Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-31
GOSSIP 0F 1H[ Rail
Iowa Central Brakeman Throws
Wrong Switch and bitches
B., c. R. & N. Train.
Northwestern to Install the
Standard Code OF Signals
Beginning Feb. 2.
Wall Street Has Another Rumor
OF Consolidation Of Iowa Cen
trail and Other Lines.

An investigation into queer acct
dent was held Thursday afternoon by
Superintendent C. w. Huntington, OF
the Iowa Central. The accident was
nothing more or less than the ditching
of an entire b.. c. r. & N. passenger
train at Albert Lea, Mimi, by Arthur
c. Gurnea, a Central brakeman resid-
ing in this city, throwing a wrong
switch.
Gurnea was on north-bound passen-
ger No. /, which was in charge of Con-
ductor W. II. Voorhies, Of Albert Lea.
The train was just pulling into that
city and Gurnea ran ahead to throw
the switch. The switches controlling
the house track and main line are only
about ten feet distance from one an
other, and in his haste to get the
switch thrown Gurnea got hold of the
wrong one, controlling the track over
which b., c. r. & N. north-bound pas
senger, No. l. was passing at the time.
The train, in motion, was thrown over
onto the house track, into string of
box cars. The engine and mail car had
passed the point, and continued on
down the west main line, while the re-
mainder of the train, a baggage car
and three coaches. was thrown into the
freight cars Thetrain was moving on
ly about fifteen miles an hour, having
just stopped at the crossing, and had
not yet gotten under full Roadway. AS
I; ;,,j, lint 40
train been going faster 1t is likely the
results would have been serious. The
passenger coaches were scratched up
considerably, but not materially dam
aged.
1t is not probable that joint inves-
tigation will be had with the b., c. r.
& NJ, as the accident was clearly due
to the fault of the Central Brakeman
Gurnea is considered first class
brakeman and this was his first acct
dent. His mistake, however, will likely
result in his suspension from the SER
vice fo- q time.
Superintendent Huntington and
Master Mechanic Brooke left for Albert
Lea this morning.
ern road has determined to adopt the
standard code of railway signals for Its
entire system. The change will be
gradual, and will be made so that the
men will become accustomed with the
new rules in sections.
The circular relative to the matter
was issued Tuesday by General Man.
age Gardner and General Super
intendent Ashton, and provides than
on and after February green signals
will be abolished in so far as their
present use indicates special train,
and white signals will be submitted
therefor. This is one of the more inn
portant changes affecting train opera
ton, and the management desires that
the men shall become accustomed to 1T
before other changes are made. The
code which is being put in is known as
the American Railway Association
code, and one of the objects OF this
code is to eliminate the use of the color
red except to indicate danger. When
the code is in operation upon railway
system a display of a red signal in any
way necessitateS an instant stop. AT
present special trains carry on the en-
CINE pilot a green flag by day and a
green light by night to indicate that
they are specials, but hereafter the
green lights will be displaced by white.
Probably the next change will be in the
character of the light which is used to
indicate sections of trains. In adopting
STANDARD code of signals the Ameri
can Railway Association had in view.
among other things. making it possible
for railroad man to work on any road
In the country without the necessity of
learning new rules when he changes
his service. Such condition, 1t is
recognized, materially would lessen the
probability of accidents.
A New York dispatch says the report
is again current on Wall street of a
pending issue of new stock of the Min
neapolis g. st. Louis road which will
give rights to the present stockholders
for capitalization of 2S5 miles of road,
upon which are now outstanding only
construction bonds. There is also a
rumor of the consolidation of the Min
neapolis & st. Louis, Iowa Central and
Illinois Central.
RULES FOR LENT.