West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-01-20

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desk upon which the instruments are
placed hangs q rope, which runs through
The roof OF the station, connected with a
wire which in turn is fastened 10 a ylass
slide in a square box either above or al
the eide of the track. Fastened TO this
Slice is a piece OF red flannel. There IL
also q slide arranged with green flannel.
La the back part of the box there is a
White painted board, in the midst of
which there is a common lamp. ~ the
daytime, when there is no train In sight,
the red slide is pulled down, showing q
red, circular surface, ten feet above the
ground, about twenty inches IN diameter.
As the train approaches, II the ''blsck''
ahead be clear, the operator pulls the
rope above his head, raising the red slide,
showing the white surface. He is com
PEELED TO hold the signal until the train
has passed and di1played two ''markersp
or green nags On the rear car. He then
lets the red slide fall, and calls" the .
crater in the station ahead. Having re
ceived an answer, he sends the schedule
number Of The train, the time il passed
his Office and states that the green Gags
were all right.
10 be sure he has made no mistake, the
receiving operator repeats tho me.sage
and receives an answer from the operator
who sent it before he allows the train TO
pass his station. Beside warning the sta
ton ahead of the approach OF the train. a
similar record is forwarded Immediately
to the train dispatcher's Office in jersey
City, so that the exact position of every
train on the whole road Is known at any
minute Of the day or night. After one
passenger train has passed II station no
other passenger train can pass it until the
operator has received the message from
the agent ahead that the track is clear up
to that point. The use OF the green sig
nal advises the engineer TO use caution
until he has seen a station displaying G.
white signal. 1t is used principally TO
signify that the last train which passed
was q freight train and has not yet reach
ed the next station. Freight trains are
not usually u on schedule time, but are
allowed to follow each other CO short in
t%ervals, depending wholly on the signals
displayed; in this way several freight
trains may be between two signal stations
at q time, and if the last Que had passed
the first OF the two statiOus OD minutes
previously the operator stops an approach
ing passenger train, states the facts TO the
engineer, and then raises the green signal
and allows him to proceed; but no other
passenger train can 60 past the station I'm
til all the preceding trains, including the
passenger, has been reported from the
next station. This Is az impressive rule,
and can only DO suspended By an order
from the central Office in Jersey CITY.
which may have come information suir-
cient to order the trains to proceed.
This systcm checks the CANCER Of a man
allowing a train to paes by being asleep.
for although he may fan asleep aud tail
to know that there is q train approaching
the red signal which is always displayed
unless raised by the operator, will stop
the Grain, and the cause of tho detention
must be ascertained. If on operator
should fail to report the fact that q train
mad left his station, it ID stopped by tho
noxt operator and the reason for his not
reporting are asked. If no answer il OBJ
tanned, the central office is Informed. L.
has happened that q train occasionally
breaks in two, which makes necessary the
rule of reporting that the ''markersp are
seen. at night the system is the same as
In the daytime, with the exception that
the lamp IN the box ia lighted and the red
lanterns instead of the green fags arc used
as markers"
When for any reason a train makes an
irregular stop, The rear brakeman CT dag-
man is ordered TO go back 600 Yards. car
ryiDg a red lantern or fla, and to place
on the track an explosive cap. He must
then 60 800 yards further and place two
of these caps on the track, three Yards
apart. This done he must 20 toward bis
train 500 yards and remain there till order.
ed to leave the place by his engineer. Up
on returning to his train he takes up the
first cap that he placed Oh the rail but
leaves the NO placed near together. The
explosions Of these wars the engineer
following That there is danger ahead. or
that there has been, and he must proceed
cautiously until be learns WSv those cans
ware left there. TLe explosion Of a sin
gle cap is tho signal for the engineer 10
stop his train. Brskemca are frequently
left TO stop Tie following train alter their
own has gone, and arc taken up. The
hagmen have nothing to do with the black
signals, and are thus held as responsible as
those or other roads.
The subject demands Legislative
action, and wsrespectiully commend
ID to Tie attention Of our Jeg,sla-
ture now In session at WheeIiDg.
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RAILROAD pApEur