The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-08-05
RAILROADERS AT SCHOOL.
A Novel Nursery for Train Handsomely
Morning Lectures.

A school for railroading il the newest
thing in the railroad line, and it has been
inaugurated by the Reading line in tho
city of Reading. The employees of the road
in that city assembled at 9 o'clock yester-
day morning In Keystone Hall. No. 73S
Penn street, to listen to lectures by ex-
perienced and competent trainmen and en-
ployes on the general art of railroading,
and more particularly to hear an expound-
ing of the rules and regulations of the COM
pany.
This school of instruction. as it is termed.
almost unique in the history of railroading
in this country, is the result of long and
careful study and experience in railroad
ing OF Assistant. General Superintendent
BonZanO. He some time ago recognized
the Importance OF some means of familiar
izing the employees of the road, and, espe-
cially the trainmen, with the rules of the
company, and a 6 once proceeded to put his
ideas into practice.
Accordingly circular-letter was sent
out early in June calling a meeting of the
employees for June IA. the call stating:
THAT the object of these meetings is to
give the trainmen who are not entirely
familiar with the single-track and other
rules who are in doubt upon the mean
ing of any rule, special Instructions"
These meetings have been in charge Of
Trainmaster NJ. +. Blaine, and from the
very first seemed TO meet with favor at the
hands of the trainmen. The first few meet
ings were held in tho outer depot. but the
increased attendance at these meetings.
which are held on Sunday mornings from
to H. necessitated the procuring of larger
quarters. and the company secured Key
stone Hail. where the meetings are now
held.
At first only the trainmen centering in
Reading attended, but. as the Importance
of the project became known among the
nen, others began to come in. until now
representatives from all along the line at
tend. While the attendance at this school
OF instruction is not compulsory. every en-
ploye who attends ls registered, and IN case
of an accident, by reason of a failure TO
comply with any rules of the company
those who have not attended will not be
permitted 20 plead Ignorance, and no cir
cumstance. however palllatIng, Will excuse
them. superintendent BOnZanO is enthusi-
astlc In this work and every Sunday morn
ing finds him present at the meeting. a ST.
lent but close observer of the In terest taken
and the progress made.
This school, hich was started more in
the nature of an experiment. has met with
such hearty CO operation on the part of the
trainmen that, as soon as sutficieD num-
Der OF trainmasters at different points
along the various lines of the company
have heen thoroughly drilled rs instructors,
1t is the intention of Mr.. BOnZano to estab-
lish these schools at various other points.
Said Mr K. W. James. assistant 10 Super
intendent Bonzano: The object of this
school is not only to thoroughly instruct
the tralnmen in the rules OF the company,
but to establish among them that conf
dence in each other which comes of
thorough knowledge OF all the de-
tails of rairOading. When two con-
ductors, running trains, especially on a
single track road which are coming toward
each other and Will pass at "a given point,
known that each has a complete and
thorough knowledge of the rules pre-
scribed il will allay any fears that either
may have of accidents by reason of the
others ignorance"
To give the men every opportunity to
prepare themselves during the week for
these Sunday morning meetings. and TO
give them an opportunity to ask for lnfOr-
nation concerning the different rules
which might not otherwise suggest them
selves. a list of questions and answers are
sent TO every trainman at the beginning OF
each week, to be discussed at the following
sunday morning meeting. The following
are a few sample questions that have been
prOpOunded:
Question-How late can train No. 2O3 60
to Robesonia against train No. 32f Answer
Until 7:5l A. VI.
QuestIon-If train No. 2O3 fails to arrive
at RObesonia at or before 7:5l A. NJ. what
time can train No. 50 leave Ro6esoniaf
Answer-At 1850 4. Il.
Question Under these circumstances.
what time would train No. 80 have right
to arrive at Sheridan Answer-Untl 1853
A.. VI.
Question-At what time would train No.
203 be Obliged to take the sde-track for
train No. By at Sheridanf Answer-At 7:51
A. VI.
Question-What time at Richlan di
Answer-At 1854 A. VI.
Question-if train No. 2O3 arrives at
Myerstown at 1888 A. NJ. TO what point can
IL 60 to meet and pass train No. 81, pro-
vided no time can be made upg Answer
To Womelsdorf.
QuestiOD-SuppOse train No. 203 has
taken the side track at Womelsdorf, as
above. at what time can it leave Womels-
dOrf If train No ~ does not Gomez An
swer-At SlS. under the protection of dag.
Question--If train No So has waited a
RobesOnia for train No. 2O3 until 7:56 A. NJ.
and starts In accordance with the rule and
reaches Sheridan at S24 A. NJ, without hav-
ing passed train No. 205 what is necessary
Answer-To flag against train No. 203. on
account or both trains being thirty min
utes late.
Question-.If train No. 81 arrives at Robe.
sonia at $40 A. NJ, and train No. 203 has not
arrived. what time can train No. 81 leave
Robesonia? Answer-Train No. ~ can
leave at once, but must pass every station
between Robesonia and MyerstOwn, or
until No. 203 is passed. ut least five minutes
| late.
Q.-Suppose train No. 81 after having
| left RObesonia at $40 A. NJ, strikes cow
DeIore reaching w ouoisuOTI anu iOsoS HVe
minutes. what course must be pursued. and
why? A.-By losing five minutes more
| train No. 81 would be over thirty minutes
| late, as would also train No. 203s therefore.
| train No. 81 would have to proceed with a
| slgnalman ahead.
This movement on the part of Superin-
| tendent BOnZanO TO instruct thoroughly
| his employees in all the intricacies of train
running mas struck a responsive chord in
| others not at all connected with railroads,
and IL now quite Tad IN Reading bot n
among ladies and gentlemen. to devote
| their spare moments TO imaginary train
| running. Train puzzles have appeared mp
| on the streets and upon the street corners
| The problem which has frequently stag
gered old railroad men of passing two
trains going in opposite directions on q
sin GLE track road where the passing siding
| is too short to contain either train is being