The morning call., 1893-01-01
DANGER SIGNALS.
Meaning OF Flags, Lights and TOrpe-
does on Railroads.
st. Nicholas


''What is the danger sighal?" asked Hal.
who was beginning 10 consider these rail
road signals almost as important and we'll
worth knowing as those in which he, drilled
his ootball team.
'Red for danger. green Tor caution and
white for safety; flags by day and lanterns
by night" replied the railroad uncle. add
ing: 81 am sure you must have noticed
lhen at road crossings waving white flags to
show that the track was clear as your train
rushed by?"
"Of course l have" answered Hal.
"OI the watcnmen on sharp curves and
bridges waving green flags. as much as to
say, You may go ahead, but you must do
so with caution ?'
81 don't rememb Der seeing them" respond
ed Hal; but I'll look out for the green
flags the very next time go in the cars"
"A red flag o: red light is imperative"
continued MI Holden, "and means Sound
the call for brakes and stop at once There
are other danger and cautiOnary signals
think you will be especially interested in,
added his uncle--"torpedOes and fusees, for
instance. A torpedo upon the rail is one of
the most used and most reliable of all tie
danger signals"
But shouldn't think it would be loud
enough" objected Hal. why don't you
use something lOuder-say cannon crackers"
on you are thinking Of the little paper
wrapped tOrpedoes such as children play
with, but they are not the kind | mean. A
railroad torpedo is a round tin box. Just
about the size of a silver dollar, filled with
percussion powder. Attached to il are two
little leaden strips that can be bent under
tile edges OF the rail; SO as to hold the tor
pedo firmly In. place on top of it. in this
position, when a locomotive wheel strikes
ii with the force of a sedse-hammer it ex-
plodes with a report fully as loud as
cannOn-cracker that can he plainly heard
above all other sounds of the train. Ii is
warning sufficient 20 arouse the engineman
20 render him keenly alert
III train meet with an accident or OBJ
struction that bids fair to cause delay of
more than few seconds, the engineman
sounds five short whistle blasts &
y. On hearing this signal the rear brake
man must Immediately run back quarter
OF a mile or so and place torpedo on one
of the rails that his train has just passed
over. Then, going back about 200 yards
farther, he places two more t0rpedOes
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 and takes with him the
signal tOrpedO, but leaves the other two
where they are.
These two torpedoes thus form a eau
tiOnary signal; and, translated by the next
following englneman mean the train ahead
of you has met with a delay. Move eau
tiously and keep sharp LOOKOUT The
single torpedo is an impeI alive warning to
apply the airbrakes, shut off and reversal
in other words, stop at once, for there Is
danger Immediately ahead
''If train is delayed at night the rear
brakeman sometimes leaves another bit of
fireworks when called in. 1t is 'fusee,'
which is a paper cone containing enough
red ire, iuextinguishable by wind or rain,
to burn exactly five minutes, which is the
shortest length OF time allowed between
two running trains, The englneman of
following train must stop when he comes IT,
fusee and not move ahead again until
it has burned out, although he can calculate
from its condition just about how far ahead
the next train isl