The New York herald., 1871-11-02
THE GRAND CENTRAL DEPOT.

OpepisG Day . shs Tr~iss o. the New Yerk
X Csssrul and Hsdssa River Raiiways-Dss
ssx1Dtisa sf tho New System sf signals fsR
the Movements Of Trains, Switches and H.
sisss.
fhe trans OF tho Now York Contra, and Hudsou
River Rafiw1ys commenced running nom Com
modore vanderbilvs Grand Central depot yesterday
morning for the nrst time. Everything had bseu
put In she most perfect order, and consequently
there was no more confusion attendant
upon the arrival and dsparture Of the
various trains than y experienced at any
depot Of any note or magnitude. o. there would
have been had tho company been regularly
occupying the structure for years. Tns eIeesnt and
spacious waiting rooms were Ill in the highest pos
siOe state Of neatness ana looked She very poeere
Of comfort and convenience while the Superior ~
commodatons for purchasing tickeeB, shipolng ~
gage and getting to and from the street % Ne eos
called forth many encomiums from those who had
an opportunity Of witnessing them. fnf
The first train to leave the depot was the regular
Chicago express, which took It's departure Astha
usual hour-ten O'Clock A. NJ finer train than
was this never let this city II conssled Of ssvea
superb drawing-room cars, . smoking and bag.
gage car, and carried as many passengers as oonld
conveniently be seated. After this had gone sne
usual number OF trains the road began 70 axyive
and depart ON the regular schedule time. rsoo
One OF the greatest features OF this depot y -
most admirable system Of telegraphic signals b
which the movements OF al trains, both In arriving
and departing. are regulated and directed. ~ pre-
viously meRuoned in Q description Of the cesoss1
structure, published In the HsRALD sone tune
STAGE there are thirteen tracks inside the be1lnU.
YORK ana md sriem s the New York aud New Hsvsn,
au are one %
commencing on the east side. At the north sn4 g
ae Al aspG % S y. @
structure, is small once, wherein the sU9eceew
onS ssSaa yss IN ss
Of switches, the opening and closing OF tno
Socss .s spSpg r oe S asus s a. wsps s
ner OF this once Is table upon which are tnirty.
two keys Twelve OF these are numoeredire en1
TO twelve, three Of them are plain. threo lettoro4
~ = = h:sssa ssss s:s.s;
connecIsa with bell. or signal disc, IS the case
%n .recior ss oaches inc key aSssd w:ns IL % roo%
and the doorman opens the door to admit the pas
the sScs''f train IS Is to start Se souc6es this
key twice ana two bells are struck ~
Che time ior starting be souchss the key marked
"Y," or w. as the case may be, and the enE1no,
s eoas Ts l.
.watlng room" once H and and the doors are cioasd e
na y S al oss ses
which lives are lost; he then touches twice
the key marked .start, = Tor whichever roao y mey
chance TO be- and In instant the tram dero away.
There is no ear-sptttng blast nom the
engine to direct the hrakeman's move;
ments, NOR IL ones head made to- ache
FOR the succeeding two or three hours 81 shs .ever
lasting ringing Of tnc everlasting engine eeIi n1s
the train gdcs out OF tue magnthccnt depot on IT.
journey almost as noiseieesly - hinge serpent.
II train Is arriving and t n desired 20 pace u
on any one OF the tracks within the depot the 'dt-
rector. touches Q key connecrtng with q osc out
near the switCnes and the track he wants tne trsn
run m ON In indicated. In case the ewischnnn
snould not he looking In the dfrocfion ofene ofsc q
the time the dircCtOc touches the Key, anclfin con-
necton with the dlsc " KunG. winch OF course di-
rects his attention.. A soon a. the swiecn nos been
properly adjusted the switcnnan teioGr1phs the
TACT to the director by means OF b signal rat
This system OF teegrAphic ngnals Was goesen up
exclusively by MraJ. M Toucey, the able aud gen
tlemaniy manager Of the depot. aud far surpaeoS
any thing OF the kind that has heretofore evdT Deen
carried into effect either In this country or In
Europe; and t Is cminenty hitting ana proper that
It should So connected as Is with the grandest
and most magniiicent railway depot the word has