New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-01
THE STRAIN ON RAILROAD EMPLOYEES.

THE STRAIN ON RAILROAD EMPLOYEES.
THEIR RESPONSIBILITY sHoi'LD BE REDUCED III
AUTOMATIC APPLIANCES.
To the Editor The Tribune:
Sir. I have read your editorial headed "A Serie"
of Disasters" 1t IL very good but wish 10 p'i"s
out more fully the real cause OF these o'
rble catastrophes. succession OF u's''
ters at short intervals might inevitably susseS'
a general relaxation of discipline If occurring on
one line or system under one management pu'
when occurring In rapid succession on a dozen an
ferent systems at widely separated points 'his
general charge of Iaxity will hardly apply
The fault lies elsewhere We do not realize the
too great confidence too fearfully great respon-
sibility placed on train employees. That responsible
ity is almost wholly centred in the engineer lie
is the true conductor and captain OF the tran. 10
connective engineers are n well-traned and falth-
full body of men, but 1t is impossible Tor any man
to be equally vigiant and observant under All con-
ditions of mind and body Moreover, there are ire
quently atmospheric conditions which render IL I'M
possible for an engineer to observe his signals ac-
curately, and he either trust to luck or retard
the movement Of his train.
Charles Francis Adams says: 1.-The annals OF raii-
road accidents full Of cases OF rear-end coilsoh'
as II is termed . Carelessness momentary
inadvertence or, most dangerous Of all, that reck-
lessness that unnecessary assumption of risk some
where, some time, which is almost inseparable
from long immunity from dsaster-these are the
great sources of peril most carefully to be guarded
against The complicated and unceasing train
movement depends upon many thousand employees
all of whom make mistakes or assume risks some
times; and did they not do so they would De ether
more or less than Being. however. neither
angels nor machines. but ordinary mortals whose SER
vices are bought for money at the average market
price of wages. it would certainly seem no small
point gained If automatic machine could DO
placed guard those whom 1t is the great er
fort Of railroad discipline to reduce to automatons'
That the present systems Of train protection are
inadequate Is shown by the fact that within re-
cent years the number of accidents has increased
In a greater ratio than the train mileage. ana TINS
result might be predicated upon the greater num-
Der of trains aud higher rates of speed at which
they When we consider trains such as the
Empire State Express moving at times with We
locty Of eighty, ninety or even one hundred miles
an hour the marvel is not that accidents should
occur but that it should be possible to avoid fire.
quent accidents among all the combinations OF a
vast and unceasing train movement such as Is
present in a great railroad system. The imper-
fectons of the present system and these increasing
| factors of danger demand additional safeguards.
The question then is Can responsibility be reduced
and safety enhanced?
Upon a recent visit to the Worlds Fair ! saw In
working operation upon the Intramural Elevated
Railroad a system Of automatic machines which
| filled the ideal wants called for by Mr. Adams. Ii
has three distinct features:
First. a method of stopping trains at points OF
danger Independent Of the engineer or tranmen.
| Second, the engineer Is Immediately apprised
| whether through any accident the signals fail TO
! work. and can take means to protect his train
Third. positive mechanical action by which
every moving train automatically operates its own
| signals.
The conditions of operation on this elevated road
the severest that could be imposed on any sig
mailing system. Each signal must operate go times
day. The normal position of all the track instru-
ments Is danger" IF the signal is out Of danger.
the track instrument trips the airbrake locomotive
attachment and the train stops. whether the en-
| gneer is negligent. asleep or drunk. \ brakeman
is sent at TO the rear. a safe distance. to
apply the portable track instrument and no matter
how dark the night thick the fog. train can
not pass 1t Is Immediately stopped ] believe the
| adoption OF this system upon railroads wonld re-
duce accidents to a minimum. JOHN MUIR.
| New-York, October II, 1888.