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In the matter of the application of Grover C. Dillman, State Highway Commissioner, for additional protection at the crossing of the tracks of The Ann Arbor Railroad Company with US-23 highway near the south limits of Whitmore Lake, Washtenaw County, Michigan. D-2760. April 24, 1933.

An order having been issued in this matter by the Michigan Public Utilities Commission on January 25, 1933, requiring the Ann Arbor Railroad Company to install and maintain a track circuit flashing light signal system at said crossing within ninety (90) days from date thereof, the Commission is now in receipt of a letter from V. Parvin, General Superintendent of The Ann Arbor Railroad Company, requesting an extension of time in which to comply with said order for the reason that some of the special material ordered for this installation has not been received. -

Upon receipt of said letter the matter was taken up with the State Highway Department and the Commission is now advised by letter from the State Highway Commissioner that it will be satisfactory to the State Highway Department for this Commission to grant an extension of thirty days to the Ann Arbor Railroad Company for the completion of said flashing light signals. The Commission, after due consideration of this matter, has concluded that an extension of thirty days from April 25, 1933, should be grante An order having been issued in this matter by the Michigan Public Utilities Commission on January 25, 1933, requiring the Ann Arbor Railroad Company to install and maintain a track circuit flashing light signal system at said crossing within ninety (90) days from date thereof, the Commission is now in receipt of a letter from V. Parvin, General Superintendent of The Ann Arbor Railroad Company, requesting an extension of time in which to comply with said order for the reason that some of the special material ordered for this installation has not been received. - Upon receipt of said letter the matter was taken up with the State Highway Department and the Commission is now advised by letter from the State Highway Commissioner that it will be satisfactory to the State Highway Department for this Commission to grant an extension of thirty days to the Ann Arbor Railroad Company for the completion of said flashing light signals.

The Commission, after due consideration of this matter, has concluded that an extension of thirty days from April 25, 1933, should be grante An order having been issued in this matter by the Michigan Public Utilities Commission on January 25, 1933, requiring the Ann Arbor Railroad Company to install and maintain a track circuit flashing light signal system at said crossing within ninety (90) days from date thereof, the Commission is now in receipt of a letter from V. Parvin, General Superintendent of The Ann Arbor Railroad Company, requesting an extension of time in which to comply with said order for the reason that some of the special material ordered for this installation has not been received. - Upon receipt of said letter the matter was taken up with the State Highway Department and the Commission is now advised by letter from the State Highway Commissioner that it will be satisfactory to the State Highway Department for this Commission to grant an extension of thirty days to the Ann Arbor Railroad Company for the completion of said flashing light signals. The Commission, after due consideration of this matter, has concluded that an extension of thirty days from April 25, 1933, should be granted to the Ann Arbor Railroad Company in which to comply with the in stallation of said flashing light signals with the understanding that if said signals are not installed at the expiration of said thirty day extension, that you maintain a watchman at said crossing to warn traffic of the approach of engines and trains until such time as said signals are installed and placed in operation.

THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, By the Michigan Public Utilities Commission, that an extension of thirty days from April 25, 1933, be and the same is hereby granted to the Ann Arbor Railroad Company in which to complete the installation of flashing light signals as required in the order of this Commission of January 25, 1933, at the crossing of its tracks with US-23 highway near the south limits of Whitmore Lake; Provided, in case said signals are not installed and in operation at the expiration of said thirty day extension that you maintain a watchman at said crossing to warn traffic of the approach of engines and trains until such time as said signals are installed and placed in operation. MICHIGAN PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION.

The Owosso Argus-Press May 12, 1933

LOSS TO BE HEAVY IN WABASH WRECK

Little of Freight in Azalia Crash Can Be Salvaged, It is Declared

Loss will run heavy on the wreck of the Wabash freight train which was derailed on the Ann Arbor Railroad track at Azalia, between Dundee and Milan, Wednesday night. Twelve cars were demolished and little of the contents can be salvaged. Approximately 8,000 gallons of gasoline were poured onto the ground when one of the tank cars was piled up.

