Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-09-28

The Public Utilities Commission on
Wednesday handed down a decision
upon the petition by the Maine Central
Railroad Co for order determining the
manner and condition of crossing track
of Waterville, Fairfield & Oakland
Railway.
The petition asked for an order de-
termining the manner and conditions
of construction and maintenance Of
crossing with the track Of the Wa
terville, Fairfield & Oakland Railway
at Fairfield and how the expense there
of shall be borne. Hearing was held at
Fairfield at the offices of Hon. George
G. Weeks, Aug. 29, 1916.
The Waterville, Fairfield & Oakland
Railway was not not represented at
the hearing because of misunderstand-
ing Of the time by it's attorney, but
Mr.. Eaton subsequently wrote the COM
mission, and still later appeared in per-
son, asking for an opportunity formal
ly to call attention to the increased
hazard at this point due to the added
traffic which the changed location Of
the Watervillc- Bangor line of the
Maine Central railroad will take
this matter under consideration and did
not consider it necessary to open the
hearing.
The Maine Central Railroad Co is
now engaged In constructing its track
over a changed location that will aban-
don a portion of its line as now oper-
ated and take its trains between Wa
terville and Bangor in addition to the
trains now running between Water
Vile and Skowhegan, through Fair
field. This also involves the construc-
ton OF second main track on the
easterly side of its present main track
between Waterville and Fairfield,
which second main track will cross
Main street in said Fairfield and the
track OF the Waterville, Fairfield 6;
Oakland Railway in said Main street.
as described in said petition and the
plan on file herewith.
The decision continues: The rela-
tions and respective duties of the
Maine Central Railroad Co., and the
Waterville & Fairfield Railway 4 Light
Co, the predecessor Of the WatervilIe.
Fairfield & Oakland Railway, were be-
fore the Board Of Railroad Commits
sioners in 1896, when an order was
made, Feb. 5, 1885, directing the Maine
central Railroad Co. to construct the
crossing in the manner therein speci-
fed and to maintain the same all at
the expense of the electric road, that
being the last corner at this point.
That order related only to the single
track crossing. We think it equitable
ha Mot,
should henceforth bear a fair division
OF this expense, it being in the same
position as to this proposed second
track that the electric read occupied
with respect to the first crossing.
The Maine Central Railroad Co.
now keeps a fiagman at said crossing,
and 1t is the duty and generally, if not
uniformly, the practice of all street
railroads to flag or run their cars
across steam railroad tracks Under
these conditions, while the increased
traffic and faster trains will increase
the hazard at this point, we do not
think it practicable to require trains
to be brought to a stop or their speed
reduced to the limit required at un-
protected crossings. The time may
come when it will be found necessary
to separate this crossing; but while it
remains at grade it may be treated
like others similarly constituted All
parties using it must exercise a de-
gree of care commensurate with the
danger"
The commission orders, adjudges
and DEGREES that the Maine Central
Railroad Co. be, and it hereby is, au-
thorized to construct it's second main
track on the easterly side of it's pres
cnt main track between Waterville
and Fairfield so as to cross Main
street and the track of the Waterville,
Fairfield 6; Oakland Railway, therein,
at grade. by good and substantial
crossing frogs, the angle of which
shall conform to the angle of the sew
cral tracks at the point of crossing;
the rails in said crossing frogs shall be
of like metal, pattern and weight as
the frogs and rails now in use by the
Maine Central Railroad Co. Said cross
ing shall be laid in first class manner
and so kept and sustained by the
Maine Central Railroad Co., and the
entire expense Of so much thereof as
is the subject matter of this order shall
be borne by the Maine Central Rail-
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