Evening star., 1953-01-18
Station Rushes
Repairs for
Inauguration
Terminal Dressed Up
For Visitors; Engine
Still Lies in Basement

CoQay as inaugural V1SlCOrS began
to flow through the terminal in
ever increasing numbers.
A wooden floor surfaced with
quick-drying asphalt had been
built over the 75x120-foot hole
torn in the floor of the con-
course when an engine and lead
cars Of the Pennsylvania Rail-
roads Federal Express plowed
into the station and wound I'D
in the basement.
Every effort was made to ef.
face traces of an accident
which injured 43 passengers,
caused about 50 million damage
and missed being a major dis
aster by the narrowest Of mar
gins.
The custodians of the terminal
property pushed the repair work
night and day to the limit Of
men and materials.
They were determined that
Union Station, a favorite with
several generations Of inaugural
celebrants, will present the best
possible appearance for the
occasion.
Little Evidence Of Crash.
BY early morning today there
was little on the surface to in
dicate that a 200-ton locomotive
and three steel coaches had
crushed through the concrete
and steel floor of the concourse.
The coverup job was carried
to the extent Of spreading some
sooty dust over the temporary
floor in the center of the great
concourse to match the sections
on either side, a station at
tendant said.
Thousands of visitors will move
through the terminal unaware
that a giant locomotive lies on
its side in the basement beneath
them.
Only the roof and the barri-
cades between the tracks and
concourse remain as visible re-
minders.
A Senate inquiry into the crash
will open Wednesday. Summoned
to testify at public hearing are
members of the train crew and
personnel from the control tow
ers and stationmaster's Office.
Others May Be Called.
Chairman Tobey. Republican,
of New Hampshire, said other
witnesses may be called later
before the Interstate and For
eign Commerce Committee, and
the hearing probably will last
several days. 81
The committee staff has been
investigating the accident since
Thursday, along with the FBI,
railroad officials, and agents of
the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. 4s
Senator Tobey refused to COM
ment on reports that sabotage
may have been responsible for
an apparent obstruction in the
air brake system Of the 16-car
express out of Boston. Failure of
the dual system of brakes caused
the train to run wild on the
central approach to the station.
After the inaugural the shell
and frame of the electric engine
will be cut with torches into
three or four sections.
The parts then will be ex-
amined for a clue to the brake
failure and removed on a ramp
leading up to the tracks.
Air Brakes of Interest.
The air brake and speed con-
troll installations are of special
interest, along with the wiring on
a system of electrical brakes sup
posed to back-stop the air brakes.
The electrical brakes are at
tached to the axles while the
air brakes bring pressure on the
wheels.
The wrecked locomotive is fit
ted with an automatic safety de-
vice which blows a whistle in
the cab if the train exceeds pre-
scribed speeds in various zones
established along the right of
way.
Electrical brakes are supposed
to be applied automatically if the
warning whistle is not needed
within six seconds.
The engineer, Harry w.
Brewer. 81, of Philadelphia, told
Washington detectives that both
the air and electrical systems
failed, and he tried to halt the
speed of the train by reversing
the electric motors, but was un-
able to do this in time.
The Federal apparently made
the 40-mile run from Baltimore
at a speed averaging so miles
an hour. Clocks stopped by the
impact stood at 1886 am. The
train was said to have left Bal
timore at 1855 am, running Is
minutes late. It was due at
Union Station at 500 am.
Nine Minutes Made Up.
Somewhere between Washing
ton and Baltimore, the express
, train seems to have made up
part Of the lost time-about nine
minutes, If the clocks here were
right.
The train ran off the end of
Track Is here at a speed esti-
mated at so miles an hour.
Representative Wolverton, Re-
publican Of New Jersey, and
chairman of the House Interstate
and Foreign Commerce Com
mittee, said his group may in
vestigate the accident, but a de-
cision probably will be withheld
until after the hearings called
by the ICC for January 26.
Members Of both Congress
Sional committees have inspected
the scene Of the accident.
First Claim for Baggage
Lost in Wreck Received
Union Station officials said