The morning journal-courier., 1908-07-27
Monday, July 27, 1Oos.
A MENACE TO SAFE TRAVEL.

This paper has already pointed out the extraordinary importance of the recent wreck on the railroad at Greenwich to New Haveners, to the state of Connecticut, and, ultimately, to all New England. Regrettable as the one fatality was, 1t was not suf- ficient to accord the wreck the place of importance among Connecticut railroad catastrophes that 1t must have. There has been little unanimi- ty as to the cause of the wreck, but all are quite agreed that there was some fault In the electric system, such as Will make 1t a faulty one for all time to come. unless remeded. And, as the electric system Is extended. first to New Haven, and, later on, to Boston, according to the present plans of the New Haven road the necessity of eradicating any great danger dur ing the systems infancy. must be perfectly apparent to every one upon moments sober reflection. No par ent now knows but that her daughter may be killed under similar conditions at any time.
 This paper has already pointed out the lack of wisdom in the verdict re- turned by the coroner's jury, met to consider the cause of the wreck. Not only was the conclusion not warrant ed by the evidence. but 1t offers no proper remedy to prevent future acci- dents. The jury concluded that the cause was the lack of tie-plates The positive assertion of the roads engin- eer for that division is on record to the effect that the track was e-plated In similar fashion to the best railroad tracks in the country. Tle-plates to prevent spreading of the rails are only used on curves. where there Is certain to be considerable lateral pressure. There they are made with a "shou- der" on the outer side. against which the rails set The tle-plate used by the railroads generally on straight away track has no shoulder" and Is used only to prevent the rails from wearing out the wooden ties, not to prevent lateral pressure. If anything, the engineer logically explains, the straight track is weaker as to lateral movement with these plates than the ordinary construction, because each spike has to go Into the plate before 1t goes into the tie and 1t has that much less hold on the wood, accord ingly Danger from lateral pressure on curves has long been recognized, but it has not been supposed to exist by the best railroad authorities on the straightaway. The engineers conten- tion Is that there was no defect in the track at Greenwich and he is backed up by the Scientific American, which is an authority in such matters, in that assertion The railroad seems to have done its best so far. as rails are concerned so the cause of the wreck must be sought elsewhere.
 k It may be taken as significant that the New York Central road has beer reconstructlng its motor-cars by plac. ing four wheel trucks, far apart, a either end. The Scientific Americei calls for similar action on the part o the New Haven road, saying: "Tn ouI opinion, the locomotives in their pres ent condition are distinct menace tt .he safety of travel on the electri, lines of that road The electric To con!otives ara too short for stead, .pnning, especially when coupled to Eetker In pairs r.stsr the custom 0 the New Havrn. Whether the loco i1,s,.ives Away tcgatner or apart, 1t l. sduelly dangerous fal the track ant ;s orton alArn'nsiS apparent 10 tn
 eye The s"cson s1ronlen have oftel been quoted as saying that the pass ago of a single e-"double-htader ver often makes necessary q days Wor, .ii track alignment.
 I'hs ,lectrlc locom ot!v2s of t,he NeN ....nava. weigh each, oinetyrtlve tors yct .hey neus'isc caly thhty.ysiX fec in length ald tiie .ing-pirs of tha tw four-whee, tracks, on witch they ar car,tod, ara only fourteen ftct si inchss apart. The tc'aaIho An"cr' can is cer.n.n that t'i's fact tD "ha cauacd the vr.ck and dOrlnnds iEh lhe iram@ cf tho !o"on .fi"Ga b heightened ou. so tnsi tho .rick3 az at least e'gh: Hent farther aprr 'l cpr -eadily b. ulldsrstool' lG say