The track was torn up for about 200 feet but was repaired by noon Thursday and the Ann Arbor passenger, No. 52, Thursday afternoon, was able to get through on time.

Passenger No. 51, Thursday morning, was made to detour by way of Romulus.

The wreck was entirely in the confines of the Wabash Railroad and the accident will not injure the safety record of the Ann Arbor, which is one of the most enviable in the county for a railroad of the Ann Arbor's size.

The Owosso Argus-Press May 31, 1933

Now word has yet been received at the office of James Butler, master mechanic, of the June appropriation of the Wabash Railroad for the operation of the Ann Arbor Railroad's shops. It is belived, however, that there will be several days of work for approximately 75 men.

The Owosso Argus-Press June 27, 1933

VERNON SECTION GANG IS MOVED TO DURAND

Vernon, June 27, – The headquarters of the section gang on the Ann Arbor railroad here have been transferred to Durand temporarily. Clarence Wilson, foreman, goes to Owosso as crossing watchman.

Orville Dunkle and Floyd Pierce have been transferred to Durand, while George Rowley, who has been employed here for the past eight years, has been laid off.

The Owosso Argus-Press July 20, 1935

The first lay-off of employes of the Ann Arbor Railroad for July occurred Friday afternoon. Only a small number were laid off, it was explained at the office of James Butler, master mechanic. It is expected that the balance of the men will work about three days of next week, the shops to close probably Wednesday.

The Owosso Argus-Press July 20, 1933

Six Cars Pile UP at Marion as Arch Bar Breaks This Morning

An Ann Arbor freight train of four empties and two loaded cars was wrecked at Marion, at 12:40 o'clock this morning. The derailment was caused by a broken arch bar and all six cars were damaged considerably. The locomotive did not leave the tracks.

The accident occurred in the city of Marion and although it will not tie up any other trains, the wreckage will not be completely cleaned up, it is believed, before about 8 o'clock this evening.

At the point of the wreck there is double track and other trains are able to pass through. The loads of the two cars will have to be transferred to other cars. The trucks were broken from all the cars.

C. B. Miller, chief clerk to Victor Parvin, general superintendent, left this morning to investigate.

The engineer of the train was William J. Cardwell, 425 Oakwood avenue, W. T. Hoy, Michigan avenue, was the conductor.

In the matter of the application of The Ann Arbor Railroad Company for authority of this Commission to operate its engines and trains over the grade crossing of the Manistee and Northeastern Railway at Copemish without making the statutory stop for same. 943-117. July 28, 1933.

Application having been made to the Commission by The Ann Arbor Railroad Company, through V. Parvin, its General Superintendent, for authority to operate engines and trains on the Ann Arbor Railroad over the grade crossing of the Manistee and Northeastern Railway at Copemish without bringing such trains to a stop as required by law before going upon such crossing. The Commission is advised in said application that it is proposed to have the normal position of the swing gate now maintained at said crossing clear for movements of engines and trains on the Ann Arbor Railroad and against movements of engines and trains on the Manistee and Northeastern Railway and locked in that position, and when necessary for an engine or train movement on the Manistee and Northeastern Railway over the crossing that a member of the train crew will ascertain as to whether or not an Ann Arbor engine or train is approaching from either direction before lining the gate against the Ann Arbor, and at night as an additional precaution, employee lining gate against the Ann Arbor will have in his possession a red lantern.

The Commission is further advised that the regular movement on the Ann Arbor Railroad through Copemish over said crossing is two freight trains and one passenger train in each direction. The General Manager of the Manistee and Northeastern Railway advises:

“Our present movement to Copemish will not exceed once a week, there being no regular train, but this is an extra run out of Kaleva as freight traffic requires.”

