Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-01-27
Danger Signals.

What is danger signalr asked
Hal, who was beginning to consider
these railroads signals almost as i'm
portant and we'll worth knowing as
those in which he drilled his football
team.
Red for danger, green for caution
and white for safety; flags by day
and lanterns by night replied the
railroad uncle, adding: II am sure
you must have noticed men at road
crossings waving white flags TO show
that the track was clear as your train
rushed byr
"Of course l have" answered Hal.
"Or the wstchmen on sharp curves
and bridges waving green flags, As
much as TO say, You must go ahead,
but you must do so with cautionr 2"
Il don't remember seeing them, re
sponded Hal, but I'll look cut for
the green flags the very next time i
go ia the cars"
"A red flag or red light is impera-
tive" continued Mr. Holden, and
means sound the call for brakes and
stop at once There are other dan
ger and eautionary signals l think
you will be especially interested In"
added his -"torpedoes and
fusees, for instance. A torpedo upon
the rail is one OF the most used and
most reliable OF all the danger sig
nails
But ! shouldn't think 1t would be
loud enolgh,n " objected Hal. why
don't you use something loudsr-say
cannon crackers"
"Oh, you are thinking OF the little
paper wrapped torpedoes such as
children play with, but they are sot
the kind mean. A railroad torpedo
10 round tin box, just about the size
ofa silver dollar, filed with percussion
powder Attached TO il are two little
leaden strips that can be bent under
the edge OF the rail, so as to hold the
torpedo firmly in place on top OF Il.
In this position whom a locomotive
wheel strikes it with the force OF n
sledge hammer it eIplodes with n re-
port fully as loud as cannon crack
er that can be plainly heard above all
other sounds OF the train. IL Is n
warming sufficient 10 arouse the en-
glneman to render him kesnly alert.
IF IA train meet with an accident
or obstruction that bids fair TO cause
delay OF more than few seconds
the engineman sounds five short
whistle blasts. On hearing this sig-
nal the rear brakeman must immedi-
ately run back quarter OF mile or
so and place a torpedo on one OF the
rails that his train has just passed
over Then, going back about 200
yards further, he places two more
torpedoes rails length apart. He
then returns To the first torpedo, and,
with his red flag in hand, stands there
until the recall signal is sounded from
his own train. On hearing this he
picks up aud takes with him the sig
nal torpedo, but leaves the other two
where they are.
These two torpedoes thus form
cautionary signal. and, translated by
the next following engineinan, mean
the train ahead OF you has met with
"A delay. Move cautiously and keepa
sharp lookout The single torpedo
Is an Imperative warning to apply the
airbrakes, shut of and reverse Tin
other words, stop at once, for there
is danger immediately ahead.
II train 10 delayed at night the
rear brakeman sometimes leaves an
other bit OF fireworks when called In,
1t Is 'fusee,' which Is a paper cone
containing enough red FIRE, ineItin-
gulshable by wind or rain, 10 burn
exactly FIVE minutes, which IL tho
shortest length OF time allowed be-
tween two running trains. The en-
gineman OF following train must
stop when he comes TO fusee and
not move ahead again until IL has
burned out, although he can calculate
from its condition just about how far
ahead the next train is."-.&. Nicholas.