Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-20
NEW BLOCK SIGNAL.
Chief Engineer Manning Will Test His
Patent on the B. & 0. Road.
1T is WORKED BY AIRAND GRAVITY
Operators Can't Sleep Without Being Be-
trayed by the Machine.
INCREASING THE SAFETY OF TRAVEL

W. I. Manning, chief engineer of main
tenance of way of the Pittsburg division of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, is about
to put in his new block signal for the pur-
pose of making practical test of it on the
road. The test will be made at McKees-
port. but the inventor claims there is not
the slightest doubt of its success. Mention
has been made of the signal in THE DIS
PATCH before, but no detailed description
of it has ever been given. 1t is to be called
the Manning automatic-pneumatic electric
block, and patent will probably be issued
for it within the next few weeks.
The block signals chief advantage over
the present "semaphore, " or ''apron, blocks
lies in the fact that it drops back to safety
by gravity. 1t can either be worked by the
"apron" block or the ''semaphores. The
signal is worked with air by an operator by
means OF lever. When the white block is
shown the operator must maintain his grip
on the air lever or the red signal will drop
down. When the operator wishes to allow
train to pass, he presses down on the lever.
THE ALARM RINGS.
The red signal is pulled up out of sight
and the white one displayed. While in this
position an electric alarm is constantly
ringing. The alarm keeps up continuous
din until the lever is released and the red
signal drops back into position.
Another feature about the block is that it
can be worked by foot levers under the
table. This enables telegraph operators to
work them with their feet while they are
sending or receiving messages. Attached
to the levers bv system of air cocks are two
air pumps, which supply the valves. There
is no compression of the air whatever. The
signal is mainly intended for small stations,
where the rope block signals are now being
worked. 1t is a well-known trick among
railroad telegraph operators to pull the red
signal out of sight about midnight and
then 60 to sleep. They tie the end of
the rope on to the end of a table,
or put the handle in the drawer
and close the latter. The block then
shows a white signal, and the few trains
running on the road in the early hours of
the morning pass without stopping, the en-
gineers taking it for granted that the road is
clear. This trick has been the cause of
dozens of wrecks The usual result was
that the operator was discharged aud the
company was out thousands of dollars.
OPERATORS CAN'T SLEEP.
With the Manning patent an operator
cannot very well hold tight grip on the
lever and sleep at the same time. Ii any
attempt is made to tie the lever to the
floor, the tension on the rope would
soon cause it to break. When this
occurs the weight is taken from the lever,
and the danger signal drops back into place.
The ropes and wires now used are an end
less source of expense to the companies, and
great saving is made in this particular.
The block will also have an electric register
attached to it. When a white signal is dis
played bell rings in the Office and num-
Der appears. This will show which block is
up. This precaution is taken in cases
where trains going in opposite direc-
tious meet at the station. To insure greater
precaution two levers will be provided. One
will be for one track and the other for the
opposite track. The two levers will
prevent operators from becoming excited,
and giving the wrong block to the wrong
train. A number of railroad officials have
inspected the signal, and say it is a great
improvement over the present blocks or
'semaphores." The latter are made by the
Union Switch and Signal Company, and
have been adopted by the Pennsylvania
lines. It is claimed that in very severe
rain and snowy weather the "semaphores"
will freeze up and become useless.
Mr.. Manning has also applied for patent
on an improvement in discharging the car
valve for signaling the engineer from train
by a whistle instead of with a bell rope.
The improvement gives clear, sharp and
distinct whistle, instead of combination of
signals.