Hudson & Manhattan Railroad Company 1950 Annual Report
 

mend a program for the permanent oper¬
ation of the Long Island Railroad. Under
date of February 3, 1951, the Committee
submitted a report to the Governor recom¬
mending the creation of the Long Island
Transit Authority. A bill is now before
the New York State Legislature which,
if approved, will bring the Authority into
being.

Some authority should be utilized
or established by the States of New
Jersey and New York, with specific man¬
date to combine, rehabilitate and expand
existing commuter rail facilities, includ¬
ing terminals, in these states. The facili¬
ties of Hudson & Manhattan Railroad
would be of keystone importance in any
such system.

This Company will be glad to coop¬
erate fully with any such authority in
the exploration and development of
plans for more efficient use of existing
facilities. Here are two specific sugges¬
tions we feel to be of merit: First, huge
parking and bus turn-around facilities
can be provided at a location permitting
easy interchange of passengers with our
joint service trains. Second, a new train-
bus-automobile interchange station can
be provided at a location in Jersey City
where the Erie Railroad and Lackawan¬
na Railroad tracks cross. Limited new
construction would allow Hudson Tube
trains to provide fast, convenient service
from these points to Manhattan.

Time is an important factor. It may
well be that new tunnels must be built in
addition to the present Pennsylvania Rail¬
 

road and Hudson & Manhattan tunnels.
Construction of new tunnels will require
many years and entail tremendous cost.
But it should not take more than two or
three years -—■ if defense efforts do not
prevent it — to provide joint facility
transfers in New York and New Jersey,
at a convenient point, to consolidate, ex¬
pand and modernize existing facilities.

However, the overall j ob will take
from eight to ten years, at least, so
immediate action is required by those
with authority to get the work done.

We of H & M plan to do everything
we can to interest public officials at the
earliest possible moment in a plan for
unification of mass transportation in the
metropolitan area of New York.

Since the Korea incident, Hudson &
Manhattan's improvement program has
been slowed but by no means stopped. We
are hopeful that after the Government
agencies have a settled program we will
make still better progress in carrying
through the modernization and rehabili¬
tation program your Chairman discussed
last year. In the meantime, we will do
everything we can to give the public the
best possible service.

The following pages are devoted to set¬
ting forth many matters of interest to the
Company's stockholders.
 

William Reid
President