The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-11
RAILWAY SIGNAL SYSTEM.

from the ~. 4. Ie1neS.
While we may feel disposed to go to the
furthest verge of charity in ascrbing to Sac
cident" the sad disaster on the Hudson River
Railroad, We must ask to be excused from
speaking or thinking of it as an occurrence
entirely unavoidable. One of the evening
papers says, with an entire disregard of fact,
that ''no human foresight" could have pre-
vented this calamity. In Germany or France
it is the simple truth to affirm that no such
accident" could have happened. Axles
may break and car-wheels give way, but col
lisions never take place. single train may
come to wreck, by reason of some untoward
event whose nature may be of the really
unavoidable sort; but the horrors of
the scene will never be intensified by
the destruction of other onrushing
trains. The process of prevention is
one of almost primitive simplicity. signal
system, of easy arrangement, but of com
plete efficiency, is in operation on every mile
OF the track by day and night. Men are per-
manently stationed along the entire road at
short distances, having huts in which they
live, and patches of ground to cultivate. 1t
is their business to keep watch within sight
of each other. During the day they signal
with flags the passage of every train, and at
night perform the same service by means of
colored lights. In foggy weather the signals
are made with horns. 1t is no affair of theirs
wise; all they have to do is to pass along the
signal that train has started and is on its
way The men being placed thus within sight
of one another, signal given Just as the
train starts is passed along with a rapidity
that outruns the train, and reaches the next
station in time to be of use.
The code of signals is, of course, Sc ar
ranged as to meet emergencies which may
arise at any point. II a train is off the track
or delayed by some breakage, or if the road
bed or bridges get out of order this flag or
lantern telegraph summons help, warns of
danger, and stops all approaching trains. The
entire efficiency of the system has been
thoroughly demonstrated during years of use
In practice it has been found that an un-
broken current of signals can be transmitted
with a speed greater than that of the swiftest
locomotive, and next only to that of electri-
city. 1t is simple question of sharp sight
and quick motion on the part of men who
have no other work to perform. 1t is idle to
tell US that train behind time, as was the
Pacific express on that eventful Monday
night, could not have been warned by even
so simple means as this of the destruction
that lay in its path. And, therefore, we
refuse to place the terrible disaster in the
category of unavoidable occurrences which
mo human foresight" could guard against.
No railway management is to be held guilt
less while emitting, or on any preteXt refus-
| iBg,to adopt precautionary measures of ascer-
tanned value 1t is, indeed, the duty of men
having control of these corporations to make
| such precautions the first and most constant
subject of study. There is no reason why
| we should not have in the United States
| quite as secure a signal service on railways
as in France and Germany. This is matter
which we cannot afford to be behind the
| times.