The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-08-08

This Query Draws out an Interesting De-
scription of the Workings of the Auto
matte signais-How They Are Operated |
In the Harlem Road 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
I'm the tunnel, which are interesting topics
TO commuters always
"Wcll, now, suppose an operator in one
of these block signal stations In this tun-
mel after having set the white signal should
/ drop dead, would not the consequences be
simply awfulW
"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.
II. FRANKLIN, general manager of the Har-
lem road, "if block signal operator should
drop deadr"
Nothing at al, " he 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 fiagman on duty at the signal station
there is one at each of the stations in the
tunnel-would unquestionably by the time
the train had arrived be possessed of the de-
sired information.
"The block system in the tunnel" went
on Mr.. Franklin, sis the best in the world.
We are now averaging about 40 trains n
day through the tunnel-that is, of course,
both ways OF these 800 are passenger
trains, and the others shop trains aud en-
gines-everything that takes up space In n
block being called a train"
"What number of passengers does that
involvel"
Mr.. Franklin figured for a moment and
then answered.. IL should say low esti-
mate would be G0,000. If you were to seek
ratio of the persons killed to those car
ried in the history of the tunnel you would
fluid it almost nil. There have been but
two serious accidents in the tunnel. The
first was before it had any block system,
and the second was prior to the adoption of
the automatic arrangement by which the
signals in case of any failure by the oper-
ators, will always secure safety"
The tunnel is two miles in length and
has four tracks. The two in the center are
for fast through trains, and those on the
sides for the rapid transit trains to Mott
Haven. Incoming trains run on the two
eastern tracks and outgoing trains on those
to the west. Block stations for north and
south bound trains are directly opposite
! each other in the tunnel. Each station has
an operator and a fiagman. There are three
forces at each station, one working from
a. m. to 3 p. M, one from to ii p. m, and
one from IL p. m. to "A. m.
! The automatic arrangement for the re-
turn of the red or danger signal after the
white signal has been shown is the result
, of the replacing of short, releasing currents
with rail circuits extending from tower to
, tower, thus providing against the POSSIBLE
ity of operators clearing" signals at the
entrance to any block when any portion Of
= the preceding train remains in the block
although the forward part of the latter
train has passed out and performed its part
} in ''unlockingn at the advance tower.
D This change, it has been said was seen to
be desirable in the tunnel on account of the
) difficulty at times Of operators seeing tn,
. tall lights or markers of passing trains and
of knowing that all the train had beer
Q cleared.
In the present improved state of block
signaling In the tunnel an operator cannot
D clear the signals governing any block wher
/ a car, single pair of wheels or any me
$ tallic obstruction reaching from rail to raj
is in the block. The operator is, in fact
@ prevented from clearing signals in any but
| the appointed way. The whole block and
: shifting and signaling apparatuses are SC
}, arranged that should there be any failure
y in or fracture of either the electric or me
g chanical parts the signals would at one,
q assume and maintain the danger position.
4 The chance that both the all clear ant
caution signals would fail at once is yer!
{ small. but il they should the signal oper
ators, being familiar with the Morse alpha
bet for telegraphing and having wires a
0 their command ordinarily used for announC
Q ing from comparatively distant points tn
= approach of trains, recourse could be ha,
4 to regular telegraphic communication, AM
4 by special critters.
o The tunnel, in addition to its main sys
y tenn for block signaling, is provided with
: secondary system, not necessary in the 81
o binary conditions under which trains ar
d run. But the tunnel conditions tend b
o produce somewhat frequent failures In tn
4 proper working of all mechanical and cleo
l trical appliances, and the great traffic for
/ bids any delay that ingenuity can circum
vent. The object in providing the second
[ AIRY locks and circuits is to prevent appre
ciable delay to trains should the regula
system fail in displaying clear signals il