The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-08-16
TO FRISCO
Continued from First Page.

so that if he should by any possibility
neglect to restore the signal to danger
after the passage of train to protect it
from following one, the train itself
does the work. At the east and west
end of the tunnel come interlockings,
these are so arranged that as train
enters the tunnel the protecting signal
is placed at changer" behind it by the
train itself, and can only be closed by
the signalman's action, and then only
after every car has passed under the
protection of the signal at the far end,
and the signals at that end have been
restored to danger and locked them, and
the operator at the west end has COM
pleted the operation by giving the ''all
clear" bell to signalman at the east end
and thus released his lines. At the
crossing of the Erie and Susquehanna
railroads similar devices are in use with
the addition of derails, so arranged that
before a clear signal can be given they
must be opened on all the other tracks,
so that in case the danger signals should
be disregarded, the opposing train
would be thrown on to the ties and stop
ped before it could reach the crossing.
AT the Hackensack draw bridge,
operated by steam engine, the inter-
locking is so arranged that before
"clear'' signal can be given the bridge
must be closed, the rails lowered into
place and then the derails closed and
locked, and after it is given electric
locks prevent the opening of the derails
or the raising of rails, or opening of
draw until the train has passed over it {;
these have lately been installed to guard
against any error of the signalman. AS
a further protection, signals are kept at
danger" at all interlockings, unless a
train is actually coming, and announce
ment of its approach is given by sys-
tenn Of indicators and bells operated by
the train itself and from adjacent
cabins, thus if trains are late giving
notice for the movement of boats or
other trains, and also giving warning
of the approach of extra trains so that
their progress may not be impeded.
At the Passaic draw, Newark, the rail
lifts and signals are all operated cleo
trically, this being the first all-electric
interlocking machine installed in the
east. In this plant the controller opera
ting the bridge and rail mechanism is
locked by the interlocking machine At
Roseville avenue, South Orange yard,
and at the junction west of Summit
mechanical interlockings are in use, and
one is nearly completed just west of
Morristown.
All the above interlockings have been
either erected or rebuilt within the past
year. In addition to the interlocking,
automatic signals of the banjo type di-
vide the road into blocks varying from
few hundred feet to mile in length
all the way between the Hackensack
draw and Morristown. These are ope-
rated electrically by the train itself and
are so designed that any failure of the
current or operating parts will cause
them to indicate danger"
These signals are installed on the over
lap system, that is one signal will not
clear until the rear of train has passed
several hundred feet beyond the next
one in advance, so that if any signal
should be errun, through brake
failures, ETC., no damage would result
At night red light indicates danger
stop. A yellow light caution; and
green light all clear. This change was
made during the past year, as under the
old system white was clear, and the
number of white lights was confusing,
also the breakage of red glass might
give ''clear" signal in error. Green
prevents this, as any brakage shows
white. which is no signal. Between
Morristown and Denville on single track
train order signals are used. West of
Denville automatic semaphores, operat-
ed as the banjos are (by the train).