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considering these recommendations in connection with the conditions of traffic at the various points, we have determined to take action as follows:

1. Vanderbilt avenue and Atlantic avenue.-We note that no recommendation is made for further protection at this point on account of contemplated change in the steam tracks on Atlantic avenue, which will remove the steam tracks from grade.

2. Junction of Prospect Park and Coney Island R. R. at Kensington.We note that no recemmendation is made for further protection at this point. 3. P. P. & C. I. R. R. and Bay Ridge division of Long Island R. R. crossing at Parkville.-The recommendations are as follows: This crossing should be protected by derails and signals in the electric track interlocked with derails and signals in the steam road, these arranged so that during the summer season they will be operated by a man located at this point, during the winter season by conductors of electric cars or Long Island trains. Copper troughs should be placed on trolley wires extending over the crossing." We will take action to install derails and signals in the electric tracks interlocked with derails and signals on the steam road to be operated in accordance with the above recommendations. Because of the infrequency of service on the steam road at all seasons, and on the electric road except during the summer months, we beg to disregard the recommendation for the installation of trough work.

4. West Eighth street, Coney Island, crossing of the Nassau electric railroad with the P. P. & C. I. R. R.—We note that no recommendation is made for added protection at this point.

5. New Utrecht avenue and Bay Ridge division of the Long Island railroad near Sixty-second street.-Recommendation is that copper troughs should be placed on trolley wires extending over this crossing. For the reasons explained in paragraph No. 3 we beg to disregard the recommendation respecting the installation of troughs.

6. Stillwell and Railroad avenues, Coney Island.-We note that no recommendation is made by the electrical expert for the installation of additional safety appliances at this crossing.

7. Neptune avenue and Manhattan Beach division of the Long Island railroad. Recommendation is made as follows: "There should be copper troughs placed on trolley wires extending over this crossing." We will comply with this recommendation.

8. Ocean avenue and Manhattan Beach division of the Long Island R. R.— Recommendation is made for copper troughs. We will comply with this recommendation.

9. Flatbush avenue and Manhattan Beach division of the Long Island R. R.-Recommendation is made for copper troughs and the renewal of the special work of the crossing. We will comply with this recommendation.

10. Liberty avenue and Manhattan Beach division of the Long Island R. R.-Recommendation is made for copper troughs and renewal of the special work of the crossing. We will comply with this recommendation. 11. Rockaway avenue and Manhattan Beach division of the Long Island R. R.-Recommendation is made for copper trough. We will comply with this recommendation.

12. Rockaway avenue and Atlantic avenue division of the Long Island R. R. We note that no recommendation is made for further protection at this crossing on account of contemplated change in the steam tracks, which will remove them from grade.

13. Broadway and Manhattan Beach division of the Long Island R. R. 14. Fulton street and Manhattan Beach division of the Long Island R. R.— We note that recommendations are made respecting these two crossings as follows: "There should be copper troughs placed on trolley wires extending over the crossing and the special work of the Fulton street crossing should be renewed." We will comply with the recommendations both as respects copper troughs at both crossings and renewal of special work in the Fulton street crossing. As to the derail suggested in the eastbound steam track on the west side of the crossing we assume that this is an improvement in which the Long Island railroad alone is concerned. (In the report the tracks on Fulton street are referred to as being the property of the Brooklyn,

Queens County and Suburban Railroad Company. These tracks are the property of the Brooklyn City Railroad Company.)

15. Jamaica avenue and Manhattan Beach division of the Long Island R. R.-Recommendation is made for copper troughs. We will comply with this recommendation.

16. Myrtle avenue and Manhattan Beach division of the Long Island R. R. -Recommendation is made for troughs and renewal of special work in crossing. As there is but limited service on the steam tracks except during the summer season, and the traffic on the Myrtle avenue trolley line is light, we beg to disregard the recommendation for the installation of troughs. Repairs to the special work will be given attention.

17. Cypress avenue and Manhattan Beach division of the Long Island R. R. -Recommendation is made for copper troughs. The conditions at this point are similar to those at Myrtle avenue referred to in paragraph 16, the service being more infrequent on Cypress avenue than on Myrtle avenue. We, therefore, beg leave to disregard this recommendation.

18. Myrtle avenue and Gates avenue and Greenpoint division of the Long Island R. R.—We note that no suggestion for added protection at this point is made.

19. Halsey street and Greenpoint division of the Long Island R. R.-We note that no suggestion is made for added protection at this point.

20. Freshpond road and Montauk and Bushwick divisions of the Long Island R. R.-We note that no added protection at this point is suggested.

21. Metropolitan avenue and Montauk and Bushwick divisions of the Long Island R. R.-We note that no added protection at this point is suggested. 22. Flushing avenue and Montauk division of the Long Island R. R.Recommendation is made for copper troughs. This recommendation will be complied with.

23. Flushing avenue and Bushwick division of the Long Island R. R.— Recommendation is made for copper troughs and the renewal of the special work of the crossing. We will make repairs to the special work, but on account of the infrequent steam service operated at this point we beg leave to disregard the recommendation respecting troughs.

