The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-27
Atlantic Coast Line Files
Its Exceptions.
is NOT PRACTICABLE
Declares There are Facilities fol
Reaching Raleigh and Denies
the Power of Corporation
Commission to Have it
Make Connection.

The special train which the Corporation
Commission ordered the Atlantic Coast
Line to begin operating yesterday from
Rocky Mount to Selma to make connec-
tion with the Southern Railway for Raj
eigh and the West was not put on.
This order of the Commission was made
on the sixteenth of January after there
had been series of conferences between
the Commission, the Southern Railway
and the Atlantic Coast Line. AT the last
hearing before the Commission, the South
ern Railway which broke the original
connection filed it's answer to the Com.
missioner setting forth why it could not
change its schedule. After a hearing OF
the matter and further investigation
the Atlantic Coast Line was ordered by
the Commission to operate a special train
from Rocky Mount to Selma via Wilson
to make connection with the Afternoon
Southern train bound West
The full text of the exceptions of the
Atlantic Coast Line is published as this
is a matter of interest to all sections OF
the State. The exceptions of the Atlantic
Coast Line were served yesterday after
noon upon the Corporation Commission
and it is probable that these will be
heard on Thursday. The exceptions fol
low:
THE REASONS SET FORTH.
In the matter of the schedule and con-
nection of trains of The Atlantic Coast
Line Railroad Company and the Southern
Railway at Selma, the paper served on
the Commission is as follows:
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Com
pany, hereinafter called the company ex-
cepts to the order and rule of The North
Carolina Corporation Commission, herein
after called the Commission, made in the
above-entitled matter, and bearing date
January 10th, 1904, upon the following
grounds:
FIRST EXCEPTION.
The company excerpts to said order upon
the ground that it is not practicable for
ii to extend the run of either the Ply
mouth train or of the Spring Hope train
to Selma. That the line of the railroad
between Rocky Mount and Selma is part
of the main line of the company and is
equipped with a seventy pound rail, and
in other respects is constructed for the
operation over it of heavy coal burning
engines, while to the contrary the lire
from Rocky Mount to Springhope, COM
monty called the Nashville branch, and
the line from Rocky Mount to Plymouth
arc branch lines and are constructed with
a lighter rail- and in other respects are
constructed and equipped for the use OF
lighter engines, which are fully sufficient
and in every respect competent to do the
work required of them on these branches.
hot fha loo of xt-hi n1a iS cod
by the company upon these branches is
too light and is not of sufficient power
and capacity to make the schedule which
the order of the Commission requires to
be made between Rocky Mount and Selma
This schedule will require the run to be
made in an hour and twenty-five minutes
The train from Norfolk, No. 40, now
reaches Rocky Mount at 1880, and it
will require at least ten minutes for the
transfer of passengers. baggage and mail.
This train would have to make seven
regular stops at stations, and allow
ing three minutes for each stop, this will
consume twenty-five minutes of the
schedule time. Besides this, it would
have to slow down when passing through
the several towns upon it's route includ.
.ing the town of Wilson, on account o.
municipal regulations in regard to speed,
and would also have to slow down at
Contentnea, the junction of the main line
With the old Wilmington and Weldon
Railroad. 1t would also have to meet two
regular trains OF superior class, No.
AZ, from Wilmington to Norfolk, at Elm
City, and No. 40, at Micro, from Jackson
vile to Richmond, which two trains have
the right of way. This means that this
additional train would have to side-tracf
at both these places to await the passage
of the other two trains, and, if they are
10th on time. these two sidings will con
sumo ten minutes at least. If these trains
should not be On time the stoppage would
be prolonged. So that. in order to meet
and keep the connection as ordered by
the Commission this train would have
to be run at an average speed of not
less than forty-five miles an hour. The
light engines which are used by the COM
pany on the Nashville branch and upon