The St. Louis Republic., 1903-09-25
LOOP COULD BE BUILT
IN TIME FOR FAIR TRAFFIC.
"shnffle" Train Service Over Belt
Line to the Exposition Planned
by Railroads.

BY working night and day and with nc
unlooked-for delays. the loop track pro
posed to be built by the Terminal Asso.
citation from the Eads bridge, 2,1oo feer
south, can be erected in time for the
Worlds Fair
President McChesney in an interview
yesterday stated that the consulting en-
gtneer of the Terminal Association had
made careful survey of the plans for
the loop and expressed the opinion that it
might be built in five months.
The inner belt line, which extends from
the Merchants bridge to the Wabash
tracks at Page avenue. will be completed
by November l.
It will be double tracks and standard
gauge with bridges over all important
crossings in order that traffic, no matter
how frequent, may not be delayed, nor
persons riding, driving or walking in any
way endanged.
1t was planned by the Terminal Asso-
elatlon that the belt line should be used
by the trains going to and from the
Worlds Fair grounds. taking the belt
line from the Merchants bridge, pro-
eeeding thence to the Wabash track at
to be placed along the line. and using the
wabash and Terminal tracks into Union
Station.
To dc. this, the loop line from the Eads
pridge Is essential and the plan of having
shuttle trains running over the belt line
tracks at ten-minute intervals Is declared
to be out of the question under the pres-
ent conditions
BY the proposed loop line 1t was az
pected that all regular traffic which was
destined direct TO Union Station could
proceed 70 that point without using the
tunnel. The tunnel was to be used SOLELY
freight SaryiCA mr.
1ere in any way with the belt-line serv
ice. which would be devoted almost ex-
ciusiVely to trains for the Worlds Fair
grounds.
In this way the loop would be of two
fold benefit, by relieving passenger trains
coming over the Eads bridge and expedit
ing the movement Of freight in the city.
aside from the benefit at the time of the
worlds Fair. when the Merchants bridge
could be relieved of all freight traffic. and
used only for passenger service.
Even at this early day the Wabash Rail-
road Company is making preparations for
the heavy traffic at the time of the Fair
Tracks are being laid at the Fair Grounds
a. and sa,d handsome es station Is to be built It
completed its plans at the grounds
ample facilities will have been provided
by which all shuttle trains and trains of
regular service coming to the Fair grounds
can have ample trackage room aft tn.
grounds and clear track to Union Sta
ton.
right away said Mr.. McChesney. "it is
possible to build the loop In time for the
Fair. but to do it we would have to strain
every energy"
The belt line Is estimated to be a lit
tie over twelve miles long. and in con-
nection with the Wabash and the Ter
mfnal tracks practically encircles the CITY
BY placing stations along it's line visitors
could in many instances reach their stop-
ping places with great convenience, es-
pecially as most of the proposed stations
will be placed near street car lines.
Under the present conditions a service
to the Worlds Fair grounds could be put
on by the railroads. but on account of the
large amount of traffic which necessarily
must pass over the Merchants bridge,
both freight and passenger, the shuttle
trains service could not be run.