OGDENSBURG STREET RAILWAY COMPANY. (August 9, 1905.) August 4, 1905, I called on E. E. Hawkins President of the Ogdensburg Street Railway Company, and also made a supplementary inspection of that company's system. The company are reconstructing their lines in the business portion of the city, replacing old rail with seven-inch girder, laid on concrete ties. They have relaid about 1,100 feet of this rail, and outside of the business portion of the city they have reconstructed about 3,000 feet of track with 60-pound tee rail. The Hospital line has been extended 1,500 feet by new construction of 60-pound tee rail, and now extends to a summer resort known as Sandy Beach. All of the Hospital line has been resurfaced, aligned, rebonded, and new fish plates have been added. All of the summer cars have been repaired; trucks, motors, etc., put in proper condition, and car bodies painted. All of the winter cars are now being repaired in the same manner. The company have put up a repair shop with power tools, of sufficient capacity and with proper appliances for doing all their own car repairing. The company have contracted with a power company which will insure their receiving all of the power necessary for maximum operation. This contract takes effect September 15th of this year. The company have rail distributed for guard rail along that portion of the track which is constructed on the high bank along the Rutland railroad, and in compliance with the Board's recommendations this guard rail will be put in place this week. While this company has not complied with all of the Board's recommendations, I am assured by Mr. Hawkins that it is their intention to do so in the near future. They are endeavoring to put the system in good condition, and are expending a considerable amount of money on improvements. The important recommendations, and the ones which affect safety of operation which have not been complied with are the stop signs, copper trough on crossing of switch track on King street, copper trough on crossing of the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg railway tracks on River street, oil tail lights on cars running on the suburban lines, and double chain brakes on cars operated on heavy grades. Mr. Hawkins assured me that these recom mendations will receive his immediate attention, and will be complied with. A copy of this report was sent to the company, which answered as follows: OGDENSBURG, N. Y., Sept. 19, '05. Mr. J. S. KENNEDY, Sect. Board of Railway Comm., Albany, N. Y.: DEAR SIR. Since my conference with your Mr. Barnes we have placed stop signs as he recommended, have guarded the track along the high bank of the Rutland railroad. We are taking up the matter of oil tail lights and chain brakes on our cars. As we are trying to do away with the railroad grade crossings, in the near future, I have held off the matter of copper troughs. I wish to state that we are heartily in accord with Mr. Barnes's recommendations and we are doing everything possible for the safety of our patrons. Yours very truly, E. E. HAWKINS, See p. 508, 1st vol. 1904 report of this Board. (Case No. 2795.) OLEAN, ROCK CITY AND BRADFORD RAILROAD COMPANY. Pres. I have made a supplementary inspection of that portion of the Olean, Rock City and Bradford Railroad Company's system which is in the State of New York, and submit the following: At this date I find that no permanent improvement has been made in the company's track or roadbed. Temporary repairs have been made to the oridges and trestles, and at present they are safe for the traffic which passes over them. Some of the badly worn rail has been replaced by 48-pound rail taken from the tracks of the Bradford City railroad. Since the last supplementary inspection report on this road, dated August 2, 1904, a large portion of the track has been resurfaced and aligned, but at present there are a number of low joints and the alignment is not good. Between Bradford and Olean I found only two trackmen at work. A number of the rails which were badly worn have been turned, and are at present considerably worn on the other side of the ball. All cars operated over the line at present are equipped with air and hand brakes; sand is carried on each car. The running time has been restored to two hours. Methods of operation have been improved; the discipline appears to be good, and the road is in charge of a competent superintendent. While this road has been operated since the last inspection report was made without accidents, some of the conditions existing on it are favorable for their occurrence, and if it is operated until the spring of 1906 with the present track force, the track will certainly not be in safe condition to run cars on. Temporary repairs will not put this road in first-class condition. Its location is such that it should be a