Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-11-30

ELECTRIC SIGNALS ON THE PHILADELPHIA AND
ERIE r. RAN IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT The
number OF trains passing over the single track
of the Philadelphia & Erie r. r., between Sun
bury and Northumberland, has become so great
that Il has been found necessary to adopt men-
sures for facilitating their movements. As the
expense OF constructing a second track would be
very great, necessarily involving the construc-
tion of over 1000 feet of bridging across Che
North Branch of the susquehanna, Mr.. Frank
Thompson, the Superintendent of the Eastern
Division, decided to erect SET OF electric signals
by which the movement of the trBns are here
after to be controlled.
One of the signals Ia placed at the Northum-
berland station, and the other at the west end of
the Sunbury yard. They consist of black box
mounted on a post, and having two openings in
front, about q foot In diameter. Inside the box
is revolving screen, worked by an cectro-mag-
net, and which is made to show either red or
white signal through the openings, at the plea
sure of the operator. The signal apparatus in
each box is connected by wires with the telegraph
Office on the opposite side of the river. In each
of these offices is a little miniature signal, also
worked by electricity, which faithfully copies
/ at the other station, together with an electric
bell
The operation of signaling train is conduct
ed as follows:
The ordinary color of the signal at Northum-
berland is red, indicating ''danger.' When
train arrives from the west, the operator here
gives a signal to to the one at Sunbury by GER
tain number of strokes on the bell. If the track
is clear, Sunbury responds by pressing down a
little knob on his instrument, which changes the
Northumberland signal to white, which gives no.
tice to the engineer of the train that he may pro-
ceed with safety. At the same time the opera
tor here sets the Sunbury signal red, which pre-
vents any other train from coming in the oppo-
site direction. At the instant the large signal is
changed at the opposite end of the line, its move
ments are copied by the miniature in the office,
so that the operator, by merely glnncing at it,
can at any time ascertain the position of the
other signal, thus rendering mistake in signal
ing impossible.
The idea of controlling the trains in this man
ncr originated with Mr.. Thomson, while the
apparatus itself was invented by Mr.. F. L. Pope,
of Elizabeth, n. j., who has been engaged for
several we-ks in erecting it. We understand
that it is the first signaling apparatus Of the kind
that has ever been put up in the United States,
and it is sand to be more ingenious and complete
| than any of the celebrated English systems.
Some idea Of the advantages to be guircd by its
use may be gathered from the fact that by the
system heretofore In use, of special telegraphic
orders, the time required to start a train was
from one to three minutes, while, 10y means of
2 tLn M lao don Will nj
aud even greater certainty and safety in eight or
ten seconds 1t IS probable that this improve
ment will be adopted at many other points, where
the conditions are similar to those existing here
Much credit is certainly due TO Mr.. Thompson
for the enterprise he has exhibited in being the
first to adopt this important improvement in rail-
roadng. ng.--No,ttun.Jerldnd Public Press Of last
rsek.