Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-12-13

of the successful use of telephones for
train dispatching on short lines. at
terminal stations, switching yards and
during track elevation says ]. J. Nate
in the western Electrician. | am in
debted to G. f. Annett. assistant
superintendent Of telegraphs Of the
Illinois Central Railroad company,
for some interesting data in regard to
the work accomplished and the use
the Illinois Central company is max
ing of the telephone in this depart
ment of it's work. Referring to the
Omaha Bridge and Terminal railway,
which Is used for the Illinois Central
terminals into Omaha. am informed
that all train orders issued in that
part of the system are handled by tele-
phone, with special forms of blanks.
AS designated on these blanks. the
train dispatcher calls the number OF
the form to be used before sending
the order. The scheme works adj
mirably. Chief Train Dispatcher w.
B. Ormond states that the advantage
over the telegraph lies in the fact that
he recognizes the person answering
the telephone call. In recognizing
the voice, as only certain operators
are allowed to handle train orders. he
is assured of the indemnity of the
operator answering. Mr. Annett
states that at several other terminals
telephones are used entirely for dis
patching engines and yard crews. and
that telephones are used for this pur-
pose exclusively in the Illinois Central
terminals at New Orleans. In the
official time table of the Omaha
Bridge and Terminal Railway COM
pany special rules Nos. and read
as follows:
sc. Night and day telephone offices
are located at Illinois Central freight
depot (Omaha), East Omaha Junction,
Missouri River bridge, North Junction,
train dispatcher's and yardmaster's
offices, Council Bluffs.
81. Special orders directing the
movements of trains, varying from or
additional to the time table, will be
issued by telephone over the signature
and by the authority OF the chief
train dispatcher"
1t will be seen that The telephone
is used exclusively and is recognized
as the medium OF dispatching all
trains.
Perhaps the most interesting and
heaviest amount of business ever
handled in this way was in connec
ton with the elevation of the st.
Charles Air Line railroad In Chicago
The st. Charles Air Line is about
one mile in length from the west end
of the Air Line bridge over the Chi
cago river to the lake front near
Fourteenth street, crossing Clark
Dearborn and State streets, Wabash
Michigan and Indiana avenues, and
also crossing the four tracks of the
Illinois Central, where all Michigan
Central, Big Four and Illinois Central
passenger trains go In and out of the
Park Row depot This line also crosses
all those railroad tracks running botf
south and west at Sixteenth and CLARK
streets-those of the Lake Shore
Rock Island, Chicago and Western
Indiana and Santa Fe roads. II Is not
unlikely, also. that the train operation
OF the Chicago and Alton, Wabash and
other roads was taken into account
when the Air line track elevation was
going on. Regular trains used the
Air Line at the Illinois Central cross
ing, near Fifteenth street, every seven
minutes. not including Air Line trains.
The Lake Shore and Rock Island pas
senger trains crossed the Air Line at
the 50 crossing every 10 minutes.
The Western Indiana trains used the
Air Line crossing at another point
every five minutes. The State street
cable cars crossed the line at three
minute intervals and the Wabash ave-
nue. cars at five-minute intervals.
These facts will gle some idea of the
train-order work handled by telephone.
The work was done during May, June,
July, August, September, October,
November and December. 1898, and
January, February, March and April,
1899. All trains We're given from one
to three telephone orders, and without
an accident. At the beginning of the
elevation Trainmaster II. r.. Hopkins
gave instructions that all RESPONSE
bility for movement of trains on verbal
orders given by telephone service
would be with the operator on duty.
During the elevation total OF o7,0SS
engines and 500, 165 cars was moved
in the ~ months. the average being
1876 engines and i,o11 cars day.
Seyenty-fve per cent. of the business
was handled between a. m. and Z
p m. The dispatchers We're j. Atiin-
son and K. 5. Hay.
think, after such showing. alb
solutely no question can exist as to
the successful use of telephones for
train dispatching, even under the
most difficult of conditions, unless,
perhaps, il would be over the main
lines. where an immense amount of
general business in addition to this
work must be taken care of instantly,
AS to the efficiency OF telephones and
liability to get out of order as com.
pared with telegraph instruments,
believe that. with intelligent use. the
greater credit should he given TO the
to1anbona ts,ctrspnanf THE o,tfa 40