He further advises that there is no objection on his part to the normal position of said gate being clear for engine and train movements on the Ann Arbor Railroad and against engine and train movements on the Manistee and Northeastern Railway. The Commission, after due consideration of said application, together with the information as set forth in the letter from the General Manager of the Manistee and Northeastern Railway filed with said application, has concluded that with such few movements on the Manistee and North eastern Railway over said crossing, and with such an arrangement of gate protection as herein set forth, will provide safe operation for engines and trains on both of the said railroads over said crossing, and, there fore, said application should be granted. THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, By the Michigan Public Utilities Commission, under the authority vested in this Commission by law, that:—

Application having been made to the Commission by The Ann Arbor Railroad Company, through V. Parvin, its General Superintendent, for authority to operate engines and trains on the Ann Arbor Railroad over the grade crossing of the Manistee and Northeastern Railway at Copemish without bringing such trains to a stop as required by law before going upon such crossing. The Commission is advised in said application that it is proposed to have the normal position of the swing gate now maintained at said crossing clear for movements of engines and trains on the Ann Arbor Railroad and against movements of engines and trains on the Manistee and Northeastern Railway and locked in that position, and when necessary for an engine or train movement on the Manistee and Northeastern Railway over the crossing that a member of the train crew will ascertain as to whether or not an Ann Arbor engine or train is approaching from either direction before lining the gate against the Ann Arbor, and at night as an additional precaution, employee lining gate against the Ann Arbor will have in his possession a red lantern. The Commission is further advised that the regular movement on the Ann Arbor Railroad through Copemish over said crossing is two freight trains and one passenger train in each direction. The General Manager of the Manistee and Northeastern Railway advises: “Our present movement to Copemish will not exceed once a week, there being no regular train, but this is an extra run out of Kaleva as freight traffic requires.” He further advises that there is no objection on his part to the normal position of said gate being clear for engine and train movements on the Ann Arbor Railroad and against engine and train movements on the Manistee and Northeastern Railway. The Commission, after due consideration of said application, together with the information as set forth in the letter from the General Manager of the Manistee and Northeastern Railway filed with said application, has concluded that with such few movements on the Manistee and North eastern Railway over said crossing, and with such an arrangement of gate protection as herein set forth, will provide safe operation for engines and trains on both of the said railroads over said crossing, and, there fore, said application should be granted.

THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, By the Michigan Public Utilities Commission, under the authority vested in this Commission by law, that:— Application having been made to the Commission by The Ann Arbor Railroad Company, through V. Parvin, its General Superintendent, for authority to operate engines and trains on the Ann Arbor Railroad over the grade crossing of the Manistee and Northeastern Railway at Cope. mish without bringing such trains to a stop as required by law before going upon such crossing. The Commission is advised in said application that it is proposed to have the normal position of the swing gate now maintained at said crossing clear for movements of engines and trains on the Ann Arbor Railroad and against movements of engines and trains on the Manistee and Northeastern Railway and locked in that position, and when neces sary for an engine or train movement on the Manistee and Northeastern Railway over the crossing that a member of the train crew will ascertain as to whether or not an Ann Arbor engine or train is approaching from either direction before lining the gate against the Ann Arbor, and at night as an additional precaution, employee lining gate against the Ann Arbor will have in his possession a red lantern. The Commission is further advised that the regular movement on the Ann Arbor Railroad through Copemish over said crossing is two freight trains and one passenger train in each direction. The General Manager of the Manistee and Northeastern Railway advises: “Our present movement to Copemish will not exceed once a week, there being no regular train, but this is an extra run out of Kaleva as freight traffic requires.” He further advises that there is no objection on his part to the normal position of said gate being clear for engine and train movements on the Ann Arbor Railroad and against engine and train movements on the Manistee and Northeastern Railway. The Commission, after due consideration of said application, together with the information as set forth in the letter from the General Manager of the Manistee and Northeastern Railway filed with said application, has concluded that with such few movements on the Manistee and North eastern Railway over said crossing, and with such an arrangement of gate protection as herein set forth, will provide safe operation for engines and trains on both of the said railroads over said crossing, and, there fore, said application should be granted. THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, By the Michigan Public Utilities Commission, under the authority vested in this Commission by law, that:—

The Ann Arbor Railroad Company be and it is hereby authorized and empowered to operate its engines and trains over the grade crossing of the Manistee and Northeastern Railway at Copemish without bringing such engines and trains to a stop before going upon such crossing;

Provided:

(1)That the position of the swing gate now maintained at said crossing be clear for engine and train movements on the Ann Arbor Railroad and against engine and train movements on the Manistee and Northeastern Railway and locked, which shall be the normal position of said gate.

