The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-12-13
AUTOMATIC CoUPLRRs. i.

| AOIOMAIlC COUPIEhbs
As has already been shown, during the year
ending June 80, 1889, out of 13S.S23 trainmen
in the United States, 300 were killed and 6,757
injured in coupling and uncoupling cars. In
no other branch of the service are men exposed
to so much danger. Generally the link and
| pin coupler of by gone days. is still in use.
Brakemen are still compelled to 60 between
| freight cars TO couple and uncouple them
Hardly day passes but, on taking up news
paper, we see the account of an accident to
someone who has been killed or severely in
| jured in so doing.
Among the thousands of automatic couplings
which have been invented, there are now
many, which upon tests and trials, are shown
to practical. This, too, is true as to the
| type of coupler recommended by the Master
Car Builders association, by reason of inven-
tions and improvements made since the adop-
tion of that type by that association. therefore
| this slaughter of train men should cease. Rail-
road corporations should Immediately select
and adopt some one of these safety appliances
we have mentioned, without waiting 10 be
compelled to do so by law. If delayed longer
it will and ought to arouse in the people of this
country, afeeling of intense indignation.
HEATING PASSENGER, MAIL AND BAGGAGE CARS.
In obedience TO the provisions of chapter
| 275 of the public laws of 1889, railroad corpo-
rations have generally discarded the use of
| what should reasonably be termed common
stoves, for heating passenger, mail and bag
gage cars; and steam direct from the locomo-
tive, has been generally substituted as a means
OF heating though other methods Of heating
but little safer than the common stove, are still
in use on many railroads in this State. While
this fact would seem to be a violation of the
provisions of the statute which is being per-
mitted by the board, we can only give as an
excuse the one we gave in our last annual re-
port, viz:
That "the board, upon investigation. found
that a statute, similar to the one enacted in
this State. had been in force in the State of
Massachusetts and New Hampshire. and that
the railroad commissioners of these States had
approved all methods of heating cars, other
than by what might called "common stoves"
AS the railroad system of this State is so
closely connected with those Of Massachusetts
and New Hampshire, and as passenger, mail |
and baggage cars are being daily exchanged, |
It did not seem to this board to |
be wise or expedient TO adopt a |
rule or regulation, as to spprovals, |
differing from that adopted in those other |
States, acting under like or similar statutes. |
The board, therefore, feeling that, as the |
method of heating cars was necessarily in
transitional and experimental state, and that |
the best methods of heating may not yet been
devised. determined to temporarily approve ell |
methods which had been approved by the
commissioners of the above named States, and |
such other heaters as railroad corporations /
might desire to use, other than common
stoves"
On investigation the present year, the boadr
found that practically the same condition of
things still existed. No material change in the
laws of those States has been made, nor in the
approval of methods of heating. Accordingly,
feeling that it would be unwise to attempt the
enforcement of different rule from that
adopted by the commissioners of these States,
while cars were being exchanged and passing
daily from the jurisdiction of one State to
another, we have again temporarily approved
the methods of heating above mentioned.
That heating by steam is the safest and best
method yet devised, we have little doubt; but |
in many particulars, as now applied and regu-
lated, it is far from being satisfactory. One |
can suffer from excessive heat as well as from
excessive cold. A certain amount of heat is
required to make the passenger car comforta-
table. If the pipes, which. by the methods
now in use, extend along the floor and sides
of the car, convey the requisite amount of
steam to warm the car, the person who is
obliged to sit alongside and over them, is apt
to be far from comfortable. A method Of
heating our dwelling houses, by direct steam.
arranged in such manner, that some member
of the family would have to sit on top of the
radiator, would not ordinarily be considered
satisfactory arrangement. That the requisite |
amount of heat from steam taken from the
locomotive to heat an ordinary train of cars,
can be obtained without material detriment to
the motive power, has been sufficiently demon
strated. How to distribute and regulate such
heat, so as to make each passenger in the car
comfortable, is not so well known. We men
tion these facts in this connection, merely to
show that, while by the use of steam for heat
ing purposes, the dangers to passengers from
fire is eliminated, there is yet much to be
done by way of application of the system, to
make travel in ordinary passenger cars COM
Portable.
We are pleased to be able to state that the
consolidated car heating company, whose svs-
TEN is generally in use in this State and in New
England recognize the importance of perfect
circulating system and are constantly making
improvements theron,
At hearing given by the board, on the
twelfth duty of August last, to all interested in
the matter of heating passenger, mail aud bag
gage cars, ]. S. Mcleod, the inventor and
now the president of the "Car Heating and
Ventilating Company" appeared and ex-
planned system of heating and ventilating pas
senger cars, by a circulation of air forced
tuiousu coii vi pipes IN the smoke D0X OF the /
locomotive, by pumps operated by steam from
the boiler. His explanation of said system
was exceedingly interesting aud if found
practicable, may become a substitute for the
modes now in use.
A strict construction and enforcement of
the statutes of 1889, would compel all railroad
corporations to remove common stoves from |
their cars whether used or not. In this eli
mate we do not think it would be wise to be
entirely without means of heating cars in case
of disconnection of the locomotive from the
train. True, auxiliary heaters other than
stoves might be provided for such emergen-
cies, but being merely for temporary use cor
porations providing them would be subjected
TO an unnecessary expense and inconvenience.
We therefore recommend change in the
statute in that respect.
ACCIDENTS.
During the year ending September 80 the
following accidents occurred on railroads in
Maine:
Killed. Injured
Employees, IA
Passengers,