Evening journal., 1913-08-25
MONDAY, AUG. 25. 1918.
nrMANn RrrrER rRAIN sERyIcE.

r,UBTIC criticism of the weekend service ON the
i Delaware railroad between this city and i.ewcs
and Rehoboth has led to expressions of approval
from those who have bccn the victims of that mex
cusabc service There already is talk of concerted
action 10 carry the complaints of the passengers to
tho highest officials of the Pcnnsylyana Railroad
Company. il necessary to obtain redress.
The Pennsylvania Railroad is looked upon by the
public as the standard railroad in the United States
As rule IL lives up 10 It's reputation. II has been
Fingularly romiss however, in the establishment of
such high standards of transportation excellence on
tho Delaware railroad and certain of It's branches.
particularly in the handling of heavy Weekend
traffic SLOW time, congestion the car-ahead NUT
sance and the absence Of drinking water in SOME Of
the constitute the chief grievances complained of
BY those who use the foad II seemingly is their
purpose to ascertain who is responsible for condi-
tious so greatly variance with the wcll-cstablshed
policy Of the Pennsylvania Railroad TO gye good
service aud treatment TO passengers. They
determined 10 know whether the trouble has it's
origin n the main offices ia Philadelphia the division
offices in this city n some of the offices down the
inc. with the responsibility once fixed, lhcy feel
.hat they viii be In better position TO work inte
scnuy for immediate redress.
The Pennsylvania Railroad boasts of i,s mile min
ute trains between Philadelphia and Atlantic city Il
operates ninety minute trains between Philadelphia
and Cape May. which is across the Delaware bay from
Lowos But when IL comes to giving service TO Lewes
and Rehoboth. the speed made is decade behind he
times and certain conditions prevail that would not
be tolerated in New York. Philadelphia other wide
awake and progressive communities
1t is los miles from Wilmington 10 Rohoboth by
rail Let us how that distance is negotiated II a
passenger leave this city on tho S19 a. M train. he
does not reach Rehohoth until 1928 p In other
words, he s four hours and four minutes In making
journey of ioS miles, assuming that the train runs
20 schedule which il does not always do II he leaves
the 3f4 D. train. he docs not reach Rchobuth
until 72i y. and that is looked upon a semi
express service But let it be borne in mind that that
train does not always made the run In that time as
long a. it is. On Saturday afternoon week ago
tho train did leave Wilmington until about p M.
and it was between S35 and $40 p. when il reached
Rehoboth. passenger could to Atlantic City from
Wilmington and return in the time il required to 60
10 Rehoboth
t therefore will he seen that in the matter Of speed
the average rate is from twenty to twenty-five miles
m hour, as against me-a-minuto trains between
Philadelphia and Atlantic City and ninety y-mnute
trains between Philadelphia and Cape May.
But the trouble Of the Delaware passengers not
end with that poor time. AS a rule when the trains
leave here they crowded On the way down tn,
road they drop passengers at the various stations
Whenever the trainmen decide that enough have left
the train to warrant the dropping of car. they 2,
into the rear car and tell the passengers to take the
car ahead. II matters not what luggage a passenger
may have how much Il may Inconvenience him. n,
has to obey that order with that It vii
not be repeated further down the line. That Is no
the fault OF the trainmen they simply obey orders
Il is the fault Of those who give the orders and whit
arc behind this policy of a minimum of speed and
@sxmum OF discomfort. And this dlscomfori is al
he greater 10 girls and wsi heavy luggage
Nhc troubles complained of have been In existenc
tcr years. Tho public has suffered them until hnall
n has determined TO carry the fight into the main Of
fees OF tho company IL necessary obtain the redres
TO which it is entitled.
Complaint also is heard Of the service ON the earl
rorthbouud train the Delaware road. Il leave
Dover at 649 a m, Clayton at 7.i3 a. m. aud al
rNes Wilmington at s.42 a. m The distance froi
Dover to Wilmington is Az miles and the schedul
time for that train TO make the trip is hour an
hfty-three minutes The distance from Clayton
Wilmington is S29 miles. and the schedule time fc
making Tho trip is hour and twenty mine mii
uses.
Years the from Clayton TO Wilmington wT
made IN nifty minutes IL asserted by those wl
complain Of that morning service They add that u
running time has been heightened in order that n
train may be used combination passenger an
milk train. with tho accent the milk. and that pa
all along the line compelled TO leave hon
earlier and lose time the road in order that tin
be allowed to take the milk and. at the san
time, to permit the train to reach Wilmington in tin
to connect with through trains the Maryland di,
sion AS tho milk traffic is growing heavier all Il
time. it is asserted there telling what the ru
ming time ultimately will be. when largely for Il
accommodation Of that milk traffic. the time betwe,
Clayton and Wilmington has been increased substs