ration has been adhered to, that is, electric
locomotives will take up the work of the steam locomotives at the
interchange yard at Harrison, N. J., and, for excursion and suburban
service to nearby towns, provision will be made for electric
locomotives, or by operation of special self-propelled motor cars in
trains, the project being planned to give the greatest flexibility in
method of operation to meet the growing demand in the best way.

The New York Connecting Railroad has important functions both for
freight and passenger service. When constructed it will be about 12
miles long, and will form a part of the line to the New England States
for through passenger and freight service, and also carry local freight
to and from Sunnyside Yard and Brooklyn, and all points on Long Island.
By means of this line it will be possible to make the Brooklyn station
at Flatbush Avenue a station on the through System for New England as
well as the Western States.

[Illustration: FIG. 1. (Full page image)

MAP OF THE PENNSYLVANIA R. R. CO'S NEW YORK TUNNEL EXTENSION AND
CONNECTIONS.]

The initial equipment of the Western Division of the Long Island
Railroad for electric traction has been made in advance of the opening
of the tunnel line in order to take care of the requirements of the
Atlantic Avenue improvement. This improvement involved the elimination
of grade crossings within the City of Brooklyn and the conversion of the
railroad line which was previously on the surface of the streets to part
subway and part elevated line from the Flatbush Avenue Terminal to East
New York Station, a distance of 5-1/4 miles. One of the requirements of
this improvement was that the motive power should be changed to some
form of power not involving combustion. This led to the adoption of
electricity, and, in order to meet operating necessities, involved the
electrification of connecting lines beyond the improvement proper, so
that local service could be handled to the end of the runs without
changing the motive power. The extent of the electrification thus
required was found to be about 100 single-track miles. This extensive
electrification work was undertaken and completed in the summer of 1905,
upon the completion of the Atlantic Avenue improvement proper, and since
that time has been in successful operation. On the near approach of the
construction of the New York Terminal improvement, plans for additional
electrification on the Long Island R