Evening star., 1935-04-25
SAFETY DEVICES
NOT TO Be ADDED
B. 4 O. to Continue System
at Rockville, Where ID
Pupils Died.
BY JACK ALLEN,
Stan CORRESPONDENT Of The Star.


Stan Correspondent Of The Star.
BALTIMORE, Md, April 25.-The
Baltimore Il Ohio Railroad does not
plan the installation OF any additional
safety devices at the dangerous Rock
vile grade crossing, where IA Will
Transport children lost their lives in
. bus two weeks ago, 1t was learned
today.
Inquiries at the railways executive
Offices in Camden Station this morn
ing were met with the terse reply:
The Baltimore & Ohio contem-
plates no changes In the present sys-
tenn Of protecting the crossing at
Rockville. 1t is protected with the
usual signs. bells and watchman."
Residents Of Montgomery County
have for some time advocated the
establishment of blinker lights as an
added safeguard at the intersection
where the heavily-traveled Rockville
Eorheck Pike crosses the Baltimore g.
Ohio Railroad tracks and agitation
has greatly increased since the recent
calamity.
Stronger Watch Asked.
An official request for the assign
1nent Of watchman at the crossing
throughout the entire day and night
also vas forwarded to the railroad q
week ago by the Board of Mont
gomery County Commissioners.
The commissioners, in the letter
containing the request, called atten-
tion to an old law which requires the
railroad to maintain safety gates at
the Rockville crossing and also to
station a watchman at the intersec-
tion from 6 am. to midnight.
! Although the 23-year-old statute
provides a $50 penalty for each day
1t is violated, the commissioners claim
the railroad has not complied with
the law for some time.
{. At present the Rockville watchman
Is relieved of duty at 10 o'clock each
night, an hour and half before the
time when the Metropolitan Special,
crack St. Louis-NeW York express,
ploughed into the Williamsport School
bus.
1t had been expected by Rockville
citizens that the railway. although
cleared of blame by the court. might
install a system of flashing red lights
to warn of the approach Of trains
as result of the bus wreck, but to-
days announcement was regarded as
precluding such a possibility.
Kensington Installation.
= A system of that type, automatically
set into operation by approach Of
trains, was installed at Kensington
several years ago after a wreck that
took the lives 90 five persons. The
kenslngtn crossing also is protected
by gates.
The Rockville crossing at present Is
guarded by warning sonss operated
by an automatic bell circuit, reflector
type road signs and a red oil lantern
which burns constantly at night in
glass-incased box A watchmsn IS on
duty from 6 am. to 10 pm. each day.
= In addition, the State loads Com
mission maintains painted signs On
the surface of the highway to warn
motorists Of the crossing
= Percy Line. 34-year cid Hagerstown
bus driver. who is neld for the grand
jury on manslaugnter charge as a
, result of the accident, and ether sur
.vivors of the bus crash. declared IN
Lines preliminary hearing at Rock
willie Tuesday that they failed to see
or hear any Of the wari ing devices.
- Red Lantern Not Seen.
!. Line. together with Miss Louise Funk
science teacher in charge of the bus
party. and six WilliamSport students,
told the court that they did not see the
red lantern. that they did not see the
warning painted on the highway bed
and that they did not hear the auto
li1atic crossing gongs.
$, Miss Funk said she did see the
crossed arms of railroad sign few
feet from the tracks. but their first
iftimation Of the trains approach was
the glare of the headlight as the
locomotive bore down on the bus after
Il reached the rails.