The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-28
TO USE ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT.
AUDIBLE SIGNALS BETWEEN sA-
vANNAH AND HARDEEyILLE.

Some Twenty-Five Trains a Day OPP
Grated Between These Points.
Great Need for PrecaUtiOn-If
Audible Electric Signals Prove
Successful There, Gen. supt. Dem
ham Says They VIII BE Extended
Between Charleston and Jackson
vilIe-EIectric Warnings for street
Crossings in Savannah Being Put
in.
The Plant System is the pioneer rail
road in the South in experimenting with
the audible electric block signal system.
Important lines in the North and East
have the system, but only where they
operate by means of double tracks. 1t is
understood that the Plant System is the
first line to try the system on a single
track.
Some twenty-five trains a day are oper-
ated by the Plant System and the SOUTH
ern Railway on that portion of the line
between Savannah and Hardeeville, S.
c. So many trains make it necessary for
every possible precaution against aeci-
dents. 1t was on this account that it was
desired TO test the efficacy Of the audible
electric block signal system
General Superintendent w. B. Den
ham said yesterday that the system will
be extended upon the Plant System so as
to take in all that section between
Charleston and Jacksonville, provided
the operation of the signals between Sa-
vannah and Vaudeville proves thorough
ly satisfactory.
10 u
contract with the Plant System has given
every assurance that the system will
prove successful. 1t viii be given fair
tlial, ard the officials of the Plant Sys-
tenn think it will be found as satisfactory
as the electric company promises.
The construction of the audible electric
block signal system is, of course, intri-
cate. The principle is the arrangement
of the section between Savannah and Har-
deeville in blocks. with four towers along
the line. The blocks, therefore, will be
six or eight miles long. No two trains
can be upon the same block at the same
time, provided the system is in good
working order without the engineer of
each train being warned by the changing
of gong. 1t is from this that the system
gets its name, audible"
Work on the system is in progress. 1t
will be completed within a short while,
nd but a brief space will be necessary
for its thorough test. 1t is not proposed
TO delay the equipment of the section be-
tween Charleston and Jacksonville with
the system, and that work will be com
menced soon after the success of the sig
nails on the line between Savannah and
Hardeeville has been demonstrated.
Another innovation has been made by
the Plant System, and that is in the in
auguration of a perfectly new system of
warnings for street crossings. These
warnings are being arranged at nearly
all OF the many crossings the Plant Sys-
TEN has in Savannah The warnings ore
electric, being given by the changing of
gong and the display of an intermit-
tent red light.
An arrangement of the electric wiring
provides for the establishment of a circuit
when an approaching engine reaches a
certain distance from a crossing. When
it has passed beyond the crossing the
circuit is broken and the signal is no
longer operative. All the crossings of the
Plant System in Savannah are double
tracked, and the warnings operate in
both directions.
The crossing warnings are designed to
prevent acc d nts to pedestrians and
Officials of the Plant System find that in
! sufficient caution is observed by tho {
who cross or wax on the track. Mr.
| Denham says with this added precautiou
there viii be 70 possible excuse for an
accident other than to attribute it to the
fault of the pedestrian or occupant OF a
vehicle who may be hurt.
Only the crossings on Forty second
street and Bottom street are rot to be
equipped with the eectlic warm 6 Tn
Plant System has gates at these cross ngs
to prevent traffic from crossing the
tracks when a train is approaching.