STYX RAILWAY CROSSING.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16205, 7 May 1918, Page 2

STYX RAILWAY CROSSING.

THE DEPARTM KXT'S ATTITUDE. The Styx railway crossing came under the attention of the City Council again j last evening, when a furtiwr letter v.'as I received from the General Manager of | Railways, who stated that the qucs--1 tion of placing crossing alarm bolls at some iurthcr distance from the railway had had careful consideration. The removal of the bells to* such a distance as had been suggested would make this supervision by the 'railway staff more difficult. Tile present arrangement was of valup in thiit it enabled the railway staff on evorv passing train to satisfy themselves that thn bells yore in good order. The removal oi : the bells to a considerable distance from the line and their unobserved failure to ring would certainly lay the Department open to serious criticism if an accident occurred. There was also the fact that the bells served to warn pedestrians as well as vehicular traffic, and for this purpose it was desirable that they should not be far from the railway line. In placing the bells the Department, was following the practice which was general in other places where bells wer<; used. For these reasons it, was considered inadvisable to place warnimr bells as far from the railway lino as the Coijncil suggested.

_ Cr. Climie said the letter was entirely unsatisfactory, though it was amusing. He, contended that the bells were useless unless some yards away. Someone 011 the station should be able to hear the bells.

The letter was referred to the ByLaws Committee. •