24. Flushing avenue and Greenpoint branch of the Long Island R. R.— No additional protection at this point is suggested.

25. Metropolitan avenue and Bushwick branch of the Long Island R. R. -Recommendation is made for copper troughs and the renewal of the special work of the crossing. We will comply with the recommendation respecting repairs to the special work in the crossing. As to the installation of troughs we beg leave to disregard this recommendation.

26. Greenpoint avenue and Montauk branch of the Long Island R. R.Recommendation is made for copper troughs. We will comply with this recommendation.

In the matter of troughs I beg to advise that we are investigating the use of sheet-iron in place of copper. We assume that the substitution of such troughs for copper will be satisfactory to your Board, and after we have completed our investigation as to the use of such troughs, we will communicate with you further. In the meantime we will defer action in the matter of placing troughs. All the other improvements referred to will be given our attention.

Yours truly,

J. F. CALDERWOOD,
Vice-President and General Manager.

Subsequently and under date of December 15, 1904, the electrical expert reported as follows:

In the matter of the recommendations of the Board of Railroad Commissioners in reference to protection at crossings of steam railroad tracks by the tracks of the different companies operated by the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company, 1 submit the following:

At the crossing of the double tracks of the Nassau electric railroad and the double tracks of the Atlantic avenue division of the Long Island railroad

on Vanderbilt avenue, operation on the steam tracks has been abandoned and the tracks are being removed from the street.

The Parkville crossing of the double tracks of the Prospect Park and Coney Island railroad and the double tracks of the Bay Ridge division of the Long Island railroad:-plans have been prepared for the equipment of ths crossing, in accordance with the Board's recommendations.

The company are in correspondence with the manufacturers of copper troughs, and expect to be able to comply with the Board's recommendations in reference to copper troughs at all of the crossings in the early spring. With the above exceptions the Board's recommendation for protection at crossings of this company's system have not been complied with.

A copy of this report was sent to the company, which informed the Board as follows:

BROOKLYN, N Y., Feb. 20th, 1905. Mr. GEO. W. ALDRIDGE, Secretary State Board of Railroad Commissioners, Albany, N. Y.:

DEAR SIR.-Referring to recommendations made on August 8th last by the Railroad Commission respecting the installation of signals for the protection of the crossing of the P. P. & C. I. R. R. with the Bay Ridge branch of the Long Island railroad known as Parkville crossing, this matter has been the subject of correspondence with the Long Island R. R. Co. since that time and President Potter now advises me that work will be started on the Bay Ridge branch improvement at that point in the near future, which consists of building abutment walls for the Gravesend avenue bridge, and as this will necessitate a temporary change of the tracks of the Long Island R. R. Co., and possibly also of the P. P. & C. I. R. R., it will render inoperative any interlocking devices which may be installed at that point; and, furthermore, any interlocking devices which are installed to protect the present grade crossings will not be required after the improvement at that point is completed. In view of this, it is recommended that a flagman be placed at the crossing at all times. It was our practice during the season when frequent service was operated over the P. P. & C. I. line to maintain a flagman at all hours, and the proposed plan contemplates the employment of a flagman the year round and at all hours of the day and night.

At present the rules governing this point require that conductors of electric and steam trains shall precede their train and from the crossing flag the train across. In view of the above we respectfully request that the Commssion approve the employment of a flagman at all hours and in all seasons until such time as the grade crossing is eliminated. May I request an early reply?

Yours truly,

J. F. CALDERWOOD,
Vice-President and General Manager.

The Board informed the company as follows:

ALBANY, April 3, 1905.

J. F. CALDERWOOD, ESQ., Vice-Pres. and Gen. Mgr. The Brooklyn Heights R. R. Co., 168 Montague Street, Brooklyn, N. Y.:

DEAR SIR.-Referring further to your letter to this Board of Feb. 20 last, in relation to the stationing of a fragman at all hours at the crossing at grade of the Prospect Park and Coney Island railroad (leased to and operated by the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company) and the Bay Ridge branch of the Long Island railroad, the crossing being known as the Parkville crossing. I have to say that, under the circumstances as stated in your letter, if a flagman is employed at this crossing at all times, the Board will consider this a compliance with its fecommendation contained in its letter to E. W. Winter, the president of the company, of August 8 last.

Very truly yours,

E. C. MCENTEE,

Assistant Secretary.

ELMIRA WATER, LIGHT AND RAILROAD COMPANY.

(December 11, 1905.)

At p. 499, 1st vol. 1904 report of this Board, will be found a statement of the condition of the Lake street bridge in Elmira, used by cars of this company. A new bridge is being constructed at this point. (Case No. 2327.)

KINGSTON CONSOLIDATED RAILROAD COMPANY.

(July 22, 1905.)

Report by Superintendent of Grade Crossing Bureau.

