Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-08
WILL CONTROL $50 TRAINS.
Bcaton Switchman VIII Have MANY
Lives in His Keeping.
boston Cilobe.1


In Il watch tower out in the yard of
the new Southern Union station. when
the regular running of trains there will
begin will be II man who will have n
nus hand, so to speak. the lives of the
hundreds of thousands Of persons who
VIII come on the $50 daily trains that
VIII make the station their terminus.
me york of putting in the switches
py which The eight main tracks will be
connected with the fanlike ARRANGEMENT
OF the ;wcnty-eight tracks in the inter-
Iof Oh the train house has been watched
win interest by railroad men and on
E'neers. over these tracks will pass
enc trains now entering the Boston and
- ipany, the Park Square Station and
ne Nncc!and Street Stations of the
New York. New Haven and Hartford
ana ~, those of the New England road.
heSe trains now run into three sta
..'li5' ana the temporary station of the
eNcW England outside the Kneeland
erect Station. Each road handles
.ralns daily up to the capacity OF its
s'ttion, and dozens of switchmen i'm the
sdruS nave their hands full in keeping
,,ieii ON the right tracks. When the
.ialhS begin to run into the new sto
l,oh ali this work will be i'm the hands
VI one man, or rather of three men. as
lhere VIII be three shifts of eight hours
each employed ''uiH
10 connect the eight feeding tracks
w, i'n .hosc III the train house there will
pc nity-two single switches. thiIty-fivr
double slip switches and thirty movabIn
ii"SS- ne man in the tower will have
oiIii.dhd oil these through one hundred
ana twenty-five compressed air cvlin
YRS varying from five to six and one
h;ilt inches in diameter. These arc con
iitNI'I with his nv. all ,.,,
so that touch Of the finger causes
'ltci!l 10 work ct the proper moment
anu shunts the rushing train on to the
to he landed 81
20 indicate whether The track is clear
OF not, the switches will be connectnd
WIN one hundred and fifty semaphorc
signals, that will show clear ABOVE oil
onS' ructions on the tops of bridges over
the tracks destined for each of tho Gov,
eral roads. These will snow thc Ins-
..o'idfE RED CanGer signal if the tract,
- ~ Use, or green if il is ready fo,.
uoNHpahry, or no siGnal If II is eniirely
49,, VuI'IcN. Ne HcmaphOrc signals
,i Hutois'Atlr@V" with the opening
ui.u Closing Of the switches.
Nith these mech nicai arranromcrte
al ans disposal. and no fear that lhey
WI so TO sleep at their posts. or leave
me unprotected to 60 on a strike. The
uiSr4'pr IN the tower sits as comfort
Ton VIII permit him
i5ei orc him IS machine on which
nu'hneFed nlate.; indicst e thu switch \
isiies Of levers from i've to six inches
-, ai.HsIh run along the front of the
n,athlne. each located al n nuu1nare,,
nlatc. When n train is 10 cn,,n go e,.
~, ne IailS ana to go into the train shed I
nc .uTiS the lever u the right or lori
a. .ne nfooer railing of the train re
49,, 49,. ana Il slides smoothly into its
inr1 poSl!inh. The operator is not al |
ioWeu |" think of anything else hui his |
sWlchcs while on duty He is moi
aiohe IN the tower. either. Win Nh,
Sie enfee others, who are known ;s tba |
tC,"r' the assistant director and The
Telephone man. Each Of thes. bac h;s /
"ut'cS connected with the switch :ys-
itin and in the same service oItbo,;ch |
N"rk!nG ON the earth are Two mon an.
1890 IN Keeping the switches wen
oiled ara clesned e'
IN n ..eSe mon are impersonal. and to |
ne outside world havr 40 nanes hut
~ Sc that indicate their occnna,i. 49,
mere are. so TO speak. three ~ n,cb
OF them. That is. there are three shifts
VI H.tH VINO 90 the work of tho different
i's 81, IONS nut whether it be John I'm
T., ,u,u Mho Is on duty for the time he
- OILY me operator. director or taIa-
IAone man. The telephone man pets |
N'Fu 'Nrnn"h the telcuhona ~. ;nIa-
~ IN "ire mat a train is coming. He
cy"lihuhlcaies with The director VINO
IN turn. tells the operator. When i, l.
seen nVploachinll he turns his lnver
ana he switch is set autornaticaIiv
ara INC semaDhore works and indi- 4
as "''elher me track is clear or not.
Thrift years aGo the professors IN .bo
,Serl'n University devoted thirtenn
nouns n week ia The study of noliticai /
economy This amount OF time is ,oy
mere than doubled. The range OF THIS |
snn,ect has been extended and now in |
cIudos st.h Questions rs labor rights |
currency problems, social proteetivc |
-ccais'ation economic meaning Of ma /
chinery, and so forth.
Mrs, De Scur-''I want Won to kee,
ur dog cat Of my house. It's full Of .
Mrs ne smart-"M Mercy on me, Edo I