The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-21
CHANGES IN THE TUNNEL.
a NEW BLOCK SIGNAL AND Iy7ERLOCK-
ING SYSTEM.

4 NEW BLOCK SIGNAL AND INTERLOCK-
ING SYSTEM.
It Aims to he tho Hest in tho worId-Two
Sets or Towers Tor Regulating Trains
A scheme to ventiinte the Tunnsi and
Abolish the Smoke by Exhaustion.
After months OF careful study tho New York
Central Railroad has decided upon a block
signal system for the Fourth avenue which. II
claims. is the most perfect In tho world. 1t
didn't stor with the existing systems. but It
drew IN list OF improvements that were con-
aidered necessary as safeguards against hui
man mistakes and failure OF Instruments.
Tho signal and electrical experts were invited
to come In and state whether they could carry
out these principles successfully or not and
they wero asked to bid on the work.
The Johnson Railroad Signal COMPANY Sc
cured ire CONTRACT. Mr.. johnson used to be
the manager OF the Union Switch md Signal
System The latter company entered the COM
petition. and II is tho best known signal COM
pany In the country. The work will cost about
$4,000. exclusive OF the now towers that are to
10 built In connection with tho changes In the
signal system
Tho Central. besides changing the signal
system. will mako new departure, by having
one set Of towers and operators for the up
bound trains the whole length OF the tunnel
At present single tower regulates the trains
In both directions. and the responsibilities arc
double what they will be after the change Is
made. The chief advantage gained IL that 1t
will give the operators in the towers m op-
portunity to soc all the trains rs they pass. or
ut least the visual signals In the tunnel.
There can no longer be any doubt how the
lamps or disks are II tho operator does his
Il @,nv
operators.
Blu, tho New York Central will not stop with
these improvement 1t has a plan on foot for
ventilatine the tunnel. which will require
more money thon tn, new signal system 1t
will cost over $4,000 to e1un 1000 feet OF
side tunnel experiment alloy. A false roof OF
sheet iron Will be constructed next 70 the nreh
through IN takes" by means, Of exhaustion.
desST6ing he mpT" ,h signal sSs1s%
Station who prernred the spsciicatons. said:
IN general me system has the sykes eom hioh
Th WISH TO Se
operator IN each tower whether the books or
sections controlled uy him are clear or occu;
pied. yhs Indicator circuits are interlockcd
!isna's both ,orred .es and gonss working In
visual mono signals will re in duplicate on
either stde OF the track. ana worked simuta-
Ne think that we already have the safest
system in the world. but our enoit has ben to
emit
the SYKES circuit and the track circuit 10 per-
form their part in unio"kinG the signal levers.
The latter provision Is especially important.
inasmuch rs it is moro difficult to maintain
reflect track ciren't through tunnel than
a movement. OF about 900 separate ira rs and
engines over the hne per day. even the &C.
cnsional failure OF track circuit may cause
The rev points are indicated in the list Of
,1s or a6sr.
graphs:
Of ..aN .rscl and TO WORK .i,R ..n.ously
ne blocks or st.S S sh. sM.na 40 1.et Sey1na
inno..oe % GEAR The the rear Of tho section
70 be US. 10 rs
harm nv =" si.n IT.. lnr"vDG system ""' ~ :"
NV sasia.. ~. "ss. ss;, gravity
ns ga . SFs, i's /"
" there
show caution sigma. IN case The regular ,racH cir
ony to b. tue concurrent action cf the opera.
Tp?s.,n ,or the ,on.rss"r. to sno" clear signal
al e imro .h,e tot Any oDs-s.or to show ei.he.
eoS;r.'." Z H. cssTs,oI IN 4: s%y.aee ssx:s
tom a.i,a,y when the tram Tor which they were
ns>s, =, n. to controlling than.
!sw..s audtDy. IL not working properly. or light
primary AVID ,ssorasry saS,ns and s5;u,.:.e
other The OF the secondary circuit Ue Oar
to prevent tho use OF the primary or track circuit for
n m.c,.n's n asv,cs; t. he Weighted
% sTrane.d that N. ,n,s o. Any ra' CT l. would ru:
an" :. 10 he G the
Ono Of the new features is that gravity will
be overc ONE in unlocking levers. in the oil
sysemt nv when tho ne un0'Ssd s,av,y
WILL be the supplemental signal sy'tem. with
4! present tho home signals have rci and
the opera,or who noilscs ~ trouble viii phi
green" Instead o. red. which is tho msual
danger sgpaI. An cn@ineer ,d se ,s tho differ
mn teils him that no mUsi proceed v it'll c,u-
tio'. because me mar signal system is ont OF
Sds At when TIN the o Sef n
hama signals. which nrs slow, ard tedious.
II is noticeable that the lndepen,lence OF the
mum. They can do rothnG wi hont the con-
Of the men In i, the ah l. towers
was found that n man could unlock his cwn
lever BY Inserting n stick in g., the "IlnnEer;"
TINT this rick shall he madc impossible. An
other new point Is the duplicate home si9nnls.
on either side OF the track. which arc intended
for the visual henaft Of tho operator Besites.
tho Hooks will extend q hundie feet above
the homo signal. Instead OF ending the'eat.
THIS. Is an. c4t,a precaution. tho purpose Of
which Is sell ~vi .cnt
Ii may ma thonghJ that tn, new system Is
much more complex than the old. On tho con-
trnry Mr.; / at says it viii la SIMMER. because
a good deal OF tho mechanics! will be done
away with.
Agent TnrtridEe's Disappearance.
RoNDoUT. Aug. 20.-On Tuesday ". G. Par