New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-04-03
PRESENTATION OF LIFE IND PROPERTY
ON RAILROADS..
70 me Editor Of The TriJVae.

70 me Editor Of The Tribune
SIR: ANY project which will lessen the annual loss
Of life upon railroads the destruction OF valuable
property is worth attention and investigation large
proportion OF the railroad have been causedby
the displacement of switches Our only dependence for
the safety OF these is upon the attention and fidelity OF
the sytchnen the best Of whom liable to careless
ness fOrgetfulness The signal which shows me en-
neer the condition Of the switch may be obsenred log
or snow and best it cannot be seen until the tram
is close upon the point of danger What s wanted Is
to the engineer of an approaching tram or or
shall so distinctly nGty some haf there can Ire
no chance OF overlooking the matter device designed
norton of the NewYork and New Haven Railroad and
will probably he employed OH the whole line III Is
worked by electricity precisely as tRe 'edgPh r IL ~
switch is horizontal lever connected to the ran by pun
working in the lever The other end Of the lever
frs like piston plug in piece OF wrought or cast
non pipe beneath the surface OF the ground made
the plug or piston TO be partially rotated in the tube To
this piston connected through the bottom OF the tube
one with one Of the poles OF battery, and the
other with an elcctrOmaget. These wires may
be conducted in insulating material 10 any
point desired and distance sufficient to give signal
on the line in time for the 3Ieang up OF ram me
plug in the tube is OF wood having on eaeh sne plae
metal extending above the wood the two plates so ai
ranged that movement Of the lever by the shifting OF
the switch forms connection between the Two wires
When the switch Is on the main hne the circuit is broken
but if displaced tho circuit is completed and an alarm ~
given by the action OF the electric current ana hammer
vibrating rapidly against gong which may DE placed
So long as the switch is misplaced this alarm VIII con
tnue and thus inform those charge Of the switch or OF
the station the position In addition to this, the wires
are connected with magnet which operates red ana
white signal as the switch is right or wrong ana III 1e
signal being operated at the time by the movement
OF the switch.
As this signal may, by the connection OF the wires, be
placed at any distance desired from the switch, the
engineer may be correctly Informed as TO It's condition IN
time break up his train. We have thus double security
an alarm for the switchtender and signal for the
engineer. There being machinery To be wound up or
neglected and attention being required except once IN
three months rcpenshing the batteries this device rs
removed from the precaIiOus dependence upon human
caution and fidelity and from dsarangement by ordinary
accidents. ~,
That this continuation success its operation on the
road mentioned is proof but all interested can see in
operation office Of the Merchants Union Express
Company No. 1903 Broadway. IL is the Invention OF MI
Thomas T. Hall OF Stamford, Conn. From repeated eX-
amnations of the device, as mechanic and railway
man. have hesitation in heartily Recommending II,
and believe adoption roads would greatly lessen
the present dangers OF travelling, and entirely prevent
accidents from misplaced switches. Yours respectfully,
JESSE IL. LORD Mech. Ed. Sci. Am
Neic York, April ?, 1867