The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-02
DANGER SIGNALS HUNG or.


In the past w"cl or ton days tn" addition
of singular ln. ,lE signal h"y"- Co. tar ny tr-
structure OF tn" Metropolitan Elevated road has
attracted attention uul 'urn -h.l comwcnt
They wero mot. .c,hlo lr-' On iue Murray street
curve consisting. oi AN iron column rw.inns
into % ia,ge circular head some two or taror
feet M diameter I'm tic erulr' of this % Mrs"
s'as- oy" ln which % red or hhIn disk huN- up
ana down rs though m" on"-oy'i. doll h'ad
Arrangement Wis Wiukiu-. ~ "ue could t'il
why and al what those strange looking iu.t'u-
tions wcre continually w.nSuE. White uo 'run
was IN -iehi up tn dick would - iu nrn and
down i'm anpthcr. or l'rnau0 hoth would ap-
pcar. ami then disappear. ,'rln would sweep
around the curve AMI tlru there would be
more winkiuE and hhnkinL.
The road is brine furnished throughout its
entire length with Halls automatic clratrir
danger signal system. Tho system is bat r'-
comfy perfected; Pnl ut present ie used w.r'
extensively IN Boston than escwhcr". ia"
Metropolitan road IN divided into SECTIONS.
Upon tn" curves, Murray and Amliy ~ir.o'~.
IN" sections are short. also whore the switch 81
are numerous. Along tn" straight track. a~
South Fiuh avenue aud sixth avrnue. the - '-
marked by q signal blN, which cau@i - o,
plate iron pillar surm"unod by ..
huge circular chamber tn" pillar and
chamber are Of uniform thickness. Tue
latter II pierced ly an urif'" about i
Inches IN diauft T.. IN illtS chamber i- ffIfI-
r"ard complicated clio 'k-lkc arhiuery. which
II set in motion hy electricity and which opr-
rgter The disk. The disks are made Il red aud
blue flannel. tightly stretched on light wire
frames. The red mud blue disk signals are ar
ranged in pairs. For instance. on th" up tra".
one finds a red li,, station, and few rods
further upH hu" disk station. The two operate
NJ one. and constitute onr signal. In the uriu-
ripal Offices Of the road. AT Rector street ls n
large electric battery. which. whom the sy-irnl
Is cumUl"tcd will comprise luo largest a
cells From II tho wires protected in iron
tubes. run the entire length Of both tracks. At
every rcd signal station there j. a break in tAu
wire. Tho connection ~ made los a small iron
bar or lever One end OF this lever prn--rs
against the outer sid" 81 the rail uud II projects
about uf an inch above tine lHc" ni the rail.
II Is hung on 70 pivot midway between the rail
t"lcgraphic wires pass and ar ecparai 81. Tho
wheels Of the engine deprer7 the end of iho
lever and complete the circuit. and the urlll'r
through tho signal chamber. Whi.l hoiur" Was
uuohstructcd. il covered hy the rcd flannel dlhl
The signal Will remain set in that position un-
III the eng II" reaches the beginning Of ID" most
section. Whom. 10y the action ut tho lover. ihu
electricity, which has operated 80 hold d-h Np
J. IN place. passes 10 station W. 2. aud pulls
down lts disk. Immediately NJ. flies back uui
Of sight. While II Is down. however tine train
following must not pass beyond 1t. for the rn-
gnerr VIII know from It that th" train ln nd-
vance il still on the section and the rule Is thul
there shall be hut one train Oh section at the
same time.
The blue disk stations are simply indicators
of the rcd oprs Thoy are connected Win thrm
by wire sentinel. uud "acn blue act, In nm son
with lis red. They tell thu engineer whether
the danger signal hc has luot PASSED j. work ug
all right llo cannot especially ON the curves
hook back tu see II the red danger signal acts rs
II should. hut he can learn this Tact ilom no blue
signal which is slill ahead of him. In the might
q light is placed iu the chamber So ~ Ia SHOW
through the flannel The System Is also at.
wched 10 The sNtrhos. and has TINS further adj
pnratus tamporcd with, the disks viii fail. ewing
the danger warning.