The Washington herald., 1907-11-20
EXPLAINS TERMINAL TROUBLE
Superintendent Martin Lays COnges-
tion TO New Problems.
Says Union Station VIII Operate
Smoothly in "a short Time.
Asks FOrbearaDce.

the new Union Station, Supt. Martin, Of
the Washington Terminal Company.
makes the following statement:
There have unfortunately been a num-
Der OF delays 10 trains entering and leav-
persons have been thus Inconvenience, II
is due the public that the exact condition
OF affairs should be made known.
Prior to last Sunday. and since Octo-
Der q. trains of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad only had been using the station.
or these. there were ninety-fiye each day.
many of them being short local trains.
Owing to the proximity of the old Balti-
more and Ohio yards to the new station.
that company's men had become fairly
familiar with the new track layout before
the trains began 10 use II. This resulted
In it being possible after a few days 10
get comparatively good results with this
companys trains.
ION Sunday last. however. the trains OF
The Pennsylvania, the Southern. the Ches-
apeake and Ohio, the Atlantic Coast Line
the Washington Southern. and the Sea-
board Air Line began moving into the
trains entering and leaving 10 pa. a net
gain Of l29, very many of which were long
through trains. Most Of these have regu-
larly assigned equipment, which must be
placed in the storage yard prior 10 being
used. II had been hoped that the large
storage yards would be practically COM
pleted by November i. but IN this the
railroads were disappointed.
The result has been a material delay
in making up trains. due 70 the necessity
for extra switching and the difficulty of
getting al the proper cars. These storage
yards. however, are being completed very
rapidly. and within few days there will
be substantially no trouble on this score
ITO handle these trains. requires a yard
and station force OF some l,O00 men. OF
these. about $50 had 20 be transferred
from their old yards last Sunday. II WAS
necessary also 10 add about 100 new men
to the force. II should be understood
that the entire layout of this terminal is
new. and)that many OF the problems Of
operation are likewise novel Abundant
preliminary study had been given 70 these
problems, and il was believed that they
had been solved Thorough plans had
been perfected for making up trains but
these presupposed fairly normal yard and
switching facilities.
~As the change 10 the new conditions
had 10 be accomplished IN one day. and
as it had been physically impossible for
the men working in the old yards TO
leave their work long enough TO familiar
iZe themselves with the new conditions, il
is but natural that there should have
been considerable confusion while the
men became adjusted 10 their duties IN
der such changed surroundings.
The switches for the tracks in the tun-
mel under the plaza are to be operated by
an interlOcking plant at Massachusetts
avenue The switches for tracks at the
north end Of the yard are TO be operated
by an interlocking plant at X street.
Neither Of these plants has been as yet
fully completed. and il Is necessary 10
operate all switches by hand. This situa-
ton was complicated Monday night by
the fact that ten Of the fifteen switchmen
operating the north end of the terminal
refused to work longer because Of the
dlSagreeabie weather. AS safety would
not allow Of green men being placed at
this work. il became necessary in the
emergency for yardmasteTs and the su-
their regular work and man the switches
themselves in order that there might be
any movement at all.
Conditions have been steadily imprOv-
ing since Sunday. On that day probably
not more than 20 per cent. of trains ar
rived and departed on time. On Monday
probably fifty were subjected 70 some de-
lay. whereas present conditions are much
better. The majority Of trains arriving
from the North are on time. The chief
delays are in getting Southern trains
away
within few days II is expected that
the men Will become familiar with their
new work, and that the storage yards
will be in workable condition. Then there
VIII have been removed the principal
sources Of difficulty. The interlockng
plant at Massachusetts avenue is promised
for completion December I. and that at X
street January 1. though these delays
should not interfere SERIOUSLY with the
terminal operations
The delays which have occurred, under
the circumstances. could scarcely have
been prevented. The management Of the
terminal is struggling as best it may
with the extraordinary difficulties which
have been presented. Substantially nor
NAL conditions cannot be expected to pre-
vail for a few weeks but 1t can be safely
stated that there viii be Improvement
each day II is earnestly hoped that the
public will exercise some fOrbearance.
relying upon the utmost endeavors of the
management to do everything possible to
make the great facilities and conveniences
Of the new terminal fully available to
the public within the shortest possible
time"