2. When it becomes necessary for a movement of engine or train on the Manistee and Northeastern Railway over said crossing a member of the train crew shall ascertain that no Ann Arbor train is approaching from either direction before lining said gate against Ann Arbor engine and train movements, and after hav ing completed the movement over said crossing, the said gate shall immediately be restored two its normal position.

3. That said gate be equipped with lights showing green on the Ann Arbor Railroad and red on the Manistee and Northeastern Railway when in normal position.

4. That all engines and trains on the Ann Arbor Railroad approach said crossing under control prepared to stop before reaching same in case said gate is found lined up for movements on the Manistee and Northeastern Railway. When said gate is found to be clear for movements of engines and trains on the Ann Arbor Railroad such engines and trains shall pass over said crossing at a rate of speed not to exceed fifteen miles per hour. All engine and train movements on the Manistee and Northeastern Railway over said crossing to be brought to a stop in advance of the same, and a member of the train crew, after satisfying himself that there are no engines or trains on the Ann Arbor Railroad in the near vicinity about to cross, may set said gate against movements on the Ann Arbor Railroad and clear for movements on the Manistee and Northeastern Railway, and after having completed the movement over said crossing, the said gate to be restored to its normal position until the further order of the Michigan Public Utilities Commission.

   MICHIGAN PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

Roosevelt Oil Company, Complainant, vs. The Ann Arbor Railroad Company, (Walter S. Franklin and Frank C. Nicodemus, Jr., Receivers) Grand Trunk Western Railroad Company, Defendants. Informal Docket No. 432. September 1, 1933.

This matter is before the Michigan Public Utilities Commission upon application of the above named defendants requesting that we authorize the payment of sixteen dollars and eight cents ($16.08) to the above named complainant as reparation in connection with the movement of one (1) carload of naptha moving from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan to Flint, Michigan, shipment delivered on October 10, 1932.

At the time shipment moved there was no commodity rate published on naphtha to Flint. The rate was on a classification basis using Column 32% Class. Effective January 8, 1933, The Ann Arbor Railroad Company published a rate of 15c per hundred pounds on this commodity, from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan to Flint, Michigan, and it is upon this basis that reparation is sought.

reparation is sought. We find, after due consideration of all of the facts submitted in the pleadings and record, that the charges assessed were unreasonable to the extent that they exceed those collectible under a rate of Fifteen Cents (15c) per hundred pounds upon the commodity here at issue moving from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, to Flint, Michigan; that complainant paid and bore the charges upon the shipment in question; that complainant has been damaged to the extent of the difference between the charges paid and those that would have accrued at the rate herein found reasonable; and that it is entitled to reparation in the sum of Sixteen Dollars and Eight Cents ($16.08), without interest.

Now, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, That The Ann Arbor Railroad Company and the Grand Trunk Western Railroad Company be and they are hereby authorized and directed to pay, jointly, as each participated in the traffic, to the above named complainant, Roosevelt Oil Company, of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, on or before October 16, 1933, the sum of Sixteen Dollars and Eight Cents ($16.08), without interest, as reparation on account of the unreasonable charges collected on the above involved shipment.

MICHIGAN PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION.

The Toledo News-Bee Sept. 29, 1933

TOLEDO RAIL PLAN OFFERED, SAVING 14 ROADS $5,000,000

Annual Cut in Expense Would Be Accomplished Thru Consolidation of Services, Concentration of Ore Terminals

I. C. C. GETS 2-SYSTEM OUTLINE

Abandonment of Freight Yards, Docks Proposed in Modified Prince Survey, Would Drastically Change City's Setup

Washingt5on, Sept. 29 – Drastic alteration of the Toledo railroad map, with prospects of a $5,000,000-a-year reduction in operating expenses was foreshadowed Friday in the government's reopened movement toward railway consolidation.

