Evening star., 1943-04-06

coiilI -. III oOhNN. Ji.. llldll llldIl VI
the Emergency Transportation Com
mittee for Northern Virginia. said
today he had suggested to officials
Of the Washington & Old Dominion
Railroad that an additional trip be
scheduled each day over the run
between Rosslyn and Leesburg.
MI. Brookes letter to w. & o. D.
officials, copy of which was sent
to the State Corporation Commits
sion. was made public today follow
ing a report to the commission by
G. c. Baggett, vice president and
general manager of the line. that
the recently passenger
service was operated at a loss of
$1698 a day for the first 10 days.
Mr. Brookes said he pointed out
to railroad officials that the one
round trip daily is bearing the en-
tire passenger burden on the line
He said that if another trip were
added in the middle of the day the
service might be expected to show
profit
Schedule Change Urged.
Mr. Brookes also said that a num-
ber of Gosarnment workers had
reported to him that they could not
always rely on quitting work at 5 80
in the afternoon and catching the
night train which leaves Rosslyn at
sos o'clock. He said that he had
suggested to w. & o. D. officials
that the train be held in the Rosslyn
station until 6:l5 o'clock.
In the report to the commission
MI Baegett said the daily deficit
already has become somewhat bur-
densome and will continue more so
as time goes on" He expressed
hope that time limit on the expert
mental service soon may be set.
Mrs. Nellie o. Fletcher, who
PLAYED a prominent role in obtain
ing the order from the commission
for the resumption Of the passenger
service on a trial basis. said more
people would ride the train if its
schedule were speeded up and COM
muter tickets were sold at reduced
| rates.
Commuter Tickets Suggested.
Mrs. Fletcher said that "all bus
lines now sell commuter tickets
which give reduced rates to those
constantly using their facilities. =
and added that there was no reason
why regular commuters using the
w. & o. D. could not expect the
same service"
She also said she had been in
formed by an official of the ODT
that the schedule between Leesburg
and Rosslyn could be safely speed
ed up" making it possible for trains
to leave Leesburg as late as 6 80 m.
and still reach RoSSlyn at the same
time. The train now leaves Lees
I burg at 6 am. and arrives here at
TAO o'clock.
Asserting that the people of Pur-
cellville have been left out as far
as the new passenger service is con-
cerned, Mrs. Fletcher said that by
extending the run miles farther
an estimated Is additional passen-
gers would become patrons of the
line
Mrs. Fletcher also said that a
number of Northern Virginians
have said they would favor a spe-
cial train on Sundays Many work
in Washington on Sunday. she said
and others have stated they would
like to use the train to go to church.
Little Support" Given Line.
/ The operating costs from March
22-the day service was resumed
through March 81, totaled S533,78 or
an average of $500 per day. Mr.
Baggett reported. The amount did
not include any public liability in
surance. the costs of which have
not yet been ascertained: any
/ amount for supervision on the part
of operating officials, or anything
| for contingencies, he said.
/ Receipts in the same time
amounted to s30965 and averaged
S34 40 a day or 1888 less day
| than the average daily operating
cost.
An analysis of the cash fare re-
ceipts," the report added, show that
there has been little support of the
service by the public in the highly
congested section of Arlington Coun-
ty between Falls Church and Ross
| lyn. where the fare is 10 cents, and
where there is through bus service
| to and from downtown Washington.
The lack of patronage of the service
by the public was also experienced in
the Dunn Loring-Vienna sections,
where the fares to Rosslyn are 20
cents and Is cents. respectively, ana
from which sections so much was
promised and expected.
"Only a Few" Use Train.
only few short-haul passengers
are using the train from Leesburg.
''All of this clearly proves that for
the most part war workers and
others are still making use of auto
mobiles, either singly or in groups,
to reach their places Of employment
~