The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-05-18
RAILROAD NOTES.

Taking 1t altogether train dispatch
ing is brought to such a perfect science
that if the dispatcher once thoroughly
understands his work he can scarcely
go astray, so completely is every possi-
BILE contingency covered by specific
rules. One of the most disastrous
wrecks 1 ever knew" said one of the
oldest runners on the Fort Wayne road,
as he stopped to oil his engine and give
the old girl drink of the refreshing
Nimishillen creek water, resulted from
an operator accepting an order for a
train which had passed his office, but
was still switching in his yard. The
order was to meet another train at his
station. At the present such an order
would hardly be given at all, but in no
case would the operator accept any or
der for a train after the engine had
passed his office, without at first getting
the conductors signature to it. And
yet in the case stated he put out his
signal but the case was not fully enough
covered by the rule"
An old timer fell into a reminiscent
mood, Sunday, and related a very in
teresting story Of early railroad signal
ing. He said: "A public impression ex-
listed for long time that railway cor
porations had no particular objection
to taking human life. But investigation
leaves no doubt that from president to
fireman of the speeding locomotive
there has always been constant, stren-
uous effort to save life and avoid ac-
cident, whether in the primitive days
of American railways or in these times
of rapid transit. Only the facilities for
avoiding dangers are more plentiful
and material as well as equipment used
has become safer. Methods have also
reached high state of perfection, more
competent and inspectors and train
men are placed in charge than ever be-
fore.
Contrast the starting of a modern
railway train on a journey from New
York to San Francisco with the starting
of railway train thirty or fifty years
ago from New York to Albany or from
Chicago to Elgin. They say that in
the old days Commodore Vanderbilt
was wont to take lantern in his hand
and go out on the road bed Of the an
cient Harlem & Hudson road and give
the proper signals by which two trains
NoAit SoiSiy pdoo. were HOI
equipped with air then, engines did not
have emergency brakes, auxiliary air
cylinders were not in every coach, SEM
aphores were unknown, signal towers
unheard of and interlocking switches
not invented. The telegraph systems
were crude, road beds imperfectly made
and all signaling of trains was done by
the use of a whistle and the hand.
In proportion to the rumber of miles of
railway in operationthe amount of hu-
man life killed in railway accidents
then was four times greater than that
taken now.
The telegraph block" method of
signaling trains is a great advance
n1ent over the primitive days Of train
dispatching. And II Is now coming in
to pretty common use. Some roads use
it only on parts of the track where
there are many curves or cuts. It's use
is more extended in times of special
danger to the track from washouts
and other causes. 1t consists simply
in blocking" with the station train
order signal behind each train, or each
passenger train according to the rule,
until the train shall have reached the
next telegraph station, from which It
is reported back and the block is then
released. The old boys used the COM
mon railroad lantern with a red or
green globe, according to the color in
use on the particular line. In the
daytime hand flag Of the proper color
or a rag or painted board could be
stuck up most any place where the
engineer would see It as he approach
ed, or held in the hand or waved across
the track. Now nearly all the roads
have their stations fitted with the
semaphore signals, showing In one po-
sition Clear" and in the other hold"
These are manipulated from inside the
office. The principal difference between
the old and the new is that under the
old only one kind Of signal was used, l.
e., the "hold." and, Of course, the alb
sence Of a signal meant clear" Under
the new the absence of signal
means hold" and. furthermore, on
most lines the rule is that the signal
shall normally stand at hold, and II
the way be clear the signal shall be
changed to clear after the train whistles
for the station. Any Irregularities OF
failure 10 conform strictly to rules are
always interpreted to mean hold
Thus Vhe pyepeHce and conscious action
Of the operator II always required "a
clear . train whereaa, under the old
plan, Al this va reQu|rsd ~ hold one