Railroad experts, it was learned, have submitted to the interstate commerce commission a draft of the Toledo plan which will be studied further in conjunction with the consolidation inquiry authorized a week ago by Commissioner Joseph B. Eastman, federal railway co-coordinator.

The Toledo outline was evolved by the same investigators who prepared the so-called Prince plan, issued this spring and now revived by Mr. Eastman as the basis for further study of the possibilities of re-grouping.

Would Embody Toledo Ideas

Should Co-ordinator Eastman's inquiry result in a definite decision for consolidation, it was regarded as probable that the program would embody the Toledo recommendations at least in part, or perhaps entirely.

Under the general plan of a two-system management for eastern lines, the experts have proposed these principal changes affecting Toledo:

CONCENTERATION of Lake Erie coal handling at the ports of Toledo, Sandusky, Cleveland, Ashtabula and Conneaut and abandonment of coal loading facilities at Buffalo, Erie, Fairport, Lorin and Huron.

ABANDONMENT of coal facilities of the Wheeling & Lake Erie, Big Four, New York Central and B. & O. at Toledo, by centering these activities in the facilit5ies of the Chesapeake & Ohio, which is equipped to handle 17,000,000 tons annually.

May Close Stations

CLOSING of two passenger stations, the Ann Arbor and the Nickel Plate and the use of the Union station for all System One trains and the Pennsylvania station for System Two traffic.

ABANDONMENT of five freight stations, the Cherry street station of the Wheeling & Lake Erie, the South Erie street station of the Nickel Plate, the Seneca street station of the Ann Arbor, and the Middle Ground stations of the Wabash and B. & O.

TRANSFER of freight classification and break-up activities of the Wabash, Ann Arbor and B. & O. to the Pennsylvania yards, with abandonment of these facilities of the three former roads. Similar concentration is proposed for System One roads.

Reduce Engine Houses

REDUCTION in the number of engine houses from 12 to 3, leaving two for System One roads and one for System Two.

CONSOLIDATION of the three city ticket offices into one.

ELIMINATION of passenger competition between the Michigan Central and the Pere Marquette between Toledo and Detroit, by combining services with an annual saving of $192,496 and 186,880 passenger train miles annually.

ABANDONMENT of one of the parallel lines of the Baltimore & Ohio or the Detroit, Toledo& Ironton between Ironton and Lima, a distance of 266 miles. The regrouping under the Prince plan calls for consolidation of the Big Four, Chesapeake & Ohio, Michigan Central, New York Central, Nickle Plate, Pere Marquette and Wheeling & Lake Erie into System One, and the Ann Arbor, B. & O., Pennsylvania, D. T. & I. and Wabash into into System Two. The Detroit & Toledo Shore Line and The Toledo Terminal would be retained as joint System One and Two facilities.

The Two -system management for roads serving Toledo would result in these annual savings in operating expenses, the experts estimated:

Have Own Facilities

In addition to Facilities offered the Toledo Terminal each of the roads now maintains its own classification and make-up yards, engine houses and freight handling facilities, the only indications of efforts toward co-ordination being those of the New York Central, Big Four and Michigan Central, the investigators' report said.

The 17 operating yards, with an aggregate capacity of 46,730 cars, were utilized only 35 per cent of capacity during 1932 and the 12 engine houses with a capacity to service 701 locomotives daily, were used only 38 per cent last year, the experts reported.

Coal handling facilities of the C. & O., New York Central, B. & O. and Wheeling & Lake Erie, on which more than $4,000,000 has been spent in modernizing since 1929, are being utilized at less than 40 per cent capacity, the report continued.

Test checks on the actual cost of operation and maintenance of the 12 engine houses indicated an annual expense of $6,250,000. On this item, the experts pointed out, a saving of more than 50 per cent could be accomplished.

