Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-10-30
TAYLoR's TooToMETER.
A Novel Invention Which Registers tbt
Whistles of Locomotives.

A Novel Invention Which Registers the
Whistles of Locomotives.
Frank B. Taylor, OF Bridgeport,
Conn, the inventor OF tho 5000
phone" for transmitting messages or
holding conversations with engineers
while under full speed on their locomo-
tives, has just patented device which
he calls a tootometor. In reality, 1t is
o species OF photograph. Mr.. Taylor
was - to believe that some mechan-
ical We could be employed to settle
the oft-disputed question in regard to
whistling at grade crossings. There
are large number OF grade crossings
in this State upon which annually
many lives are lost. Tho relatives OF
those killed almost invariably claim
that the locomotive whistle was not
sounded in time to warn the victims.
The railroad companies, TO protect
themselves against damages. dispute
the point so often taken. Mr.. Taylor
now comes to the front with tell-tale
whistling register, which takes tho
sound from the whistle every time 1t is
blown and records it,
In order TO explain Its workings,
the run OF any engine on the New
York & New Haven road may be used
for illustration. Say engine No. 120
draws the seven O'Clock morning train
from New Haven to Now York. Tho
engine is backed up in front OF the de-
pot and attached to the train. The
engineer, George Corbett, steps into
the dispatchers's Office to got the time
or sot his watch exactly with the
standard time. The dispatcher hands
'he en- siheer tootometer' Whlch Is
ALREADY set Tor Englnecr CorDetts run
IL Is numbered to correspond with the
engine 3 humoer ana Is cateu anu OF
nclalIy iocAeu' so tnat IL Is Impossible
Ior any one 10 aiter lts register OF the
whistle soundingS. 'Iho "tootometer
Is placed IN pocket bracket on tho
front Vi the CAP Just oeheacn tne
whistio. INSIDE the "tootometer Is a
long roll OF TIN ioll' upon which are
S'N'iriiiPeu cross-iihes representing every
grade crossing on inc road Inc roil
Is unwound from one axle 10 another
py means OF a small CLOCK attachment'
80 thaI eilch iihe representing CROSS
ing VIII DC orought 10 inc souhuer
opening preciseiy at inc same mo-
lheh1 ehiis the iocohoeiVe speeus over
inc gfade-crosslhS' Az lhe proper
uis'ance Deiore reaching 'ho srauo
crossing inc engineer olows tne seaii-
aaru sighai' TWO long ana t"o snort
pi''s's' = Ut A-o-oo''
'-o-o'' Uoo' uoo'
Inc sounds are registered by the
"tootometer. Should the engineer
iail TO sound his whistle the "tooto-
meter" would show an empty blank.
Ana so the run Is made TO New York,
Ine too.ometer' roiilhg OH lts strlP
Oh UNION IN tlihe ana unison WIN .ho
movement Oh tle engine All trains
are run on eNacC tline on TINS ro'lu' 80
theFe Is very niue chance OF the
lootometeP' aisasreeihg win inc
time gr,ioo crossing ure reaehea' IL
extra wnistllng Is uoho 70 driVe COWS
Oh 'iie 'racA or oiowh lor o'nor Pur-
poses thah graue crossings inc sounus
are all reSistorou ana an exact record
takeh OF al 'he "histle pl"sts' anu
the exact location OF the engine on
the rnls at the iimo Oh the olasts Is ae-
noteq IRON one enu OF the ROAD 10 inc
other' ~ the conclusion ol tne "Trip
the "tootometeF Is hanuea pS inc
engineer 10 the proper olldiai, VINO