Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-11-02
If HE DROPPED DEAD.
WHAT WOULD RESULT If THIS HAP
4 PENED TO THE sleNALMAN.


scription of the workings oil inc Auto
matte signals-IIow They Are Operated
Tn en-. u.r,.n t,o,s Tunnel.
Two commuters occupied seat in one
Of the suburban trains Of the Harlem road.
which was speeding through the Park ave
nue. tunnel They were discussing block
signals and the possibilities OF accidents
in the tunnel, which are interesting topics
to commuters always
"Well now, suppose an operator in one
of these block signal stations in this tpn-
mel after having set the white signal should
drop dead would not the consequences be
simply awfulYn
"They would indeed" answered the
other.
Both men shuddered and became silent.
They were wondering doubtless whether,
after all, it was worth while to take their
lives in their hands every day for the sake
of elbow room in the country.
"What would happen, was asked of J.,
H. Franklin, general manager of the Hdr-
lem road, "if IA block signal operator should
drop deadW
Nothing at all, no replied, laughing,
Except that the poor operators place would
have to be filled. Whyi Because the sig
nal would return automatically to danger.
The train that next reached the block would
stop, and the engineer would take steps to
find out why he was not allowed to proceed.
The fngmau on duty at the signal station
there Is one at each of the stations in the
tunnel-would unquestionably by the time
the train he'd arrived be, possessed of the de-
slred information,
IL 4. 4. II
on MIR Franklin, sis the best in the world.
We are now averaging about 40 trains a
day through the tunnel--that is, of course,
both ways. OF these 800 arc passenger
trains, and the others shop trains and en-
gines-overything that takes up space in a
block being called n train.n
"What number of passengers does that
inyolvef"
Mr.. Franklin figured for a moment and
then answered. II should saw n low esti-
mate would be Oo,O0O. II you were to seek
ratio of the persons killed to those car
ried in the history of the you would
find it almost nil. There have been but
two serious accidents in the tunnel The
first WINS before it had any block system
and the second was prior to the adoptiop of
the automatic arrangement bv which the
signals. in case of any failure by the oper-
ators. will ALWAYS secure safety.n
The tunnel is two miles in lengtb.end
Inns fonr trncts The two in the cpntsr nre
for fast tbrouyb trains and those On tho
sides for the rnnid transit trains tn Mott
Haven Tncnrning trnirs RIM an tho t,,.o
eastern tracks and outgoing trains on those
IN tho vcst piorlt stations fnr ,,o,tb md
south hound trains ara directlv onnosi,a
eocb o+bsr IN the tunnel Eacb stotjnn has
nm onerator and n fngn,a, Tharo aro -
forcGs nj oacL statiop ana ,1arl,;,I, ~, =
+, ~, 70 an m ono frnn, q to - 'rS
ono from II N m to7n m
The nnton,atIc ,rronssr,a,,+ sor +t,, g.,
turn Of the rod or ilanger SINAI of,ar ~
white eignol hoe nan sbov,, a., ~, -.
of the rppIacing Of sbort ,,,lsasins, c,,
with rail Crc,,ita sytcndin,, So $50
tower. thus nroyidinu against the ,,ossihii,
itv Of onoratnre Uclearinyii a,gnnIs a. th,,
entrance TO INV block whom ony, ro,.tio,, ~
the nreoeding train remains n tbn bInoi,
although thu foryar,, mart ~ tho i attn,,
train has passed ont and perforrned ,ts mart
in snnInct mo- at the 90 800 -'' Pa''
This change IL ms been soi1 w. 600, =,
be desirable In The tunnel on account ~ tb So
difficulty at times Of onarntorg saaina tba
tnlI ugbts mr. mari orc of ,ass,,, "a
of knowing that ali the train Ind 49, ",,,'
cleared
In the present improved state of bloc,-
signaling In the tunnel an ouerator cannot
clear the SIGNALS governing any block when
a car, single pair of wheels or any me-
tallio obstruction reaching from rail 10 rail
is in the block. The operator Is In foot
prevented from clearing signals in any but