The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-02-02
THE BLOCK SYSTEM.
One Part of the New York Central Railroad
Where 1t is in Use.

"hcre IL IL IN Use.
Mr.. Frank L. Pope, the well-known pat
ent expert, said this morning that the fact
that the New York Central railroad was not
equipped with complete system of block
! signalling was all the more surprising when
1t was known that that road possessed the
most perfect specimen of that system in the
world, on its five mile track between the
Grand Central depot and the Mott Haven
junction, on the other side of the Harlem
river. This system has worked so admira.
ply that IN the last ten years there has been
out one accident to passenger on this
stretch OF track. Mr.. Robert Il. Launitz was
killed in collision in 1874, when Harlem
train, delayed in the tunnel, was run into
by New Haven train coming after it. Upon
investigation it was discovered that the
electric signals having got out of order.
some one had attempted to repair them.
and had caused the accident. On the five
miles from the depot to the Mott Haven
junction there are eight signal stations-at
fifty-third,, Fltty-ninth, Seventy second,
Elghty-sixth, Ninety-eight, One Hundred
and Tenth, One Hundred and Twenty
NTH and One Hundred and Thirty
streets. The same block system in princi-
ing Post is in use, no two trains being al
lowed IN block at the same time.
In Mr.: Popes opinion the most perfect
description the block signal is that known
az the automatic system. The two
rails of n stretch of track the length
of the desired block are made apart of
an electric circuit. SO long as there
is no metallic connection between the tN q
rails magnet at the signal post holds up
the signal, meaning that the block is clear.
But the moment train rolls upon the
track connection is established between the
two tracks by means of the wheels and
aXles of the cars, and the danger signal is
displayed. When the train rolls Off the
block the connection is broken and the
danger signal disappears. This system is
IN use on the Fitchburg railroad between
Boston and Waltham on the Eastern
railroad between Boston and Salem on tho
Old Colony road, and on the PENNSYLVANIA
road between Altoona and Cresson. On
The t1tchburg road it has worked perfectly
for the last three years, costing but little
ana DONG the service to the complete salts
| faction OF the company. On some 'oads
the ringing of an electric bell replaces the
more perfect telegraph system used on the
Pennsylvania railroad between New York
and Philadelphia.
| The great advantage of the block signals
over every other kind OF signals is that the
engineer knows where and when to look for
the signals, whereas through inattention he
| may not perceive a man standing at the side
| OF the track swinging, a lantern, especially
Il the steam from the engine is blowing in
the engineers face. But an engineer ac-
customed to look ont and see that the block
signal is ali right will never miss it. Trains
can now be brought to stop so quickly by
means of the Westinghouse brakes that the
danger OF collision Can be almost certainly
averted by the prompt disylay of danger
signals. 1t has been repeatedly proved
that when the rails are dry train running
at the rate oftwcnty-ive miles an hour can
be stopped in 30 feet-about the distance of
a short city block Going at the rate of
thirty miles an hour, train cannot be
brought to a stop within 800 feet When
the rails are damp, 40 per cent. must be
added to the distance that train will run
before stopping. New York Evening Post.