Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-28
CHANGE IN THE PLANS
TWIN-TUNNEL DESIGN FOR
UNION STATION ABANDONED.
Construction of Tracks According to
Original Specifications Said to
Be Too Expensive.

The Pennsylvania Railroad Company has
found 1t necessary to make important
changes in its plans for the tunnels in con-
nection with the trackage arrangements to
the new union station on Massachusetts,
avenue. and Chief Engineer w. H. Brown
has notified Col. John Biddle. the Engineer
Commissioner Of the District, in regard to
the matter.
The change is not to be In the tunnel
routes. as shown on the approved plans.
but in regard to the style Of construction.
1t was intended that the tunnel under
Capitol Hill to take trains from the south
into the new station and on through the
city to the northeast, should be a twin
tunnel or two single-track tunnels, run
ming parallel to each other.
Bids were called for recently under speci-
f1cations for this class of work Mr.. Brown
has now stated In his letter to Commits
sioner Biddle that the prices named by the
contractors were so far above the estimates
that 1t has been found necessary to aban-
don the "twin-tunner design and revert
to the double track tunnel. The contract
for the Capitol Hill tunnel has not been
let new bids being called for.
Virginia Avenue Tunnel.
The new tunnel on the line of Virginia
avenue in the southeast. running from 7th
to I'd streets In that section. Is also to be a
double-track affair instead of the proposed
twin" construction. The contract for that
work, however. has already been entered
into. This tunnel will bring the tracks in
Southeast Washington north Of their pres
ent location.
The new tunnel In that section does not
replace the Navy Yard tunnel, as 1t IS west
of the western end of that underground
D<,yvo tx,4 fr- xr,SlI IooI
new tunnel through the southwestern cor
ner Of Garfield Park. These tracks will
be used exclusively for freight traffic, as
passenger trains to the north will go over
the new line leading from the union station
through the northeastern section Of the
District, joining the present Pennsylvania
tracks at Magruder's. after leaving the
Baltimore and Ohio tracks at Montello sta
ton.
Mr.. Browns Letter.
In his letter to Col Biddle. Chief En-
gineer Brown says:
I'm answer to your letter of May %. we
have not yet let the contract for the LIST
street tunnel in Washington. The bids
were 50 far beyond our estimate that We
have finally concluded to build double
track tunnel. both on LIST street
and Virginia avenue. in place
of two single-track tunnels. and we send
the Commissioners. herewith. a tracing and
three blue prints, winch we would kindly
ask you to have laid before the board and
If approved, have the signatures attached
and return the tracing to my office and al
low us to make the change in the tunnels.
THE tunnel under Virginia avenue has
been contracted to the Drake & Stratton
Company Of Philadelphia, and this will be
all cut and cover work. The contractors
are required by their contract to replace the
street paving, curbing and other items in
as good order as 1t is today. and we inclose
a copy Of the contract for the Commission
erS' use.
I'VE are asking bids now for the tunnel
on LIST street. to be received on June g. and
have specified that the portion of the 1st
street tunnel between B street southeast
and c street northeast will be tunnel, and
the north end and south end will be .cut
and cover
You will notice that this new section
requires a few more inches of depth than
the old one did. but we can secure this by
lowering the grade in the tunnel, with the
understanding that we will not make any
change In the elevation of the grade at
New Jersey avenue. C street or street
northeast. or with the circle on Massachu-
settle avenue"