first-class road in construction and equipment. August 11 and 17, 1904, the company were cited before the Board in reference to the condition of this road, and at that time agreed to make temporary improvements in the roadbed, structures and cars, which they have done. They also stated that they were making financial arrangements which would enable them to reconstruct and reequip the road in a proper manner, which they would commence upon the completion of the financial arrangements which they were then negotiating. August 22, 1905, I was informed by an officer of the company that the financial negotiations pending at that time had not been completed, but they were in hopes to secure money from another source which would enable them to carry out their promises made to the Board. This railroad must be at least maintained in its present condition until the spring of 1906. By that time the rails now in use will be in such condition that the Board will be justified in taking proper steps to immediately close the road to traffic. To assure the maintenance of the track and roadbed in at least as good condition as it is at present, the following recommendations are made: Recommendations. 1. That the track force be increased to a sufficient number to properly maintain the track. 2. That on or before January 1, 1906, the company satisfy the Board of Railroad Commissioners of its financial ability and its purpose to entirely reconstruct the road from the State line to the Olean terminus, and to equip all of its cars operated between Bradford and Olean with motors of sufficient capacity. A copy of this report was sent to the company, with a letter making the recommendations in the report the recommendations of t.is Board. The company informed the Board as follows: BRADFORD, PA., Sept. 19, 1905. Honorable Board R. R. Commissioners., Mr. J. S. KENNEDY, Secy., Albany, N. Y.: DEAR SIR. I am in receipt of your esteemed favor of the 13th inst., also copy of report of Mr. Barnes, for which I thank you. We note your recommendations and shall endeavor to conform to same. At the time Mr. Barnes went over our road we were doing considerable reconstructing work in the city of Bradford, and temporarily diverted our trackmen from the Olean, Rock City and Bradford road to the city road for a few days only. I think in about two days after Mr. Barnes was here a suitable track force was put to work on the O., R. C. & B. line. We intend to make quite a number of improvements on our track this fall and we feel very confident that the portion of our line between State line and Olean will be reconstructed next spring in a manner satisfactory to your honorable Board. Very truly yours, CHAS. E. HUDSON, Manager. See p. 504, 1st vol. 1904 report of this Board. (Case No. 3196.) OSSINING ELECTRIC RAILWAY (WESTCHESTER TRACTION COMPANY). At p. 657, 1st vol. 1901 report of this Board, will be found a report as to the physical condition of this railroad. Under date of December 21, 1904, the electrical expert of this Board made the following report: In the matter of the recommendations of the Board of Railroad Commissioners, in reference to the physical conditions, car equipment and methods of operation of the Ossining Electric railway, at this date I find that the company have not complied with the first recommendation and cars are not equipped with emergency truck brakes. They have complied with the second recommendation by adding additional brake rods independently connected to the brake levers. They have complied with the third recommendation, and all open cars operated on the main line are equipped with sand boxes. In the matter of the fifth recommendation, in reference to guard rails on the Kill street bridge, there has been guard rails placed on the south rail from the east end of the bridge to a point about 120 feet west of the bridge. This guard rail shall be extended around the curve on the east end of the bridge. In the matter of the sixth recommendation, in reference to block signals, this has not been complied with. Regarding the seventh recommendation that cars be equipped with oil tail-lights; this has not been complied with. In the matter of the fourth recommenuation, which refers to the operation of cars without conductors on portions of this company's system and which was the subject of your letter of October 19, 1904, I find that the company have not complied with the Board's recommendation, which is "That there shall be a conductor on each car on the main line, while it is in operation." Safety of operation requires that this recommendation should be complied with, especially on a line on which there are as heavy grades as on the main line of this company's system. A copy of this report was sent to the company, with a letter calling its attention to the recommendations of this Board. The company answered as follows: NEW YORK, Mar. 16, 1905. I enclose you herewith copy of letter received from Mr. Chas. H. Stocum, General Manager, relative to the recommendations of the Commission as to the Westchester Traction Co. In addition to this I would say that it is confidently expected that active work on extension of this road will be commenced in a few weeks, which will change the entire situation, and render necessary the carrying out of the recommendations in all respects. Very truly yours, J. M. CRONLY, OSSINING, N. Y., Mar. 15, 1905. Mr. J. M. CRONLY, President, 120 Broadway, N. Y.: DEAR SIR.