“This enormous machine,” the report said, “has been built up by north and south roads in their efforts to control their share of lake coal traffic and by all roads in their efforts to participate in traffic incident to the auto industry.”

MANY OFFICES HERE

Pointing out that 14 railroads maintain offices for 31 traffic executives in Toledo, the report observed that “this should dispel any doubt as to the factors underlying railroad expansion in and around Toledo.”

Closing of the Cherry street freight house of the W. & L. E. and the South Erie street station of the Nickle Plate would permit transfer of this traffic to the new New York Central station north of the Union station, termed by the report as “the most advantageous location in Toledo.”

Concentration of System Two freight handling in the Pennsylvania stations on Olive and Monroe streets would require trackage over System One to permit access to team tracks, now the property of the Wabash, on Middle Ground.

The closing of the classification and breakup yards of the Wabash, Ann Arbor and B. & O. would transfer freight handled over these roads to the present outer yard of the Pennsylvania. The facilities proposed for abandonment have a combined capacity of 2925 cars and are equipped with 22 miles of yard tracks. During the open lake season their operation requires 38 yard crews, but under the consolidation plan the work could be absorbed by the regular assigned organization of the Pennsylvania with the addition of not more than 10 crews a day, the report said.

Freight Transfer

Under the proposed reorganization, trans-lake coal from Columbus would move into Toledo over the C. & O., and from Cincinnati over the Big Four. The New York Central coal pier would be abandoned and all lake boats would loaded at the C. & O. pier in Maumee bay.

Both of the present coal classification and holding yards of the N. Y. C. and C. & O. would not be required, the report said. The C. & O. yard, while of less capacity (7000 cars), than the new Stanley yard of the N. Y. C. (10,000 cars), provides a better means of access to the coal pier, in the opinion of the investigators.

The report proposes closing the Stanley yard, unless unforeseen circumstances arise, but retaining the trackage for emergency storage purposes and classification and other work pertaining to freight trains remaining on the Michigan Central, Pere Marquette, Detroit & Toledo Shore Line and W. & L. E., handled now in the C. & O. and Air Line Junction yard of the New York Central, thus abandoning the functions of five System One yards, each one at present operating as an individual unit of the Toledo Terminal operation.

Abandon Trackage

During the open lake season, the report continued, the five yards proposed for abandonment consist of more than 135 miles of track. At least 45 of the 69 crews now regularly assigned in these yards can be dispensed with, the experts added.

One large engine house would be adequate to serve all locomotives operated by System Two, with the exception of the D. T. & I., and the N. Y. C. engine house at Air Line Junction and the C. & O. engine house at Walbridge can service all locomotives of System One, the report said.

The three city ticket offices now have expenses of $26,400 for rentals and $131,450 for salaries of officials and attendants and a reduction of $100,000 a year possible for the two systems by combining them into one, the investigators estimated.

In support of its contention that the C. & O. coal loading facilities are adequate to handle the volume of lake traffic at Toledo, the report cited the testimony of a vice-president of the road who said that the Hocking Valley line of the C. & O. and the Latter's facilities at Toledo are ample to handle all coal shipped out of West Virginia over all roads for movements via Toledo.

The designation of Toledo as an exclusive System One coal loading port is part of the Prince plan's general scheme of concentrating this important activity. The plan purposes to close 13 of the present 19 loading facilities. Those to be retained, in addition

to the C. & O. at Toledo, would be the Pennsylvania at Sandusky, New York Central and Pennsylvania at Ashtabula, Pennsylvania at Cleveland, Bessemer & Lake Erie at Conneaut. Buffalo, Erie, Fairport, Lorain and Huron would be abandoned entirely as coal ports and, in addition to the facilities to be dropped in Toledo, the Erie facilities at Cleveland and B. & O. docks at Sandusky would be discontinued. The The Pennsylvania dock at Sandusky has a capacity of 16,000,000 tons annually and was 32 per cent utilized in 1932. The C. & O. dock at Toledo, of 17,000,000 tons capacity was 55 per cent used in 1932.

