New-York tribune., 1903-01-14
p. X. Il. TUNNEL WORK.
DiUision among Va1ous Engineer
inp Boards.

Following the announcement made exclusively
in The Tribune January ), that the engi-
neering firm of Westinghouse, Church, Kerr &
Co. were to have charge of the electrical and
mechanical equipment of the new Pennsylvania
tunnel system, comes an authorized statement
showing how the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany has allotted the work of construction and
equipment. reserving to itself only the bring
ing of the railroad lines into and through the
tunnels.
commission Of engineers is to design and
supervise the construction of the tunnel. Nc
Kim, Mead & White. architects, TO have
charge of the terminal structure; Westinghouse
Church. Kerr & Co, engineers. to have
charge of the electrical and mechanical equip
ment, and the chief engineers department of
the Pennsylvania Railroad is 10 bring the lines
of the railroad into and through the tunnels.
The commission of engineers consists of Col
onel Charles W. Raymond, u s. A, engineer
of New-York Harbor. chairman: Charles NJ
Jacobs chief engineer of the North River sec
tion of the tunnel: Alfred Noble. chief engi-
neer of the East River section; William H
Brown, chief engineer of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, in charge of tracks and
terminal yards Gustav Lindenthal Bridge
Commissioner of New-York City, and George
Gibbs, first vice-president of Westinghouse
Church. Kerr & Co, in charge of mechanical
engineering electric locomotives and traction.
CAREFUL COORDINATION OF PARTS
Thus within the commission in charge of con-
struction of the tunnels the same system Of
division of work and responsibility and careful
coordination of the different parts within the
whole is to carried out.
AS explained in The Tribune, the architects,
McKim. Mead & White. have engaged for the
mechanical and electrical equipment of the ter
minal the same engineering firm which is to
undertake that work for the railroad company
AS Mr. Gibbs. first vice-president of the engi-
neering concern is on the commission of engi-
neers. and as Mr. Mead, Of the architects. meets
with the commission it is plain how harmoni-
Gus is the adjustment of the different branches
of the undertaking. Long before the granting
Of the franchise by the Board of Aldermen there
has been planning and arranging of details
The engineers commission has been busy since
last spring the architects and engineers since
June, so that now many features of the under
taking are ready to be put into execution
There is to be a double tunnel from the west
side of Bergen Hill. in New-Jersey, to the New
York terminal at Thirty-second-s From there
run four tunnels to Long Island City, where
will be the railroad terminal facilities proper.
with the accompanying yards.
The Atlantic-ave. division of the Long Island
Railroad is to be changed to electric road,
and this will be done as soon the necessary
power house is erected and equipped, which will
be before the completion of the tunnel
There are to be two powerhouses one in Jer-
sey City. the other on Long Island aggregattng
upward of one hundred thousand horsepower.
These are TO serve the entire system. with pro-
vision for relaying each other and for serving
the New-Yo-k terminal either jointly or singly.
The engineers have now practically completed
their plans for the Long Island powerhouse, and
work will be begun on it at once.
BIG EXCAVATION NEEDED.
The terminal in Manhattan requires exca-
walton of 1900 by 500 feet between Seventh
and Ninth aves., from 40 to 80 feet deep On the
foundations be placed there will be constructed
train sheds, terminal tracks, cross-overs plat
forms, waiting rooms. ticket offices and all the
other peraphernalia of first class railroad sta
ton. For the disposition and handling of pas
sengers in this station. it is intimated that
devices based upon examination of the best
European methods. improved by the addition OF
American brains. viii be employed
The engineering firm Of Whitehouse, Church,
Kerr & Co. is at work or plans and specifications
for the terminal station and hotel in Manhattan
In this work the experience of the engineering
firm in equipping the addition to the Hotel
Manhattan will be valuable
The commission of engineers, with the repre-
sentative OF the engineering firm among its
members, and the representative of the archi-
tects meets at frequent intervals to talk over
and harmonic the plans of the various
branches involved. In the finn of Westinghouse,
Church Kerr & Co. is special Pennsylvania
Railroad tunnel commission that meets at fire.
Quent intervals and Consults upon the progress
of the work.