Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-17
AN ELECTRIC SIGNAL TEST
To be Made on the Pittsburg and Western
Road To-Day-Two Electricians Who
Think They Have n Good Thing.

To be Made on the PittsburE and Western
Road To-Day-Two Electricians Who
Think They Have n Good Thing.
Arrangements have been completed for a
final test this afternoon, at 3 o'clock. on the
Pittsburg and Western road, Allegheny, OF
the invention which, if successful, will
revolutionize the present system of signal
ing on all railroads. For a long time
Messrs. 7. D. Williams and j. S. Lacock,
Of the Western Union Telegraph Company,
have been quietly experimenting on their
discovery, and they now think that they
have improved it sufficiently to introduce it
to the public. OF course railroad men, cleo
tricians and scientists have inspected the
models on which the inventors have been
working and have expressed various opinions,
but the test to be made on the tracks OF the
Pittsburg and Western tomorrow VIII De tne
first one of an official and public character;
The invention is termed the Automatic BLOCK
Railroad Signal, and is designed to make each
train do its own signaling. II 1t proves 10 pc
success the service of operators VIII De done
away with, at least as far as their ald is re-
Quired to manipulate the switches and sWltch
boards. If the system advocated by the IN
ventors be adopted every train Will be provided
with electric batteries. and secondary Datter1es
will be located wherever the signal blocks are
placed The connection between theSe Two
batteries will be established by means of
wire which will follow the course of the track.
Whether train is at a standstill or IN motion
it can he protected both in front and IN the
rear under this system.
Signals must be put along the tracks at any
distance from each other that the authorities
of the railroad may determine. As the train
moves into a block, it will establish current
with the front and the rear signal, and VIII
raise them at once. In this way any other
train which may come either way Will be warned
of the presence Of cars in that block IL by any
chance 4 train of cars should be broken INTO
two OF III ore parts, the signals VIII act Just as
thev would for the whole train.
There will be no difficulty about the cost OF
this system. as the inventors claim 1t VIII De
fully so per cent cheaper than any method now
in use. Most of the experiments have been
conducted on a model about 20 feet long. pro-
vided with a small locomotive and number OF
signals; but recently, through the courtesy OF
Manager Mcdonald, of the Pittsburg and
Western, the use of an engine, some cars and
a line of track opposite the new Exposition
was offered for the use of the experimenters.
The official test will take place there tomorrow
afternoon at O'Clock, and will be witnessed by
the leading railroad officials OF the two cities
and many other interested parties
1t was claimed that a wet day might interfere
to a great extent with the success OF the sys-
TEN, but it has been tried while the weather
was rainy, and worked like charm, SO the
people say.
Overtures have already been made to two
leading roads for the innovation, but the trial
tomorrow will settle its fate in a more decisive
manner.