Engineers cautious in studying plans for grade problem

Railway Board continues inquiry into Northwest Toronto situation

City's plans considered

Our engineers are going to go into this thing very carefully, and nobody is going to get anything which they do not justify. The C. N. R. will have to show satisfactory reasons in support of its contention that the grade separation is not necessary on the Newmarket subdivision.

Such was the statement made yesterday afternoon by Chairman F. B. Carvell of the Dominion Railway Board before adjourning the inquiry into the proposed grade separations in the northwest end of the city. The Chairman announced that if the board succeeded in disposing of several minor cases this morning the discussion on grade separations would be continued this afternoon. If not, they would be resumed Friday morning.

City's plans considered.

Yesterday's sittings were devoted to consideration of the city's plans for the elevation of the C. P. R. North Toronto line; to the city's rebuttal tot he objections raised by the C. P. R. against elevation tot he main-line tracks between Bloor Street and West Toronto, and to the hearing of arguments for and against the construction of subways on the Newmarket subdivision of the C. N. R.

E. P. Flintoft, for the C. P. R., criticized the city's plans for alterations on the North Toronto line. The company, he said, would be prepared to construct five subways at Bartlett, Lansdowne, Symington, Dufferin, and Osler, but objected to additional subways at Perth and Primrose Avenues. G. R. Geary, for the city, claimed that it necessary that the grade at Osler Avenue be raised two and one-half feet in order to make room for the crossing of a main sewer.

Question of money.

Chairman Carvell suggested that there should be more indication of where the money was coming from for such an ambitious scheme as that proposed for the North Toronto line. Mr Geary said that would be discussed when apportionment of costs was brought up. But the Chairman advised caution, It's all very easy to submit a plan, but you know we are not like we were 10 or 15 years ago. We may make orders, but they may not be carried out.

Referring to the contention of the C. P. R. that the elevation of the main-line tracks to West Toronto would interfere with freight service to the industries located along the line, Mr. Geary stated that the necessary adjustments to sidings could be made without any difficulty.

Further, said Mr. Geary, the C. P. R.'s protest against the creation of a 1 per cent. grade on this section, on the ground of operating difficulties, did not indicate an insurmountable obstacle. Between Bathurst Street and Strachan Avenue C. P. R. was now pulling heavy traffic over an exactly similar grade.

City wants subways.

Mr. Geary declared that the city was still firm on its demand for grade separation on the Newmarket subdivision of the C. N. R. The proposed division of this line's through traffic to the main line would not solve the difficulty, as that would still leave level crossings which would be used by shunting trains. The city would continue to press for the subways which had been asked for in the first place. He added also that an 18-foot subway was needed at St. Clair Avenue in order to allow clearance for the T.T.C.'s double-decked busses.

Effect of track elevation.

J. C. MacFarlane and M. P. White appeared on behalf of the Canadian General Electric Company to protest against the raising of the Newmarket line. They claimed that track elevation would increase the grades on the sidings into their plans, and would greatly augment the difficulty of handling freight shipments. Mr. MacFarlane opposed the construction of subways at Wallace and Lappan Avenues.

W. Hanna, representing the Provincial Hydro-Electric Commission, stated that the proposed alterations on the Newmarket line would not cause harm to Hydro properties other than that which could be settled by damages.

Railways: C.N.Rys., C.P.Ry., T.T.C.

Stations: St. Clair Avenue

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