New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-10
no legal status. and who have lost confidence in
him, or by his dissatisfied and thoroughly dis
gr1lntlcd Bulgar subjects.
THE GRAND TRUNK STER.

Yesterdays frightful disaster on the Grand
Trunk Railway Of Canada is readily explained.
1t does not belong in the category Of those acct
dents the causes If which are unknown or mat
tcrs of dispute Nor was it one Of those which
no human care and foresight could have pre-
vented. Concerning some of It's minor details
there NAV be doubt The broad facts in the case
are ndsputablc. and they are such rs present
an important objcct-lcsson TO other roads than
the Grand Trunk especially at this time OF year,
when heavily loaded excursion trains are numer-
The wrecked train was an excursion train. and
il was SO heavily loaded that 1t was divided into
two sections practically two separate trains.
The section which was leading stopped at
embarrassing so that another train might 90
by Whether any signals were displayed at the
rear, how far they were sent back along the line,
and at what distance the second section was
or should have been following are matters OF
uncertainty. What is certain is that the second
section came along at high speed, crashed into
the rear of the first section wrecked an engine
and ten cars. and killed and wounded many en-
ployes and passengers. Equally certain Is II
that without actual crminaty on the part OF the
engineer Of the second section, such an accident
could not have occurred had the two sections
been run at a proper distance apart and the rear
Of Tie leader been properly guarded
The running Of trains in sections is "A common
one Such disasters as this are. unhappily. also
common 1t is unfortunate. To say the least, that
trains should be run. because in each cas-"
it practically amounts 10 running two trains in
the scheduled space Of one, and giving 10 two
The care and precautions that each one should
have for itself Such sections are often run en-
tircly too close together. The leader is protected
and governed by the usual rules Of the road and
its progress is watched by the telegraph operators
at the stations The second section merely fol
lows the first. tn. engineer looking ahead To
SEQ that he does not run into its rear car. stop
ping when he sees II stop ahead Of him. and going
on when he sees 1t proceeding. Sometimes he
does not see il stop in time and then something
happens as il did yesterday.
All that is wrong. If a train has TO he divided
into sections each section should be- regarded
and treated as separate train. for such ii really
is These trains should follow each other no
more closely than AT the minimum set for other
separate trains on the road Each should have
for itself all the guardianship and all the block
or other system Of signalling that 1t would have
were it solitary and not section If another
train There is no Use in saving this was done
in this case If il had been done. and any AIDE
quatc system Of signalling had been employed
there could have been no such disaster. The for
ward section stopped merely 10 let another train
cross There Is no reason To suppose that meant
for more than minute or two. Then the sec
ond section was following II NJ an interval ~
only a minute or two That Il too close for
s.fcfV