The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1897-12-03
RUNNING A FAST EXPRESS.
the Train Dispatcher Fsa Mere 10 pe
wAth II Than the Easinese.


George Ethelbert Walsh contrib.
utas an article on Running the
Fast Express to st. Nicholas, Ms.
Walsh says:
The eyes Of the engineer are on
the olook and time table before him.
and he keeps a sharp lookout ahead.
For various reasons he msy fall Q
few minutes behind hand at one
point, but he manages to make up
the loss at another. He has certain
stops to make, and ne makes all
speed possible between them. But
he Is not master of the road. At
any moment a danger signal along
tho line may confront him. He may
be ordered to bring his train to q
standstili at email way station and
there receive telegraphic orders to
run on siding. He asks no CUES
tione. but obeys ordezr. Five min
utes later Especial" may rush past
him, and then the signals are SET
again, warning the engineer Of the
express that he must mako up for
lost time.
To understand this delay and the
sudden changes made in tho Hms
table 1t will be necessary to go back
to the headquarters and to watch
the general superintendent and the
train dispatcher. Although many
trains running on tho line are hun
dreds Of miles away, the exact posi-
tion Of every ono every second in
the hour Is known and recorded.
A telegraph operator IS working in
dustriously In the Office of the train
dispatcher, receiving and sending
orders. The running orders Of all
tho trains arc directed from this
Office. Each engineer has orders to
make certain run according to tho
time table unless other orders from
headquarters interfere.
If an accident happens on tho
road, the train dispatcher knows it
almost as soon as the passengers. A
breakdown Of somc local train on
the main line may upset all the cal
culations Of tho day. Immediately
the expresses running on that line
must be stopped before a collision
occurs. A snowstorm may blockade
train on the northern branch of
the road, and thereby make neces-
sary a change in the regular sched-
ule.
A train from the west Is half an
hour behind perhaps and this inter
feres with tho regular running uf
the other trains. Arrangements
must be made to let trains pass
without accident. The express trains
nearly always have tho right of
way. A western express may be be-
hind time and start out f1ve minutes
ahead Of some special express. In
this instance it must give tho spe-
cial the right Of way, and il is
forced upon some siding The spe-
oial express passes without losing
minute.
There .nrc 50 trains coming and
going, one behind time. another
ahead, probably, and each crowding
out another. The train dispatcher
hes to regulate this tangle and keep
things running smoothly. Thus it
is that the engineer of flier may
suddenly find himgelf side tracked.
Should the train dispatcher make
mistake, or fail to make arrange
ments for two fast moving trains,
the block signal system would prob
ably prevent an accident. The block
towers are connected by telegraph
lines and bell code enables the
men to communicate directly with
each other. They can stop a train
st any moment by means of their
signals, independent Of orders from
headquarters. Thus the engineer
depends entirely upon others to
keep the track clear, and he merely
runs his train as near schedule time
rs possible and keeps his iron steed
in perfect condition.