The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-10-27
THE B. 8 o. PRRlaHr CUTOFF.
Mr: Bond Talks Interestingly About the
proposed Line Across Carroll and
Baltimore Counties.

Who said we were going to run fast pas
senger trains over our cutoff" demanded Mr..
Hugh L. Bond, second vice-president of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to reporter Of
the Baltimore american.
There is general fear among commercial
interests and,trades organizations, Mr.. Bond.'
1t was explained to him. "that once the line is
built both the Pennsylvania and the Baltimore
and Ohio will use it for through passenger
service to the exclusion of Baltimore. The
city doesn't relish the project of becoming a
way station.n
There was merry twinklein the eyes of Mr..
Bond as he wheeled his chair around, showing
that he had heard the argument before.
YES" he said, II realize some people oppose
that objection to the cutoff, but it is illogical
NO railroad, least Of all the Baltimore and Ohio,
can afford to neglect a city of 300 ,0OO-or 6O0,.
OOO, should say-inhabitants. We are pro.
posing move which will be OF great advan-
fage to the city, if it will only see it, but there
are some people who won't see anything.
1t is my belief that we shall be compelled
70 run some passenger trains overthe cut-of,"
he continued. IF we do it will be in the ma
providing we can build it-there will be
demand for some small passenger service along
the line. Under our charter we can be COM
PEELED to furnish it. If some fellow wants to
90 from Pikesville, say to Towson, we must
make some arrangements to carry him. As it
is now he has to come into Baltimore and then
out to Towson. Some will continue to do this,
for countryman, you know, likes an excuse
to get into the city but there will be some who
will want to go direct. So all along the line.
We will have to take care of these demands.
AT the most they will not necessitate over two
A. kr.0kn
the time we get q little passenger traffic worked
mp tome trolley line will come along and take
it all sway from us. In fact, the Mount WASH
ingto1 line is now extended out to Pikesville,
and itwont be long, probably, before 1t reach
es overto Towson.
mo, ir, you may rest assured we shall not
put in operation any fast passenger service via
the cutoff to the exclusion of Baltimore. In
the first place, it would defeat the very end for
which We desire the cut-off-the elimination
of freight congestion. Any railroader knows
that fast train on line blocks up the road
kept clear and the faster the train the greater
thenumberef freights that must be sidetracked.
Instead of ourtailing the freight and passenger
facilities of Baltimore the cutoff will better
them both.
1.-THE Pennsylvania No. see no reason
see no legal difficulties in the way, and it
would afford q most satisfactory solution for
the problems which have proved SO vexatious
to both the road and the city. lam sure every
fairminded man will admit that the freight
and passenger traffic is frightfully handicapped
because of the limited facilities in Baltimore.
Furthermore, as long as freight must go
through the city there will be the smoke nui-
sance. The tunnels are limited in their ca.
pacity, and trains must wait outside until they
can get through. The crews must keep steam
up awaiting the signals to enter the tunnels:
for if they didn't have enough and should stall
in the passage it would mean death for the
trainmen.
"Get the through freights out of the city and
local freight and passenger service can be very
much improved. 1t is true the Pennsylvania
would have straight and short route to Wash
ington but. as I have said before, running
passenger trains over the cutoff would defeat
the end in view. don't say that no through
trains will be run that way. Coca.
sions might arise when it would be expedient
to run train straight through to Washington
over that route. In the case of special conven-
tions or delegations, for instance, such might
be done, but only in rare and exceptional cases.
That certainly could not hurt Baltimore"
Then he turned to talk of Baltimore of the
many advantages the city has over other trade
centers over the prestige it possesses in certain
lines and of its commercial importance. 1t
was gratifying to hear him speak of the city,
not in an impersonal sense, but using the
more intimate term 1--WE" indicating personal
interest in the citys welfare.
Gas long as we can do things cheaper than
other cities as long as we can ship with less
expense than New York, for instance, we shall
not only retain our commercial importance
but add to it constantly" And railroads, he
added, are not so shortrsighted as to overlook
this. Some sections of the city are complain
ing because o. lack of freight facilities These
we can better only after we are in a position to
relieve the congestion.
80, then, you may say that the Baltimore
and Ohio contemplates nothing but the better
ment of Baltimore that we shall run no
passenger trains over the cutoff outside of the
minor local service of which have spoken
thakaNe are ambitious to give the city better
and better freight service"