No Radical Changes

“The designation of certain ports to handle coal from certain origin districts is not to any great extent a radical rerouting of traffic, since the ports retained are those to which the greater volume of coal has for years moved,” the experts reported.

“It is quite possible,” they continued, “that competitive practices of the past on the part of the number of roads within Ohio has been to some extent, responsible for

spreading the handling of lake coal along the shore of Lake Erie from Buffalo to Toledo.”

The general alteration of coal handling will reduce the mileage of roads used for this traffic from 4442 to 2547 they estimated.

Originates at Seven Fields

Coal to be handled by Toledo would originate at seven fields – the Hocking in Ohio; Kanawha, New River and Pocohontas in West Virginia, and mines in eastern Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. The aggregate output of these areas was 9,863,740 tons in 1932, or 55 per cent of capacity of the loading facilities proposed to be retained.

Sandusky coal would originate at the Kanawha, Thacker-Kenoval and Pocohontas fields of West Virginia, and mines in eastern Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee, with an aggregate tonnage of 5,056,670 in 1932.

The Prince plan was devised by Frederick H. Price, Boston financier and former president of the Pere Marquette, and presented to President Roosevelt and the I. C. C. last spring. It would merge all railroads in seven systems, reviving for the north and east the two-system plan discussed in 1921. It was laid aside during the summer but revived by Co-ordinator Eastman as the basis for his new study.

The Owosso Argus-Press Oct. 14, 1933

CITICALLY INJURED IN PECULIAR MISHAP

Frank Clark, 58, Leaning from Cab, Hits Head on Box Car; Skull May Be Fractured

Frank E. Clark, 58 years of age, a well known Ann Arbor Railroad engineer and an employe of the railroad since 1896, is in Memorial Hospital in a critical condition, as the result of his striking his head against a side tracked car when he was leaning out of the locomotive cab of a Toledo bound freight train at Corunna late Friday afternoon.

Clark, piloting the train, FT6, which pulled out of Owosso about 5 o'clock, was leaning out of the cab, looking back, when the accident occurred. Moving past the side tracked, loaded car, Clark struck the corner of the car. He slumped over the edge of the cab, and the fireman, Willis O. Hulbert, believing that Clark had suffered a heart attack, stopped the train within about 1,500 feet.

Rendered Unconscious

Clark was found to be unconscious and suffering a bad cut over his left temple. He was taken to the Ann Arbor depot at Corunna and an ambulance called. He was rushed to the hospital where examination revealed a possible fracture of the skull. He was still unconscious late this morning.

Immediately following the accident, railroad officials from the division headquarters here went to Corunna to start an investigation of the accident. Although it is believed that there was insufficient clearance between the car and the train, the investigation did not reveal last night what the clearance was. For permanent structures, the minimum clearance should be seven and a half feet from the nearest rail.

Investigation Not Completed

Neither did the investigation reveal, it was said, how the car was side tracked where it was. Because of special trains being run to Ann Arbor for the football game today, it was necessary that nearly all of the executives be out of the city. The investigation is to be continued later.

The accident is the second major one in which Clark has figured during his service with the railroad. On December 13, 1928, he was badly hurt at Late George when he was oiling a main road cup and the engine slipped. The crank of the engine crashed down upon Clark's arm, throwing him a considerable distance and badly fracturing his arm.

Mr. Clark resides at 317 Comstock street. He entered the Ann Arbor's employ on September 2, 1896, as a fireman, later being promoted to engineer, in which capacity he has served since. He is a trustee of the First Church of Christ.

The brakes on the side tracked car were found last night to be set, evidencing that the car was probably not moved by wind or as a result of children playing on it. The fact that Clark was looking back instead of ahead, however, may indicate that he was leaning a considerable distance out of the cab. By balancing on the cab and hanging on the inside, it was stated in the shops today, it is common for an engineer to lean half his length out of the cab.