Concerning the complaint of "A Resident" as to the absence of the guard wire above the trolley wire of the Kingston Consolidated railroad, from the Strand to the car barn, on Broadway, in the city of Kingston, "except in two spots of about 50 ft. each,"-I have to report that while the complainant is not wholly accurate in his statements, he is in the main correct.

The Strand is a street within a few hundred feet of the Hudson river; the car barn is perhaps three-quarters of a mile to the west. The alignment of Broadway, on which the tracks of the electric railroad are located, is very irregular.

Beginning at the car barn there is a guard over the trolley wire for about 150 feet toward the east; from this point there is no guard until Chestnut street is reached; about 100 feet west of this street a guard wire running from one of the side poles is up and extends for a distance of about 800 feet easterly to McEntee street. This is the extent of the guard wire protection. There is a considerable number of wires on each side of Broadway, and wires cross the trolley wire at the following intersecting and joining streets where there is no guard wire: Stuyvesant, East Pierpont, Meadow, West Union, Abeel and Mill. Incidentally, it may be stated that the guard wire west of the car barn to the West Shore tracks is missing also. In the 800-ft. stretch between Chestnut and McEntee streets where there is a guard wire, the latter is so placed at some points that it really forms no guard at all. For instance, on the curve just east of Chestnut street the guard and trolley wire are stretched in different chord lengths in such a manner that at some places the distance in a horizontal plane between verticals through the wires appears to be about six feet.

The Board in 1892, in granting the application by the Kingston City Railroad Company for a change of motive power, made five recommendations, the fourth of which is quoted: "The company shall construct a guard wire over the trolley or feed wire so as to prevent broken telegraph, telephone or other wires coming in contact with it." It is evident that this recommendation was carried out at that time, as the cross wires which formerly supported the guard wire are in most places still up.

A copy of this report was sent to the company, with the recommendation that proper precautions in this matter be taken. The company informed the Board as follows:

KINGSTON CONSOLIDATED R. R. Co.

Office of the General Manager, 320 Broadway.

KINGSTON, N. Y., August 10, 1905.

E. C. MCENTEE, Esq., Ass't Sec'y Board of Railroad Commissioners, Albany, N. Y.:

DEAR SIR.-I beg to acknowledge your letter of August 9th relative to guard wires.

Thirteen years ago, when the guard wire provision was made, it was generally believed that direct current at 550 volts was extremely dangerous,

and that a wire over the trolley would afford some degree of protection. Since that time it has been demonstrated that such a current is not highly dangerous, and furthermore that such a wire affords no reliable protection. In this latter connection our experience here teaches us that it is better to have a crossed wire burn clear than to hang over near the trolley making occasional swinging contacts. I have never known a single instance when a wire laid over this guard wire without coming in contact with the trolley. With the foregoing in mind it is but natural for us to feel a hesitancy about continuing a construction which we think dangerous, especially as the most progressive trolley companies at the present time regard it as obselete. Yours very truly,

The Board did not proceed further in the matter.

C. GORDON REEL. (Case No. 3343.)

NIAGARA GORGE RAILROAD COMPANY.

(July 31, 1905.)

In the matter of the steel guard rail which the Niagara Gorge Railroad Company are placing on their tracks along the bank of the Niagara river, I submit that on July 17, 1905, I made an investigation and found that the company are replacing the guard timber on the high bank and heavy grade on the Niagara Falls end of the line, by a new eight by ten-inch yellow pine guard timber, bolted, with nut and washer, through every fourth tie, joints beveled, and splices bolted. This work was being done and the company had on hand all of the timber necessary for its completion. They were also replacing the guard timber along the other portions of the route with 60-pound tee rail, placed on high chairs, which were spiked to every fifth tie. Work was being done on this portion of the line, and the company had on hand enough rail to replace about two miles of the old timber.

The work on the high bank and heavy grade is being done in a first-class manner, and when completed will afford as good if not better protection than did the original guard timber. The work being done on the remaining portion of the line will result in better protection than was furnished by the guard timber originally placed along the river bank, but some improvement could be made in the manner of placing this guard rail. The chairs are now spiked to the ordinary ties, which in some cases are too short for that purpose. In some cases the chair ties are of soft wood. The rail splices are fish plates, a portion of which extends beyond the inner surface of the rail. This projection makes an obstruction to the flange of a derailed wheel, and might cause it to climb the rail.

It is the company's intention to extend the work of the construction of the steel guard rail over a number of years. On account of the physical conditions on this road the importance of the guard rail is such that the whole line should be equipped with it as soon as possible.

To increase the element of safety caused by the construction of the guard rail along the river bank, the following recommendations are made:

Recommendations.

1. That all chair ties be of cak, seven by nine inches by nine feet six inches.

2. That the present fish plates used for joints be replaced by a close-fitting iron plate on the track side of the rail.

3. That the work of construction of the guard rail along the whole of the line be completed not later than May 1, 1906.

A copy of this report was sent to the company, with a letter making the recommendations in the report the recommendations of this Board. See p. 503, 1st vol. 1904 report of this Board. (Case No. 2279.)

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