The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-02-08
IMPROVED
RAILROAD
APPLIANCES
That are introduced on the
Burlington Line.

carrying them more quickly is over
looked by the heads OF modern railroads.
Every improvement tending to increase
speed must of necessity be couuterbal
anced by some device that will insure
safety.
Nothing fills these requirementtos to such
an extent as the air. brake. The latest
improvement in this valuable aid to
train operation is a high.speed attach
ment which, after several years Of ex
perimenting, has been brought to such
a state of perfection that it may be
called perfect.
The new high-speed brake adopted by
the Burlington Route, the fret western
railroad to put this safety device in OPP
GRAFTON on all through trains, consists Cf
the standard quick-sction brake with
pressure-regulating attachment. II wac
designed TO meet the requirements Of
trains scheduled at the high average
rates OF speed now in common eervice.
The value OF this improvement may be
appreciated when it is realized that the
high speed brake will stop train in 80
per cent. less distance than required
with the brake ordinarily in use.
While local trains frequently run at
very high rates of speed for short dis
tances in convenient places, their opera
ton is under conditions that involve
but little more real risk than the run.
ming of slow freight. With good
roadbed, we'll b. asted and laid with
heavy steel, clear track and an un-
obstructed view for several miles, the
engineer Of local train may indulge in
a burst Of speed at ffty or sixty miles
per hour and yet keep his train under
control.
But the trains which require every
possible safeguard are not Of this kind
They are trains which must run at a
high average tpee !, requiring :velocity
through yards and over bridges, switches
and crossings where trains are required
10 be under full control) not heretofore
demanded.
Safety signals have been located at
such distances from danger points as to
provide ample space in which to bring
ordinary trains to a stop from the Gus.
tomsry speed OF 20 or 30 miles per hour,
but there is no such provision for the
present day flyers, which must go
through on schedule time, but slightly
reducing speed at many places where
ordinary trains barely move.
1t is TO meet these new and unusual
requirements. which have sprung up
within recent years, that the new brake
is designed. And il meets them as no
other device can. The principle OF the
new brake lie not hard to understand
and 1t is simplein operation. By means
Of auxiliary air tanks OF high pressure,
it exerts a comparatively high pressure
on the wheels as high speed and relAxes
the pressure automatically as the speed
slackens, For instance, a train is run
ming at 80 or 20 miles per hour when
the enginser sights an obstruction
on the track. With the old style brake
he could apply pressure OF only 20
pounds TO thesquare inch, but with the
new apparatus ITO pounds are available
in an instant. As the speed slackens
the pressure relaxes, therefore pre-
venting wheels from sliding, which
would hatten them and perhaps cause
serious injury.
The customary braking force which au
engineer may use lie about 30 per cent OF
the weight Of the car, but an emergency
application OF the new brake increases
this to about 1876 per cent; or, in other
words, the pressure Of the brake shoes
upon the car wheels is about 40 per cent
greater. The careful tests which have
been made show that a train may be
stopped inI3O per cent. less distance than
with the next best braking appliance.
The Burlington engineer now sits in
his cab alert and keen-eyed as ever, but
he knows that by mere twist Of the
wrist he can stop his train Ia far lees
time than he could with the old brake.
This difference will, ia many instances,
amount TO the difference between safety
and disaster. The possibility Of wreck
is lessened in just the degree that the
distance in which the train may be
brought TO a standstil is decreased.
Though the installation OF the new
brake on theBurlington's equipment has
been too recent to give facts and figures
Of its achievements on this road, its re-
cord since introduction has been remark
able by reason Of its uniformly high Of
fc ency aud entire freedom from accid-
ent. There is every reason 10 believe
that its adoption by other railroads will
have a marked effect in increasing the
safety Of high-speed trains.
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