Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-03
WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS
BUT CAN'T AGREE TO DO
Be Built II Those Who Think To.
qether Would Act roaethec


DEARRANGEMENT Of the railroad ter.
~ minals in preparation for the fair in
1926, the need of which was pointed out on
this page some time ego, is beginning to find
a place in public discussion.
One suggestion is that the Broad Street
Station be torn down and that the main
station of the Pennsylvania Railroad be
built in West Philadelphia. Along with
this It is proposed that the tracks Of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad be removed
from the banks of the Schuylkill.
This is not an ideal arrangement. No
one expects an ideal plan to be adopted.
If the city were to be laid out anew with
plans for the entrance of the railroads none
of the practical difficulties which now con-
front every planner of improvements would
have to be overcome.
We have to consider the rights Of the
railroads over their present routes into the
heart of the city, the immense value Of the
property that would have to be condemned
if new routes were laid out. and the great
cost of new stations, together with the
difficulty of n satisfactory adjustment of
the relations among the three railroad lines
that would occupy union station, IL 1t were
decided that the problem could best be solved
by such a station.
Assuming that there Is n disposition to
get together in solving the problem, It seems
as If 1t would be prudent to make an ideal
plan as basis of operations and then to
correct and modify it In order to overcome
all practical obstacles.
The supposed plan of the Pennsylvania
company to run its through trains into the
West Philadelphia station wonld NJ an i'm.
provemcnt over the present arrangement,
under which those trains do not get any
nearer to, the heart Of the city than the
North Philadelphia station.
But the travelling public would he better
served and the city would profit more II u
new station were built somewhere near the
Parkway and If the through trains were
brought to that station on their way across
the town.
There are some persons who are thinking
Of the advantages offered by the site Of the
baldwin Locomotive Works. 1t Is acccssi.
bic from the hotel district. 1t Is near what
Is TO be the entrance to the fair grounds.
1t can readily be connected with the tracks
already laid. And 1t is large enough for an
adequate waiting room and train platforms
long enough for the biggest trains.
Ii the Baltimore and Ohio and Pennsyl-
vana systems were operated under the
| same management, the Baltimore and Ohio
trains would BE- run into such a station
| along with tn" Pennsylvania trains. But
| the common use of single terminal by these
! two systems Is not unprecedented. During
! the war the Baltimore and Ohio trains were
! ordered by the Federal Railroad Admins.
| trnti"n into the Pennsylvania terminal In
! New York. and they are still using that
| terminal 10 the greater convenience of the
! travelling public.
Th" Interstate Commerce Commission Is
! auth"rlz"l under the Esch .Cumrnins law to
| bring about corporation Of the lines in the
same territory. 1t Is conceivable that it
! might order the common use of a single
! terminal In this city II such terminal were
hu.!t 81 that the tracks Of the two systems
| r"uld be Connected
The existing baltimore and Ohio station
Is inconvcniently placed and unworthy nf a
| city of this size. 1t might do for Harris.
| burg or Lancaster. It would not be- diff g.
| cult to find "A site for q station into which
| the trains of the two systems could con.
rrnirnty b" run
Su". Il station would not he merely n
| railroad enterprise. II Is almost as much
public enterprise IA the opening Of IL new
th"roughfare. IL by any chance the rail. {.
road companies should decide to build such
ii station, they should be met more than
half way by the city authorities 1t might
be necessary to close some streets for q
| square or two and 1t might be nece ssary to
carry other streets over or under the tracks.
The attitude Of the city toward such possible
changes should be one of accomnods ton
rather than Of obstruction.
The Mayor is asking for a city planning
commission to devise a scheme Of improve
ments to extend over long period of years
This commission might well take the rail.
road terminal problem under considerable
after consultation with the railroad com
panies. 1t may take long time to bring
about the desired improvements, but It nect
not II all the parties In interest can be per
suaded TO agree to do what they nearly al
individually believe ought to be done.
But whatever Is done, 1t Ia hoped tha,
the main terminal of every line will remain
east Of the Schuylkil.