New-York tribune., 1905-06-12
SWITCHES ON STRIKE.
THE PUBLIC SUFFER.
Aatomattc System on Long Island
Railroad gnconueniences Thousands.

An attempt made yesterday by the Long Island
Railroad Company to operate the autoA"'
switch tower which last Election Day cost many
Long Islanders their votes through the deraihns or
n Jamaica local train on the Rookaway division
Berlin Village, tied up the same branch last
evening for several hours. Other branches also
tied up for time. Last Election lay
the new automatic switching system which the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company uses on 1ts varl-
lines completely tied up the many branches OF
the Long Island road through its failure to work
Hundreds of Long Islanders who had hurried into
the city on business and intended to return nome
to vote were held up by the switches which then
were given up temporarily as useless WORK was
begun to put them in proper condition for service
1t was decided to give the new switches another
trial yesterday, the day when traffic is heaviest
When the excu-sionsts. especially those bound to
Rockaway Beach, got int, LONG Island City yester-
day they found thae trains would not leave on
time Last night when the night force went on
duty trains were held up for a long time. 10
make matters Jamaica local was deraiie1
at Berlin Village. where some years ago a Rock
away and Manhattan Beach train crashed into
each other. Only car of the Jamaica local
left the TRACK Passengers in that car were shaken
UP, but none were seriously injured All walked
back two miles Long Island City to get another
train. There they found that the automatic switch
system working and had to wait a long
time to get a train to take them over another
division to their homes.
Along the Rockaway branch thousands were
penned in like cattle in the beach stations unls
they got aboard trains at least two hours late.
The trains of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit company
from Rockaway Beach over its elevated lines
reaped harvest from those who were unanle TO re-
turn the Long Island road.
At the Long Island City terminal it was different.
for most OF those waiting were commuters and USED
the situation, but they objected when the
Information bureau closed. the telegraph oper-
ator left and tho telephone booths were locked up
The 5:02 train for Rockaway last evening did
not pull out until 7:03 O'Clock. One train which
left Rookaway Beach at 4:9o o'clock yesterday
afternoon got into Long Island City at 6:6 O'CLOCK
It's route being around Woodhaven Junction to
Jamaica and from there the White Pot
branch, the shores of Newtown Creek, where there
was long wait while attempts were being made
TO work the automatic switches. Another Rock
away Beach train got into Long Island City two
hours and fifteen minutes late.
The railroad officials promised last night that
by early this morning the automatic switch sys-
tenn would be in successful operation as 1t Is
on the lines OF the Pennsylvania road. Although
the Rockaway Branch of the road was tied up for
at least two hours tickets TO the Beach were sold
all through the tie-up. Those who asked why
trains were running were told that they must
be mistaken, for no accidents the road had
beer reported