New-York tribune., 1906-12-13
NAY FIGHT CENTRAL.
COMMUTERS TO COMBINE.
Uretched Train Service Causes TaLk
of ORGANISED ReU0lf.

Unless the long deferred and promised bet
terment Of the New York CentraIs suburban
service is brought about before New Years.
the suffering commuters of that road are II
organize 70 force the railroad 70 consider its
patrons' complaints Protests Of the service"
on the suburban lines have been sent TO the
officials Of the road. They have been cour-
teously aclnonleieed-and that is all But as
one complainant said a few DAYS ago. in let
ter to the general passenger agent, 1t will take
something more than pleasant acknowledge
rnents 10 satisfy your patrons.
one Of The leaders of the revolt against
wretched and inadequate service IS Charles J.
Brooks. secretary Of the -Ftna Indemnity Com
pany, in William street. He has sounded the
sentiment Of the other passengers. and has
found them ready 10 organize obtain their
rights. Complaints have been made TO the rail-
road officials individuals by all OF them.
but none Of them has come 10 auGht. Last Sat
urdav Mr. Brooks said yesterday in giving nu-
nerous instances OF unnecessary delays, the
southbound train due at Tuckahoe at I:45 was
twenty minutes late that point The same
train was fortv-fve minutes late by the time
that the Grand Central Station was reached.
Another train few days ago left the Grand
Central Station at about 1:30. and did not reach
Tuckahoe until after 3:45 O'Clock.
When this was brought 70 the attention Of
the railroad officials they readily placed the
blame Of II su on the installation of the cleo
fric system and the yard Improvement work.
They did not explain, however. how this made
trains twenty minutes 10 half hour late at
Yonkers, practically every day. even though il
might account for a few minutes in the yards
The installation OF the electric system. or at
least that part Of the work which might hold
UP trains. has been finished for some time. and
the yard construction work at any stage has
Gus delay.
In a letter TO the general passenger agent on
December Il. Mr Roberts wroIe:
7 can assure you that there is a movement at
present fairly well organized 10 take up this
matter IN q business like fashion Immediately
after January !, and # before that time You do
not have the train service in better working
order there viii be something doing.
This is not Al all in the spirit OF threat, be-
cause l appreciate that II would accomplish
nothing. but il is merely in the form of notice
70 you that there IS dissatisfa c1iOn your road
which has led 10 an organized movement to
right the wrongs We suffer.
II you viii stop 10 consider that when over
$50 people on the train are an hour late in the
morning Il equals for one man ahol:5 thirty DAYS
of time lost you VIII perhaps appreciate how
serious 10 your patrons are these delays.
Further complications on the road ara ex-
pected to-day when the temporary suburban traf-
ic station is opened beneath the Grand Central
Palace at 43d street ana Lexington avenue.
With the exception of the railroad people. those
who have seen the new terminal believe that II
win prove inadequate 70 its purpose, and that
the switching Of the trains off the old tracks
viii cause more delays. Sixteen electric trains
q day, eight each way, ara 10 be operated. The
new system was tried ont yesterday and worked
fairly wei. although the change from steam TO
electricity took some time. The change from
locomotive 10 electric motor was made at High
bTlcge, locomotives hauling the trains above that
point Electric trains all the way 10 Yonkers
are promised in a short time" but railroad
man could be Iound yesterday 10 set a definite
date. Electricity. As soon possible. viii be
the motive power as far CrOtsna on the Hud-
son River branch and far as White Plains on
The Harlan division.