The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-07-13
RAILWAY IS SCORED
W., A. & f. c. Road Ordered
to MOdernize It's System.
CASE KEPT ON THE DOCKET
Management Instructed to Install
Safety AppIiances-VirEin State
Trolley Line Independent System of
Telephones Must he Maintained.

| Special 70 The Washington Herald.
Richmond. Va, July 12.-The Virginia
State corporation commission. In an or
der issued to-day. takes the Washington,
Arlington and Falls Church Railway Sc
verely TO task for laxity In the methods
Of operating that road, and prescribes
/ for the government Of the road list Of
rules and regulations designed for the
more thorough protection of the public
patronage Of the line.
Virtually, 10 ali intents and purposes.
the order places the road under the su-
pervision and control Of the commits
sion, for it is ordered that the proceedings
| be kept upon the docket Of the commits
/ sion so that further orders may be en-
/ tered therein. and further requirements
made without additional notice TO the
company.
The present order OF the commission is
the direct result Of the recent disaster
on the road. when one life was lost. and
many others were injured. The road has
appeared before the commission many
times since the Organizatio of that body.
upon complaints Of patrons OF the line.
and hearings have been had both here
and at points along the line. Various
orders regarding betterIaeRt have been
issued.
The order Of the commission is strin-
/ gent Among other things it re-
/ quires that the road operate and
maintain an independent system Of
/ telephones establishing connection at
+ all times when trains are running
/ between the dispatchers or operator S
/ office and the various stops on the road.
the telephones to be open and accessible
at all times to both motormen and con-
ductors and other employees Of the road.
II also orders the maintenance Of a
/ dispatcher's Office. which shall at all
times be in charge Of a competent oper-
ator
Orders to Be Framed.
All orders affecting the movement Of
trains are to be framed and issued some
what in the manner of operating loco
| motives, the order to be made in writing
or telephoned to the conductors on the
road and signed for by them when the or
/ ders are understood. These orders are to
| be framed and issued by the dispatcher
on duty. The conductors are required to
write the orders on an order book, as is
also done by the dispatcher, and repeat
each order TO the dispatcher before sign
/ ing for same, and then deliver II to the
motorman and have him sign his name.
t The dispatcher is ordered to keep a
daily train movement record sheet. upon
which to record the movements Of all
trains operated, showing the time each
train passes reporting stations, together
with notes Of delays and changes Of any
trains that do not make the schedule All
conductors are ordered TO report by tele-
phone in person to the dispatcher's office
the time OF their arrival and departure
at certain stations specified in the order
of the commission.
No work or freight trains shall be
operated as a section of a passenger train,
and such trains shall not leave reporting
station without orders from the dis
patcher. and the trainmen on such trains
must be informed of the schedules of all
other trains operated. and must keep
out of the way of passenger trains, and
clear the tracks for same at least five
minutes ahead of their schedule time.
All trains run In sections are ordered to
carry, signals, flags by day and lights by
night
Must Run on Schedule.
It is provided that the railroad must
provide sufficient power TO maintain its
trains on schedule time, the schedules TO
be maintained not only between terminal
points but between intermediate stations.
The company is required to furnish suf1-
cient cars at terminal points at all times
to take care Of the traffic over the line
without crowding' its patrons
| All trains Of more than one car shall
be operated with motor car in front, ex-
cept that between AQueduct Bridge and
| Clarendon. and between Acqueduct Bridge
/ and Arlington Heights. On Arlington
reservation, motor cars may push loaded
cars up grade In all cases between these
points. when trains are composed of more
| than one car and going down grades.