Evening star., 1931-12-28
PENNSY PUTS COSTS.
Of TUNNEL PROJECT.
AT {5O,OIlI,o]D SUM
Proposed Tube Under River
Would Involve Shifting of
Yards and Market.
NETTLETON SAYS ROAD
WILL STOP USING COAL
Abandonment of Present Trackage
and Building of Food Center
Boost Expense of Plan.

Engineers Of the Pennsylvania Rail.
road have estimated that a railroad
tunnel under the Potomac River, as
proposed by the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission, would cost
38,000,0 900 and that rearrangement OF
freight facilities would run up the eX-
penditure to $50,000,000.
This was made known today by j. G
Nettleton, general agent of the Penn
sylvania Railroad in the National Capt.
tai, who told The Star that officials OF
the road are giving the proposal care
ful study and propose to cooperate
closely with the Federal Government
in any plan found practicable.
OficialS of the planning commission
prior to publication Of the railroad tun-
mel proposal IN the annual report yes
terday, had conferred with Pennsyl-
vania Railroad authorities on the plan,
With Mr.. Nettleton, Lieut. Col. U. S,
Grant Sd, vice chairman and executive
officer of the commission, and Charles
w Eliot, I'd, its director of planning
had consulted with the Pennsylvania
executives in Philadelphia. The whole
project was examined by the engineers
of the railroad and is now receiving
the attention of its high officials.
VIII Stuuy
Authorities at general headquarters
In Philadelphia told The Star by te!e-
phone today that the study Of the tun-
mel under the river will be made to
determine feasibility Of the project, its
effect on traffic and costs. They ex-
pressed renewed interest in the plan,
although they have not yet received a
copy of the commissions annual re-
port giving further details and the re-
lation of the project to Southwest
Washington generally.
Mr. Nettleton said that an act of
Congress would be necessary to bring
about realization of the program. Under
tha acts CT 1923, under which the
Pennsylvania Railroad abandoned its
Passenger staten at Sixth street and
Pennsylvania avenue, paving the way
for the Union Station development,
both the Government and the railroad
made concessions. The Planning Com
mission wants the railroad tracks along
Virginia and Maryland avenues south
west abandoned. Mr.. Nettleton pointed
out that the carrier occupies these
avenues under the legislation setting
up the Union Station. At that time,
he said, it was never contemplated that
DEVELOPMENT of Federal projects in that
vicinity would 60 forward.
There is an implied contract be-
teen the Government and the Pennsyl-
y2nia Eailrccd, unGe- which the rail-
road is now u5i-g Virginia and Mary
land avenues for its tracks he said.
Would Abandon Present Yards.
The planning commission first sug-
gested that the tracks be Strengthened
out, taking out the Maryland Virginia
avenue hump, he explained, as 1t was
this plan was abandoned, as it was
found that this procedure would give
only a couple Of blocks for Federal
development, to the south. Then the
proposal for a railroad tunnel under
the Potomac River was advocated at
the conference in Philadelphia, and the
commission enlarged on thlS program
in its annual report.
Mr. Nettleton pointed out that aban-
donmcnt Of the tracks clong Maryland
and Virginia aTeaues and construction
of the tunnel under the river, from
point near the Army War College to
Four Mile Run, Va. would mean the
junking of the $2,000,000 market cen
ter near the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing, at Fourteenth and Water
streets southwest, as well as abandon
ment of the railroad bridge across the
Potomac River.
EuIIDeI. III MOulu tDIdll
of a number of yards of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad in Southwest Washing
ton to which trucking facilities are now
available. While establishment Of a new
freight station at First street and North
Carolina avenue southeast as suggested
in the commissions annual report,
would not seriously inconvenience truck
ing interests, it would concentrate dis
tribution centers, now at a number OF
points. and would mean that the size Of
the yard would have to be extensive.
At the present time the Pennsylvania
Railroad has its team track yard at
Fourteenth and Water streets its
Twelfth street southwest yard for per-
ishable delivery. its Ninth street south
west ward for team track delivery, main
" of automobiles; its Sixth street south
west ward for miscellaneous distribution
and its Four -and-a-haf street yard,
with its freight sheds and tracks. Then
there is the New Jersey avenue coal
storage yard, where much Of the ma
terial going into the construction OF the
new Government buildings here is
stored A cold-storage plant at Thir-
tenth and Water streets, serves whole
salers in that vicinity. and freight cars
can be spotted" right at the premises
of the commission men, facilitating the
sale Of whole carload lots.
Estimates Outlay Of $4,000, 600.
Adoption Of the program of the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission would mean the virtual aban-
donment of all these facilities OF the
Pennsylvania Railroad in Southwest
Washington, as well as abandonment o1
its trackage along Maryland and Vlr-
ginia avenues and the various spur
tracks leading into the food district
The railroad recently constructed new
bridge across Water street to carry
freight cars into the new who, ,esaling
district for the distribution OF food
stuffS.
The wiping out of these facilities and
the erection OF a new food distribution
center, together with the construction
of the railroad tunnel beneath the Po-
tomac River, would mean the outlay Of
some $50,000,000, the general agent as
serted. Mr.. Nettleton added signifi-
cantly that the question of who is t
pay for all this has not yet been con.
sidered. The new food distribution cen.
ter would be placed in the BuzzardS
Point area in all probability, Mr.. Net.
tleton said.
The Pennsylvania Railroad is now
expending great sums Of money in it
program of electrifcation OF its line.
between Washington and New York
that will permit trains to travel be-
tween these two points in from thre'
20 four hours Some $55 900, 900 is nov
being spent in Philadelphia in the re
arrangement of the tracks Of the Penn
sylvania Railroad and for the con
struction Of new passenger station
Mr.. Nettleton pointed out. In Balti
more, Nd, some s22,000,o00 is beinl
spent on a new tunnel there as tht
mictrifc "a tion Dropram is advanced