The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1958-09-18

September s, 1858
Editor
Bluffton News
Dear Sir:
This is a reply to a letter dated
August "a, 1858 from Mr.. Waldo
Steiner, Pandora, Ohio printed in
your edition of August 28th con-
cerning the proposal of the Nick
el Plate railroad to remove
trains numbers nine and 10 be-
tween Cleveland and st. Louis.
Officers of the unions on the
Nickel Plate whose members are
affected are concerned about the
possible loss of jobs. Three engi-
neerS, three firemen, two con-
ductors, two baggagemen, three
brakemen, and three express
messengers are in regular serV-
ice on these runs. At Lima one
yard crew of five men would
probably be furloughed because
of work now performed in adding
equipment or removing it from
these trains. In Findlay a clerk
who serves Train No. 8 in the
evening would also very likely
be furloughed. Further cuts in
maintenance employees would al
so result. At least % jobs would
be eliminated.
There is a need for Nickel
Plate trains numbers nine and
10 between Cleveland and St
Louis. The New York Central al
so operates two trains each way
daily between these two cities
A few months ago the Central
applied to the Public Service
Commissions of Indiana and Hi.
nois to abandon all passenger
trains between Indianapolis anc
st, Louis which is a part of the
route from Cleveland to the lat
ter city. This company secured
permission to remove two rouno
trips daily between indianapolis
and st. Louis and the four re
manning trains are being operat
ed for a trial period. While it is
true that the Pennsylvania also
operates between indianapolis
and ST. Louis, only the Nicke
Plate and the Central operate di'
rectly from Cleveland. If the Cen
tral is successful in removing
their last service for portion oi
the route and Nickel Plate serv,
ice is removed there will be nc
through trains from Cleveland to
| ST. Louis by a direct line.
Trains numbers nine and lO or
the Nickel Plate are now losing
money. The slow schedules, the
departure times of train number
| 10 in particular in this area are
inconvenient. Coaches in use reg
ularly were built nearly 80 years
ago. The lights cannot DC
dimmed, the seat backs Will no
recline, and there is no provl
sion for any kind of eating Ia
cilities for either coach or Pull
man passengers. When the din
ers were removed, patrons were
not notified.
Modern attractive coaches con
structed within the last ten years
we're taken from these trans
many months ago. The Nlcke.
Plate management has not triec
any consistent effort to meet the
challenge of the private auto ano
the airplane. There are people III
the Bluffton community or else
where who must depend upon
railroad passenger transporta-
ton. There are too many whose
experience with Nickel Plate
coach service in the past year
has been unhappy.
There are excellent modern
Pullman sleeping cars on these
trains, but the fare for the ordi'
nary wage Garner is prohibitive
Other roads, like the Burlington
the b & o and the Missouri Pa
cific, have tried on certain runs
to reduce prices for sleeper ia
cilitieS.
To operate trains nine and II
on the present basis is SLOW
death. Nickel Plate management
has an obligation as a common
carrier to the communities i
serves to a degree far greater
than they are willing to assume
The Bluffton community year:
ago made sacrifices in order Il
assure the building of the rail
road. Today the Nickel Plate i:
one of the most prosperous roads
in the United States.
Despite what Mr.. Steiner says
to the contrary, the ICC and the
state service commissions are vi
tally necessary today and per
form needed functions.
The st. Marys Ohio Chamber
of Commerce has been of assist
ance in securing two cars of Stor
age mail for train number nine
several nights a week. Severa
weeks ago when Nickel Plate of
ficialS were trying to soften op
position to the removal of theS,
trains in many localities, one O
them is reported to have men
toned in st. MaryS that an ad