The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-20
Operation of Trains Over 1t
Will Begin Next
Week
ANNOUNCEMENT is
MADE BY THE L. & n.
Blount Springs Decatur Line Will Be
Ready September / and Blount
Springs Birmingham January
Abandon Old Track

Official information was given out yes
terday by the Louisville and Nashville
management as to the progress of double
track work between Decatur and Bir-
mingham and the approximate time when
that work win be ready for service.
Operations over the line between Blount
Springs and Decatur will be possible by
l-September l. AS to the line from Blount
Springs to Birmingham, It is stated that
on account of difficult tunnel construc-
ton, the line south will not be opened
until January !, 1914. The company so
far has been able to place in operation
only four miles of the double track. The
line now in operation is between Holmes
! Gap and Cullman, a distance of four
miles, and was announced by T. E..
Brooks, superintendent, during the early
part of the present year. The line has
proven satisfactory and has been oper-
ated for some time.
Next week, 1t is announced, there will
be placed in operation IS miles of the
new double track. Added to the four
miles already constructed will give the
company % miles of double track line
| The new section to be placed in opera
ton, exclusive of the Holmes Gap-cuIl-
man stretch, is as follows:
New Track Ready
Flint to Hartselle, six miles.
| Hartselle to Lacon, four miles.
Culman to Phelan. four miles.
Garden City to Blount Springs, four
miles.
BY September 1, it is announced, the
remaining 2s miles from Blount Springs
to Decatur will be completed, which will
leave only the line from Blount Springs
to Black Creek to be constructed. No
| formalities will mark the inauguration
next week of the largest units of the new
work. As customary, the officials will
test the new lines and win begin the
operation of trains over the new track
as if the affair was in the regular rou-
tine of business
1t is stated that fast operation over
the new track will not be permitted
until the ballast is well rounded into
shape 1t will be possible to operate
trains on the regular schedule. How
ever decrease In operating time be-
tween this city and Decatur will not be
attempted untfl the officials are. well
| + i ~
convinced that every detail is perfected
The new double track work of the
Louisville and Nashville with the i'm
provements at various stations is cost
ing over $4,000, 900 in Alabama alone.
One of the largest details of the
gigantic work is the Improvements at
| Cullman. There the Louisville and Nash
| Vile goes underneath the streets and
has arranged four Yiaducts to meet the
wishes of the people. The new work
extends from Nashville to Birmingham.
Abandon Old Track
| 1t was announced yesterday in con-
neetion with this work of the Louisville
and Nashville, which has attracted at
tention in this state for the past two
years, that as one unit of the new dou-
BILE track is placed in service the old
track is abandoned 1t was explained
that an erroneous idea prevailed to the
effect that the Louisville and Nashville
would operate the double track for
| through freight and passenger service,
allowing the old tracks ts relnaia to
| be used for local business and accom-
mediation passenger service.
| The company officials say this Is a
mistake as the new line and the old
| line zigzag across one another from
point to point and it would be impos-
sible to keep the two in service. The
new work will materially decrease the
cost of operations over the mountainous
country
The officials believe that this work
is one OF the most important railroad
developments ever undertaken In the
south.