Evening star., 1928-11-26
ElectrificatiOn of Railroads
Inspires Public Imagination

growth in the area served. II Is esti-
mated that the New York metropolitan
area will within Is years after the COM
! pletion of the electrifcation contain a
population of 30000,000. On the same
ratio of increase the Philadelphia area
will contain 100000. The New York
| Philadelphia area has the business and
the immediate prospects to warrant the
outlay and the scrapping of railroad
| equipment that cost millions of dollars"
The prediction that other roads must
follow sooner or later" is made by the
Lexington Leader. which calls the larger
project "the most important ever under
taken in electrif1cation by any American
| road" and finds evidence that "the
Pennsylvania officials have every faith
| in the future of rail transportation !"
The Leader continues: Neither air
lines, nor truck lines. nor water trans
port can. in their Judgment. take the
place or retard the growth of the rail
system. Moreover. it indicates the de-
| termination of the Pennsylvania to keep
abreast of the times. to provide means
OF transportation that are strictly mod
ern, that will appeal to the public. and
that will place the road in a strategic
position so far as competition. is con-
cerned. Electrifcation will make travel
swifter and smoother. 1t will no doubt
lower costs ultimately. II will increase
passenger travel 1t will improve the
terminals physically, making them
cleaner and more healthful"
X e
Comparison with Europe Is made by
the Canton Daily News, which records
the interest on this side of the Atlantic
in what is being done abroad. "In
lump figures" declares that paper, "the
United States probably leads in the
electric railway movement among the
nations OF the world. But. relatively.
european countries are apace with il
not ahead OF, us in the electrifcation
OF railroads. In Switzerland, for in
stance, 1850 miles of standard rail-
road routes operate electric trains
Italy and Germany each have about $50
miles electrified. with France. Holland.
Poland and others making good prog
reSS In the change from steam-driven
70 electr1c-powered locomotives. II is
significant Of the extent of the Euro
pean development that an American
subcommittee Is crossing the Atlantic
10 study electrification of steam rail-
ROADS abroad. America usually has
pointed the way to Europe in transpor-
NfohNChiCHO, UuG LlUle lL
appears that We are to learn the
lesson"
Obstacles in the way Of achieving
the desired change in the Western
metropolis are mentioned by the Chi
cago Tribune, which quotes executives
OF the Pennsylvania and New York
Central as giving the impression that
nothing can be expected now at the
Chicago terminals, and that paper con-
tinues:
Both of these executives deny that
electrification of the New York terrni-
nails is favoritism to the East. 'Condi-
TONS they agree. are different In New
York from what they are in Chicago.
The distinction seems vague to us.
Smoke. SCOT and cinders, we should
Judge from the universally Of the hui
man constitution. are just as threaten
ing to the health of a citizen of Chi
cago as to a resident of New York City.
The buildings, clothes and homes of
Chicago are just as susceptible TO the
collection Of CRIME as the buildings.
clothes and homes Of New York. Chi
cago ears are no less sensitive to the
noise of steam locomotive than are
the composite ears Of New York City,"