Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-01-18

maintained their schedules and SER
vice. A splendid example of this
his been the Portland Railroad and
the Portland and Lewiston Interur-
ban Railroad. The electric railroad
in Portland has been terribly handi-
capped because the city has not
even attempted to keep the streets
open for traffic and all the trucks,
horse drawn vehicles and even pcdeS-
TRANS have been compelled TO fol-
low the plowcd out car tracks. This
has held up the street cars even at
times when the snow was falling fast
and every delay in running made it
more difficult to keep them properly
p,oWed cut.
In spite of this, however, the street
railroad here and its suburban lines
have been operated regularly to the
great convenience OF the people. 1t
las been giving the best of service
and the effort has been to do this
in spite of the expense.
The electric railroad between Port
land and Lewiston is even a more
remarkable example of what good
service road operated by electricity
can render. The ears of this rail-
road have been very nearly on time
during the entire trying period.
They have not been held up by the
snow drifts nor the cold and the peo-
pie who rely upon this means of
transportation have every reason to
feel satisfied with the service which
has been given.
How has it been with the steam
railroad?
Trains have been late after every
storm. In many instances trains
have been cancelled. The freight
service has been completely demora-
| lizod. Freight yards have been bar
ricaded and this has made it inn
possible to make freight deliveries.
Both the Boston & Maine and the
Maine Central II. II. have been un-
able to maintain their schedules. al
though most of tho electric railroads
were doing it right along.
Severe cold weather also puts the
steam railroads at great disadvan-
tage. Locomotives will not steam
we'll when it is very cold. SO in the
! Winter time here in Maine. while Wc
! are dependent upon steam to run
/ the railroads. we Shall always be sub
jected to these delays, annoyances
and losses.
should be electrified. With electric
service the heavy passenger trains
could be run through the heaviest
snow storms and the coolest weather
without delay Just as is now being
done through the Rocky Mountains
on some of the transccntinental
! lines. There is not the slightest rca-
son for having train service inter-
ruptcd if the railroads would take
, advantage Of the opportunities which
are afforded them by bringing their
equipment up to date.
This State has plenty of water
power which can be harnesscd to run
/ its railroads. To he sure it might
occasion the scrapping of the steam
locomotives and a heavy expenditure
/ for electrical! installation, but it
must come some day and why should
| It not como now?
The saving i'll coal would probably
go far towards paying the interest
charges on whatever changes had TO
be made. In addition the people
would be convinced that tho rail-
roads want 70 give the best service
and their desire would be to help
! them in anything they wanted,
rather than to oppose them, as now
seems to be the inclination.
Within a decade every railroad in
the United States will have been
electrified or Will be in tho process of
sterilization. Why Should Maine
! wait ton years for service which can
easily be had i'll half of that time