Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-29

than We're injured during the nrst
five months last year.
when you find motorists attempt
ing to beat the train or crashing
crossing gates into the sides
of trains, what good can watchmeu
or mechanical ContrivanceS do? IT
is not only physically impossible TO
eliminate all grade crossings, but the
cost, which ultimately falls on the
public, would he prohibitive. Motor
lists should realize the danger they
face and should he willing to CO.
operate with the State authorities. the
railroads and the other agencies In
making highway crossings as safe as
possible"
What can the railroads do about
il? For many years grizzled railroad
men grown old in service have shaken
their heads over this pressing prob
lem, not alone on the humanitarian
side. but on the property damage
side also. They say they have gone
more than half way in putting proper
safeguards In the way OF CROSSING
watchmen. crossing gates. swinging
signals. flashing signals and other
devices TO warn motorists they are
a dangerous spot. Thou
sands of railway grade crossings In
the United States-there are no &C
curate figures on the number-are
patrolled day and night by brave
crossing Watchmen whose duty il is
to protect motorists and pedestrians.
often at peril to their own lives. In
deed we had an instance in Wash
ington last Spring when crossing
Waterman of the Baltimore and
Ohio laid down his life on the altar
of duty in a fruitless effort to save
the life of a boy pedestrian. And
Washington still has five crossings
at grade within the city limits.
Publicity Seen as Solution.
But publicity. and yet more pub.
licity, combined with the closest KIND
of cooperation between the railroads
and the State motor vehicle depart
ments has been shown to he the most
effective way of coping with the
danger. The expenditure Of some
thing like SCI ,00O, 100000 would he re-
uuired, the railroad executives claim.
to eradicate every railroad
grade crossing in the United states.
The railroads themselves, the Inter
state Commerce COMMISSION mas
found. are valued at just a little more
than ST, 900 900 600. In other WORDS
complete safety for motoriSt ana pc
destrian as he crosses tho raiiroau
right of-way would cost more than tne
physical reproduction of the roads
themselves No sensible minded per
son, they hold, would claim 1t to he al
all feasible
Likewise 10 ierkWdter little ran
road station Oh the smallest road III
the country has been neglected by the
railroads in their campaign OF educd
ton to protect motorists ana pedeS'
TRANS from themselves. This wear inc
slogan of the roads ON their annuaI
safety poster is BE Careful" Tho!
have spent many thousands OF dol
lars in getting it up and spreading ii
throuehout the country. But not
alone are these warming signs dlS-
plaved on the railroads. They nave
found their way into garages. local III
dustlies. on bus lines. into nVe1N
stables, on expires. wagons. INTO auto
mobile clubs int" II" schools news,
paper offices. banks and hotels, uhtli
everywhere America turns It's eyes
light on this slogan, Perhaps It's yer!
repetition dulls the senses toward hS
true meaning.
Uncle Sam has taken full cognizancP
of the national danger at railroad
crossings. The Department of Agrl'
culture, through its Bureau ot Pun.
lie Roads has just outlined A pollcF OF
highway grade crossings To be ap'
piled in the future toward Federai alu
highways constructed under it's super
vision. Broadly. this policy is 10
eliminate from the Federal system ot
highways as many grade crossings d.
possible, and to begin with the most
dangerous in the elimination process
The bureau points out that all inter
sections of railways and highways AZ
grade constitute "A condition danger
Gus to traffic, particularly 10 trat.
tic on the highways. winch Shou'u
not exist IN a we'll designed and
completed system. 1t is accepted.
the bureau adds. that any State can
ONLY eliminate or improve limited
number of crossings each year. ana
that the railways can only contrlhute
thAir fair share of the cost of rea'
sonable annual program The Ma
tional Conference on Street and High
way Safety, meeting last March al
the call of Secretary of Commerce
Hoover. approved comprehensive
plan of highway development looking
toward complete safety at crossings
of railroad right Of way and auto
mobile highways.
Connecticut Has Plan.
The State of Connecticut has crap
pled with the problem in a new and
road men believe. If adopted by all
the States. would have certain
downward effect on the number OK
grade crossing accidents. Connect
cut is crossed and criss-croSsed by the
New York, New Haven and Hartford
Railway, and has many dangerous
grade crossings within its borders par
ticularly on and near the New York
State line.
Holding that the very presence of
railroad track is a danger signal. and
that the operator of a vehicle cam
not afford 10 relax his caution or to
depend upon signals. visible or
audible, to warn him of the APP
proach of a train. Connecticut has
taken militant steps first TO warn
and then to punish automobile driv-
ers who fail TO cross crossings
cautiously Connecticut's motor
vehicle department has a we'll organ
lied complaint division. Briefly,
grade crossing watchmen within tina;
State are authorized to count the
number of persons in cars which do
not comply with the laws regarding
grade crossings. report the number
of the motor car and the number Of
persons il contains to the complaint
division, and forward general de-
scription Of the case. In fragrant
cases, such as where the operator OF
motor vehicle plainly attempts To-
beat a train to crossing, drastic
action Is taken, not by the railroad.
but by the motor vehicle department
on the report OF the railroads cross
ing Waterman. Connecticut now has
TO grade crossings In the state. a
number that is being steadily re
duced. Last year it ranked third
in proportion of grade crossing ac-
cidents to motor registrations.
The problem is singularly an indi-
vidual one. Lacking the money COM
pletely TO eliminate grade crossings.