Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-03-10
SAFETY ON RAlLRoAoa
Lessons Taught By the Many Fatalities q
the Year 90.


the Year '03.
That 1893 was a dark year in the
history of railroading in the United
States Is beyond dispute No year
has seen 80 many fatal accidents
Whatever the causes of this state OF
affairs may have been the railroad
men have awakened to the fact that
something In the way OF safeguards
must be found. Representatives from
1871 roads, operating l3l, 900 miles Of
track, recently met In New York for
the purpose OF discussing the outlook
and devising means to prevent acct.
dents in the future. Many speeches
were made and several plans dis
cussed at this meeting and II NAV
afford the travelling public some salts.
faction to know that its interests re.
ceived as fair consideration rs did
those OF the railroads
Among the new devices proposed
for the sake Of safety IL one which
will not allow train to approach too
near an open drawbridgc whether
the engineer Is willing or not. II
consists OF combination Of levers.
When the bridge Is open 'trips" are
raised inside the rails and these en-.
gage the air.brake levers OF an ap.
preaching train, bringing II to .
standstill. The mechanism Is In.
geniouA The opening Of the bridge
disen9ages q sliding bar operated By
q spring. This sliding bar Ii con.
nectcd with a crank. which Ia turn
crates line Of gas pipe which OF.
tends for suitable distance along
the track. Its end farthest from
the bridge works Q rocking shaft,
which raises the ''trips."
Another safety device embracing
the same idea 10 intended TO stop
trains approaching bridge which
has been burned or has fallen for any
reason. Extending along the bridge
parallel with the rails IL Q line OF
rods connected with fusible jointA
The land ends Of this system Of rode
operate levers which throw up
'trips," the latter engaging the air
brake levers OF locomotives II the
bridge 10 burned the joints connect.
ing the rods arc melted; . powerful
spriug throws up the trips" - soon
o the tension VI the line Of rods 10
released. II the bridge falls the joints
are snapped and the same result fol.
lows. II the bridge sinks slowly and
not sufficiently to break tho joints
the extra tension Of the rod Lime.
which must follow the sinking bridge,
operates the 'trips" Thus this
simple and ingenious device gives
warning Of three distinct dangers.
And the engine and train would b
stopped Just the Same II there vas
no engineer aboard. This 10 q very
important consideration, for the best
Of signals may fa Of their purpose II
the engineer for any reason disregards
them. That Is the chief reason why
the block signal system 10 not an ab.
solute safeguard.
Electricity has been called upon 70
play 40 important part In recent do.
vices. by Its means signals OF every
nature can be operated, crews OF trains
can talk with those Of other traina
On engineer can be kept informed OF
the distance that separates him from
Q train he IL following, Of misplaced
switch, Of distractions and other
dangers aud In fact every element
of danger can DO eliminated through
its agencv--if! There IL an 'Tf,"
and IN important one. Al the meet.
ing above referred to II developed
that many Of the railroads through.
out tho country, through desire TO
pay big dividends to stockholders,
have gradually fallen into the fault
Of employing operatives who we're
far from being competent and trust
worthy.
This 10 the III" II the railroad
companies would employ only such
men In positions OF responsibility
who had been trained to tho work
men who could DO trusted to read
and interpret signals and act 90
cordingly--all these devices would
perfectly attain their object ss safe,
guards II tho men who operated
the signals could always be depended
upon all would be we'll. But her<
rises another question:: No man In q
position OF responsibility. be he evel
80 capable, can DO depended upon Il
he IL overwOrked. This IL another
fault which some Of tho roads have
fallen into through their desire Il
declare big dividends. AZ long q
there remains a: possibility that In
competent men can dnd places o.
trust on railroads because they arr
cheap, or that competent men mus
be 0verworked because there arc nol
men to take their placed 90 long mus,
the travelling public be subjected Il
dangerA