The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-02-07
over bridges without stopping.


over Bridges without stopping.
tNEw APPARATUS on THE wEsTPoRT BRIDGE
TRAINS MUST sToP FOR AN OPEN DRAW
BRIDGE OR RUN INTO A SAND BANK.
A correspondent writing from Westpor
10 the New Haven Ereninq Register says
For the first time in thirty years trains TO
day ran over a drawbridge in this Stat
without coming to stop before doing so
Jt was the dreadful accident at Norwalk,
few miles below here, i'm 1858, that led u
the enactment OF the law requiring traihl
10 make the drawbridge stoppage undel
a heavy penalty. Forty-seven people
perished in the Norwak catastrophe, aud
The public feeling aroused by the hor
ror was such that the Legislature hast
tened TO pass statute which would serve
10 prevent repetition Of such accidents in
the future. This requirement has always
been more severely felt as an Inconvenience
by the Consolidated road than any other in
the State, owing to the greater number Of
drawlridges on the line and to the con-
slant efforts Of the company to cut down
the running time OF their express trains.
The officials wanted TO do away with The
delay of the minutes or so cntailed by the
stoppages OF the FIVE drawbridges be-
tween New York and New Haven,
but made no move in this direction until
there was brought to their attention an APP
paratus which they believe will obvlate the
necessity OF these stoppages without les
SEEMING the danger to trains. The work OF
APPLYING one OF these devices TO the draw
bridge OF this place was arranged to take
place to-day. and this afternoon party OF
Railroad officials witnessed the first pracii-
cal workings Of the apparatus. The con-
sent Of The commissioners was necessary
before making the experimental test, and
IL the results are as satisfactory 10 them as
they appeared to be they will probably con-
sent to a modification Of the present law in
the case of all bridges provided with The
safeguards attached to the one here.
The apparatus Is partly electrical. A mile
and half from the bridge, on either side
Of IL, there are attached 10 the side Of the
rails little buttons. which each train ope-
rates in passing. When these buttons are
pressed they set to ringing bell in each of
the draw-tenders' shanties on the bridge,
and thus rive warning OF the approach OF
the train. Not only this, but they clock"
the draw, so that il could not be swung off
il the operator tried. A strong current of
electricity is thrown upon the first Of the
levers which operate the draw and make it
too hot for any one to handle until after the
train has passed.
From the shantics on the bridge run a
network OF wires, chains, and rods, by
which the signals are moved. The fmthest
signal is 1900 feet from the draw. Near
the top OF pole, about the height OF a tele-
grapl-pole, is cross section painted green.
The wires connected with this, and con-
trolled by the lever in the hands OF the man
ON the draw, turn this signal so that it
stands out at right angles with the pole
when the draw is open. Eight hundred
feet from the draw is the switch OF
the siding, which terminates in bed of
sand. Before the draw is opened this
switch must be opened, so that if the first
signal is not properly displayed, the second
one with the safety switch must turn the
train ont of the path OF danger. The
ploughing OF an engine through bed OF
sand or soft dirt might unpleasantly jar
passengers, but would cause, it is claimed,
no serious results.
One drawback which the apparatus has,
although this does not affect its utility rs a
measure OF safety TO passengers, is the
longer time it will take TO get the draw
opened. The operation is SO hedged about
with mechanical safeguards that to swing
the draw for the passage Of vessel viii
take, II Is estimated, nearly hall IN hour.
The vexation OF spirit which this will
cause TO inpatient boatmen can be ina
p,ine1