The herald., 1893-10-22
A LESSON FROM RECENT RAILROAD
ACCIDENTS

In view OF the daily recurrence of ter
rible and fatal accidents to the travel
ing public in the eastern states, on the
great railway systems, 1t may be we'll to
inquire to what they may be attributed
and how they may be lessened. To
wholly avert accident is impossible.
Many accidents occur through defect
i've machinery, such as poor switches,
faulty brake action, broken rails and
spreading gauges. But these causes
supply but small per centage of the
ghastly roll that goes to make up the
yearly tally. But accidents from this
cause are rarely the source Of much loss
of life. The class of accidents that oc-
cur at high speeds, with their concom-
itants, fire, telescoped cars and explos-
ions. are caused by the liability to err
in judgment that is common to the train
hand with the rest Of humanity. This
is especially the case where the man is
overworked and his brain soddened with
fatigue. As the human physique va.
res so does the capacity for work,
and what ie but reasonably
long hours for one man may
another prostrate long before its termi-
nation to such an extent that be is not
in fit condition to weigh the pros and
cons, or even understand thoroughly go
as to execute intelllgently the written
orders of his superior officer. No fair
minded man believes for moment that
it is criminal negligence that prompts
man to sacrifice his duty 80 far as to inn
peril the lives of his passengers and,
with them. his own; at least in the
great majority of cases. During the first
thrill of horror the public, ever prone to
punish, cries out for vengeance on the
unfortunate train hand whose tired
brain refused to rise to the occasion and
was only equal to carrying out, mechan-
ically, the routine he was accustomed to.
these wrecks occur from a neglect or
apparent neglect of an order to deviate
from the usual routine. Now ae there
exists no motive on the part of the train
hand to neglect or alter this order, but
on the contrary many strong pereonal
reasons for its execution, we are forced
to the conclusion that the brain of the
overworked man is an unreliable guam
tity; especially is this go where it calls
Tor the comprehension of plan of &C.
tion at variance with something that
previous custom had made him too
fatally familiar with.
The public will say these men should
cot be overworked, and the manage
nent which overworks them should be
punished; but here again arises very
Dig difficulty, partly pointed out above,
n the impossibility of gauging one
mans work by another's. Either you
overwork many men by comparing them
with those who are physically superior 4
to them, or yoU unuerWorK number 10
reduce them to the capacity of the
weakest. Again, once admit this as
valid excuse and a spur to carefulness is
removed, and the center of blame, go to
speak. is shifted, leaving it an open
question where to place it. Clearly then
some other and more reliable machine
han the human brain must be
ound by which to avert the possible
that may arise between
the train despstcher and the train hand
who carries out his order. In Europe
The block system has been found very
effective and it has undoub bted merit.
By this means no train is allowed into
a space or block until it is reported
clear for passage. On some single lines
the locomotive driver receives staff at
the station where he enters and delivers
it where his train leaves the limit of the
staff run. The train coming from the
opposite direction cannot enter the ruG
unless the staff is there to accompany
him, thereby assuring the fact that no
two trains can be caught as they were
on the Grand Trunk on Friday last,
This system has not found favor for
some reason amongst American railroad
srs, possibly because having begun on
another method and trained their men
to use it, difficulties would arise in the
way OF an alteration. The writer does
not wish here to advocate any particular
method, but only to point to the con-
clusion that less responsibility must be
put on the train hands, and more on
some mechanical device.
---