The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-03-05
TRAINS MAY BE RUNNING
 HERE BY MAY 1

That electrical passenger trains will be running between New York and New Haven late in April or early in May and that they may be running to Bridgeport before they run to New Haven were Statements of EN ectriea1 Engineer w. s. Murray, who is in charge of the extension of the electrd- fieation between Stamford and New Haven. He also said that within a few days tests will be made of the stretches between Sta.nf ord and South NorwaFk, and Stamford and Bridge port.
 ''The overhead transrndssion and dis trirbution system to provide contact for the electric engines is very largely completed between Stamford and New Haven and in Cedar Hill yard. " said Mir. Murray, sfbut on account of the delay in delivery of the fabricated steel, together with difficult winter conditions, there are a few remaining links to be completed, such, for i'm stance, as those at the draw spans of the rivers at South Norwaik, Westport and the HousatoI1ic. At these points the overhead construction is quite diff ffcl1lt due to the roller lift bridges not having been designed for electTdfica- ton and the necessarily close fitting the new conditions. hope, however, that all of these links will be closed in so that electric operation at least for passenger service as far east as New Haven station will start some time in the early spring, say the lat ter part of April or the first of May.
 'sThe new electric trains to be ac41ed- uled will naturally be chosen so as to be the most effective continuation for steam and electric service in the early stages of electric operation between New Haven and New York. It is quite possible that Bridgeport and New Haven both may be used as termini for electic freight and passenger runs. The overhead construction will very shortly be given a. very thorough test between Stamford and South NoTwalk and this will be promptly followed by similar test on the con struction between South Norwalk and Bridgeport station. Following upon these tests it may be deemed expe6i- ent to operate some trains between the above limits"
 Was there any precedent to figure the time of completion of this exten- sion?, MT. Murray was asked.
 We, of course, had the precedent of our previous e1eetrific cation work between Stamford and Woodlawn, a twenty -one mile stretch of sfour-track road, and it ds quite safe to say that the electrification bo New Haven would have been finished by this time, which was the approximate date set in our calcuIafio ons had not we been subject to these great delays in steel shipment and the reduction that had to be made in the work train hours from those which the operating de- pertinent had thought they could give for the construction work. You will understand that while a construction mans pay may be eight or nine hours in full for a. days work. on account of the necessity of work trains constant Iy having to clear up on the main line track to permit regular operation, the actual hours of manual labor secured would be on an average of about onel third, or B 1-3 per cent. Add to the above the superdmposing of difficult winter conditions, and it is easy to see that the character of the work is of a kind to suffer deIay-