Evening star., 1902-01-09
RAILROAD PLANS FILED
DETAILS OF THE UNION STATION
SCHEME BEFORE COMMISSIONERS.
IL Street Will BE CIOsed-Much Filling
Needed-Tracks on Two
Levels.

The preliminary plans OF the union depot
project of the Pennsylvania and Baltimore
and Ohio railroads were today officially filed
with the District. Mr.. w. H Brown. chief
engineer Of the Pennsylvania company
called at the District building and went
over the plans at conference with En-
gineer Commissioner Biddle Capt H. c.
Newcomer, assistant to the Engineer Com
missioner; Mr.. c. B. Hunt, the computing
engineer. and Mr.. w. p. Richards assist
ant engineer in charge of street extension
matters
One Of the most striking features of the
plans and the bill which has been intro
duced in tine Senate regarding them is the
proposed closing of H street northeast from
a point about 800 feet west of the line of
Delaware avenue to a point 800 feet to the
east of the same thoroughfare. H street
is at present the main artery connecting
great section of the northeast territory of
traversed by the Columbia line of street
railways and is extensively used for busi-
ness purposes.
The Closing of H Street.
The District Commissioners will not say
at present what their views are on this
feature Of the union depot bill. The docu-
ment has not as yet been officially referred
to them by the Senate District committee
from which it will eventually come. The
make report to Congress o., The whole
subject of the union depot and the changed
terminal arrangements contemplated in the
new measure.
1t is believed, however that the proposed
closing Of such an important thoroughfare
as II street will call forth a strenuous and
determined protest from the residents of
the District who will be directly or indt-
rectly affected by the stoppage of through
traffic the street.
The bill does not specifically state that H
street shall be closed. It provides that K,
and NJ streets shall be carried under the
proposed viaduct. The plans as filed show
H street closed.
No Engineering Need for Closing.
The union depot will reach to H street.
and In order to carry H street under the
structure would require an opening about
800 feet long. 1t is stated there are no en-
gineering difficulties to be encountered in
carrying the street through and that the
closing Of the thoroughfare would simply
be matter of policy. The expense of pro-
viding passageway for the street would
be in the neighborhood of 100000, it is as
serted.
H street could be carried under the acks
on it's present grade, IT is stated by an Off
cial Of the engineer department. with the
exception Of one point, where depression
Of about three feet might have to be made.
There Is another rather startling feature
Of the proposed plan in the great amount
of filling which will have to be done to
Drlng massachusetts, avenue and the streets
leading into that thoroughfare up to the
grade established for the depot. At some
points Massachusetts, avenue will have to
be filled more than thirty feet. 1t is said
The intersecting streets and surrounding
property will also have to be brought up to
this level. The task Of making such a tre-
mendous fill is easily appreciated. The un-
dertaking is one that win require years
Tracks ON Two Levels.
According to the plans the tracks in the
union station will be arranged on two
levels. The through tracks for traffic be-
tween the north and south will be about
twenty feet lower than the tracks intended
for trains having Washington as their des-
tination and their initial point Of departure.
The through tracks must necessarily be
on a lower level because of the fact that
they emerge directly from the proposed
Capitol Hill tunnel in entering the station.
The tunnel In question will be something
more than 1000 feet or a little more than
three-quarters of a mile in length. Leay-
ing the line Of tracks as situated at pres
ent on Virginia avenue. in the southwest,
the tracks leading into the new station win
curve to the northeast and enter the tun-
mel just west Of New Jersey and south of
street southeast. The tunnel will be
built under the line Of 1st street east.