The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-02-19


 green light on the right side of the cal
 and white one on the left signifies that
 the train is running from Sullivan
 square to Dudley street by way of the
 subway. A green light on the right
 and a red on the left signifies Sullivan
 square to Dudley street by way of At lantic avenue, and so on, though you
 scarcely believe it, for twenty different
 routes, any one of which, in case of special crowds, accidents or repairs to
 the track it may be necessary to sub
 stitute for the more usual courses. Now
 Michael Roy Is requested to step into
 the motor car and set his marker lan-
 terms for whatever route the instructor
 calls for. At the same time Peter Pe-
 terson goes to large upright board on
 which is drawn an outline of all the ele-
 vated tracks, the stations and every
 semaphore signal--all in miniature; and
 while Michael marks his train Peter is
 required to arrange the several sema-
 phores correctly to open the required
 route for him. Then Michael and Peter
 change places and the marking and the i semaphoring go on again
 Then the inward, mechanical nature
 of the signals is explained. The yell
 low light, or the yellow semaphore arm
 horizontal, means what?' asks the in structor.
 Caution" answers the mayhap fu- ture train dispatcher as yet ununiform- ed and unshaven
 | And what else?'
 That the next block signal, around the corner where you cant see it, is in danger position"
 Should you pass the caution sig nal?"
 Yes, but I'd slow down. | 'Very good; and if you passed the next regular block signal, set at dan ger. you would expect what?"
 "To find train ahead of me in the next section"
 But before you got to the train what would you expect?"
 Dunno" after due deliberation.
 He'd expect to have his train stop candidate for high office, and, to verify his assertion, goes up to the skeleton car and kicks open the emergency trip valve down beside the rail; just as the emergency device set at each danger signal would do if the train, by an over sight, should pass it on the road; and so the brakes are automatically set, making rear-end collisions impossible Next, the intricacies of the wonderful brake system are revealed-the sys- tenn whose promoters the great Van- derbilt once characterized as fools, yet the system without which railroads, as they are to-day never could exist. There is the main reservoir line" run ming from car to car by its rubber-hose connections, and the train line,' con- trolling the auxiliary air tanks at lower pressure. the wonderful triple valve" at each brake and the still more wonderful engineers valve operating between the two pressures and control ling them all-machinery which even the omniscient Kipling required several explanations to thoroughly digest, And this must all be made clear and reason able to each of a lot of young fellows without, in all probability, the advan- tages of a technical training.
 Each man, observe, is taught great deal more than he will probably use im- mediately in whatever capacity he is employed, but that Is necessary to make him, In time of emergency, reasoning animal in terms of sena aphores, electric ity and compressed air. Besides, as has already been stated, he Is expected to be promoted from position to position. He goes on the elevated at seventeen cents an hour as brakeman" Cor as he might better be called, gateman). Then, in due time, he becomes a guard" at twenty cents an hour, goes to the front platform of the second car and assumes the responsibility of the train. Next be becomes motorman at from twenty three to twenty-five cents and ultimate ly, if he has q long life and good luck, 1 he may become almost anything on the road
 Most complicated of all. and. unfortu- nately, most intangible, are the electri- cal connections and machinery which have finally to be mastered. The ele- vated motorman does not with his lit tie controlling handle. turn the electric ity directly into the motors as does the l surface-car driver, but into a little "p- lot motor" which operates the "con- trollers' which turn the current gradu- 1 ally into the main motors which finally | start the train-with much the same in- drectness as that by which we arrive | at the House that Jack built"-and { the habits and customs of each of these must be understood. and . also what to do if it fails to operate 
 "And can you all" asks the instructor at the wndup of the lesson (not that all these things, by any means, are learned at one sitting)-"can you all name the electric switches and couple and uncou- pie your air lines? Well, then, let's see you do it''
 Meanwhile come a host of questions: 'S'posin' my reservoir line comes un- coupled between stations; should I stop the train and couple it, or let it drag till the next stop?"
 Stop your train, by all means. It | may catch in a switch and damage things; but never get down between your cars without telling your motor- nan you're going.'
 And s'posng there's so many pas sengerS board I can't get through my rain and I want to stop quick, but some fresh guy has hold of the bell 'ord SD that I can't signal the motor- nan?"
 Then remember your guards emer- gency valve on your platform. Pull hat and the YootOrran will stop rt,,iol-