The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-05-19
FAST TRAINS.
Reasons Why They Are Generally
Considered the Safest.


About the first thought that suggests itself to
a person about TO AXE railroad journey is, in
these days of frequent accidents. where is the
safest place on the train? Extremes are gen.
orally Objectionable, and so as place Of safety
are either the extreme rear or forward parts OF
a passenger train. In case OF d head collision
the engine and forward cars have 10 furnish the
means for absorbing the moving energy OF the
train, and this energy Is usually so great that
one or more cars are wrecked before Us force is
spent In the case OF a rear collision the rear
cars must furnish The means of absorbing a
large portion of the moving energy OF The stTik-
ing train.
Perhsps fully half of his force Is spent 10
wrt cklng the striking train, and a consider
able portion of the force OF the blow Is spent
in Knocking the standing train forward. The
balance of this force is spent in COMPRISING
the springs of the draft appliances Oh both
trains, ana In wTecklng the rear part of the
train that Is struck. Therefore, IL is plain
that in case of head or rear collisions the front
or rear parts of the tram, s the case may be,
are dangerous places; and the front more so
Than III rear for the reason stated, and for the
further reason nat the forward cars OF pas-
senger train are usually lighter ana less
strongly built man the heavy parlor or sleep
ing cars that generally make up the rear OF the
tain. The blow of a head collision will do
more damage TO the forward cars of a train
than a cOlliding blow of equal force will to
The rear cars OF the train as ordinarily ar
ranged.
For this reason the very best form OF insur-
ance for travellers is paror or sleeping car
Ticket although the rear car OF tn train, even
il of the strongest construction, may be de-
sgroyed in a rear collision.
The belief Is becoming quite common that
the safely OF passengers iS not 1eopardiZ ed
very much by the higher train speeds hat are
now attained. There are good reasons for the
belief. IL is probable that the fastest train on
4 railroad is the safest TO ride on.
or course the higher tbs speed at
which a train runs the greater is Its
potentialifV of Standardization. but safety
is really enhanced by the higher speed
because accident is more jealousy guarded
against on the fast than the slow train, aud
the probability of its occurrence therefore is
largely decreased. The cars of the fast trains
on our railroads and the engines that haul them
are, teIhapS. more carefully inspected and a re
certainly more carefully maintained in the
safest and most p RECT running order than are
the cars and engines of slower aud what are
considered less important trains. The most
competent and reliable employees are generally
PERHAPS the chief element OF the safety
of these trains lies in the fact that NOT
only the men who operate them, but all the
employees connected with the train service on
the division OF the ROAD on which the faS tram
is running are on the qui Vive respecting It's
safe and successful passage. Interference with
II IN any way IS sure o get the emplOye at fault
into trouble, and the knowledge of this inspires
all who have 10 do with tins movement of trains
with unusual alertness In regard to the spe-
cIaly fast train.
Each of these influences is safeguard
against accident and their combined effect is
TO make the very fast trains very safe trains 70
travel educational Car and Loeomoti We
Builder.