-Referring to the recommendations of the Board of Railroad Commissioners would report as follows: 1st. The matter of emergency truck brakes is quite a difficult one owing to the style of our trucks; it means practically reconstructing the trucks in order to put them on. 4th. The matter of cars being operated on main lines without conductors would advise that when the summer cars are put in operation that each car will have both a motorman and conductor. 5th. Regarding the guard rail on the Kill bridge would say that I have this rail already to be placed in position which will be done in the very near future. 6th. In reference to block signals would say that this seems quite unnecessary, as no car is allowed to proceed through switch or turnout until the car running in opposite direction is safely in said switch or turnout. 7th. Reparding the use of oil tail-lights seems unnecessary as at no time are there two cars between any two turnouts or switches, thus making rearend collisions impossible. (Case No. 2227.) Yours very truly, CHAS. H. STOCUM, ROCHESTER AND EASTERN RAPID RAILWAY. (January 31 1905.) January 29th I made a supplemental inspection of the Rochester and Eastern Rapid railway and submit the following: At this date I find that the track of this company is in fair condition, and greatly improved over what it was a year ago. It is in such shape that it is safe for the scheduled speed made over it and its improvement has materially added to the comfort of passengers riding over it, compared with last winter. On account of the snow I am unable to state whether the recommendation as to ballasting has been entirely complied with or not. See p. 511, 1st vol. 1904 report of this Board. (Case No. 3207.) MINUTES OF THE BOARD. REPORTED IN PURSUANCE OF SECTION 166 OF THE RAILROAD LAW. [For the treatment of complaints against corporations coming under the supervision of the Board, the following method of procedure has been adopted: Upon receipt of a complaint a copy of the complaint is at once forwarded to the officers of the corporation against which complaint is made, with the request to answer within ten days. Reply to the complaint is then transmitted to the complainant, and if the matter is not satisfactorily adjusted by correspondence, a public hearing, if necessary, is had before the Board and such order made as the evidence then adduced seems to warrant. Other matters coming before the Board are governed by rules of procedure, made by it, which rules are published in this volume.] NEW YORK, DECEMBER 9, 1904. The Board met pursuant to adjournment. Present, Commissioners Dunn and Dickey. Hearings. Application of the South Shore Traction Company for consent to the issue of a first mortgage for $3,000,000. Arthur C. Hume, A. J. Rodenbeck and J. T. Rogers (Mr. Rogers was not present) for the applicant. After hearing arguments the hearing was closed. (Case No. 3251.) Application of The Chateaugay and Lake Placid Railway Company for approval of an increase of its capital stock from $450,000 to $2,450,000. William S. Opdyke for the applicant. After hearing arguments the hearing was closed. (Case No. 3240.) Application of the New York and Canada Railroad Company for approval of an increase of its capital stock from $4,000,000 to $9,000,000. William S. Opdyke for the applicant. After hearing arguments the hearing was closed. (Case No. 3239.) Application of the Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company for consent to the issue of a mortgage for $10,000,000. W. N. Dykman for the applicant. After hearing arguments the hearing was closed. (Case No. 3260.) Reports. Report of the inspector and the superintendent of the grade crossing bureau, dated December 9, 1904, of their examination on December 2 of the Erie Railroad Company's bridge spanning the Chenango river and the island at Binghamton. Ordered copy sent company with a letter of recommendation as shown by office original letter of recommendation on file. (Case No. 3264.) The Secretary was directed to ask the opinion of the Attorney-General of the jurisdiction of this Board over the operation of the railroad subway in New York city operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company. (Case No. 3263.) |