications of new
engineers and lax in discipline in fail.
Ing to hold engineers to accountability
for violation Of the running rules in
this tunnel.
The board recommends various
Changes In the position of tunnel sig.
nails and says the proposed increase
of yard room and the separation of the
suburban traffic from the through trnf.
nc by carrying the suburban trains
Underground from the tunnel by Il loop
system to an independent station and
operating the local trains by til" multi
pie unit electric plan is IL wise plan,
but that it will not be operative with
In two years.
Temporary changes in the yard
tracks, to he made on newly purchased
property, are to be begun forthwith
and completed without delay.
The proposed underground suburban
traflic loop. the plans for which have
been adopted by til" board of directors
OF the New York Central ana Hudson
River Railroad company ana which
have been put in evidence before the
board, is to be carried TO completion
with all diligence as soon as the npces-
Sary legislation is had.
The board in closing says:
The time is not many years distant
when, oven with the contaminated i'm.
In operation he incr"as-
ing traffic of the great city and of this
triple railroad terminus will require
and better facilities. II may
" here noted that possible ways of an,
.ic!palng this need nr" lal through luc
Of the compuy's facilities
~ Establishing Il new trainyHru on
he Long Island side of East river, or
IN by increasing and improving the
existing terminal facilities
N the west side Of the city in the Vi
Unity of Thirlieth and Thirty fourth
trc"tS and the North river. BY this
means perhaps all, or Il large part, of
hr suburban traffic nliyhr be carried
o this terminal and to that extent re.
lrve the Grand Central station. The
urrave and elevated roads would
uickly extend their connections so as
D make that terminus easily access-
le. and in any event the probable ear
advent of the Pennsylvania rail
DAD to that part Of the city would
lake such Il terminal desirable. per 4
aps necessary"