The sun., 1903-02-18
DERAILMENT BLOCKS TRAINS.
POWER SHUT OFF on SIXTH AVE-
NUE. ELEVATED.

Passengers Leave Dead and Dark Cars 70
Chance an Icy Walk to the stations
Three Hours Before the Trouble
Was Altogether straightened Out.
Passenger trafic on the West Side Of
the town. already hampered by the snow
fall Of Monday night, got another severe
blow last night by the derailing Of car
Of Sixth avenue elevated train In Fifty
third street, just west Of Sixth avenue
For an hour almost the entire electric
service on that side Of town was at a stand
still while the railroad people were straight
ening things out.
The theatre crowds when they started
home for places up on the West side soon
found out that there was trouble on the
elevated and piled into the surface cars.
These were jammed from II o'clock on
and because they had 70 stop at almost
every street and were already having some
trouble with the snow they, to say the least.
were not at their best
According to elevated railroad officials
4 the rear truck Of the forward car OF north
bound electric train left the track as 1t
rounded the curve into Fifty-third street
from Sixth avenue about o'clock. Tho car
was thrown Of far enough to block the
southbound track. As southbound Sixth
avenue trains turned into the Ffty-third
street tracks they soon Allied Fifty-third
street. and lapping over blocked the south
bound Ninth avenue service. At the Same
time there was some trouble with q north
bound train at Bleecker street.
1t was twenty minutes before orders
came to the Ffty-ninth street tower to
send the stalled trains down Ninth avenue to
South Ferry and then il was twenty-five
minutes before tho dispatcher started the
trains.
l II took only half an hour to straighten
out things at Bleecker street and a shuttle
service between Rector street and fifueth
street was esta bhshed.
1T the time OF the two accidents the
power was shut OF on number Of sections,
both north and south Of Fifty-third street,
leaving a number OF trains dead on tho
tracks with the passengers sitting in
darkness.
without being able to read their papers or
see their watch chains, and as the power
was turned on and there was no danger
from contact with the third rail. thoy were
allowed TO leave the trains as they chose
and walk along the foot paths to the
btatlOns.
A good many Of the women. Of course.
didn't dare to take to the footpaths. as they
were slippery and covered with snow,
but enough people left the trains to drive
the conductors OF the surface cars nearly
to distraction.
Finally. however. the power was turned
on on all but the Fifty-third street section.
Above Fifty-third street the tangie WAS
Strengthened out In little lees than an
hour. and trains. both electric and steam.
were sent from iSSth street to South Ferry
on the Ninth avenue tracks.
To get the derailed car at Fifty-third
street back on the track a wreckinS grew
was sent down from i46th street. They
had q lot Of trouble in jacking the car up
again and cetting the wheels On The rails:
They finished tho job abovt midnight.
Then the Sixth avenue line straightSfied
out again But that did not help the greater
part Of the theatre crowd
The Sixth avenue aud the Fifty-ninth
street trolley cars suffered two or. three
blocks between 10 o'clock and midnight
Tho most serious Was on the Sixth avenue
line on the north bound track, south Of
Fifty eighth street.