New-York tribune., 1902-09-09

installation the development of signalling in the
United States has far outstripped that IN Eng
land. and II is only within the last twelve months
that England has installed the first automatic block
signal system, all the devices and apparatus berg
shipped by a well known signal company in the
United States and installed on the London and
southwestern Railway of England by American en-
gineers-
The immense cost of adding trackage to The rail-
ways In England emphasizes the great value Of an
automatic block system which ena bles then, 20 a.
vide the road into short sections and thereby multi
ply the trains. and there is no country / believe
that should welcome the automatic block system
more than England.
The dimensions of some of the tunrsrs and
bridges conne the power OF the locomotive some
what. but L am of the opinion that locomotives Of
considerably more power be operated on Eng
lsh rails without alteration TO the bridges and tun
nels- In order. however. to take advantage of the
heavier locomotives and the increased facilities for
high speed account of automatic block signals
II IS equally necessary to introduce power brakes In
lreSht service, and l understand many of the rail-
ways are now contemplating the application OF
power brakes TO their goods wagons
There is but little incentive for the engineer of an
English railway to econonlize. because the board
the amount expended. and should an engineer show
any material reduction per mile in cost of main
would be censured instead of praised. I have had
several chief engineers OF the largest railways
England say 10 in effect that il they did reduce
the cost per mile for maintenance they would
hazard their positions. The result of this is that
mile in England against seven-tenths TO eight
tenths OF per mile the New-York Cen
trSI Pennsylvania and similar property. The clerf-
cal force is about the basis. and every
department seems TO be overmanned. The reason
given for this is that when a man takes service
with railway and shows himself 10 5e faithful he
SnOuld be kept matter whether the inlrle-
dlate necessities of the service require him not.
IL seems to me that the organization of the rail-
ways of England is not such gives the best re-
suits The departments are not headed by executive
ottIcerS having the authority usually given such
oftcers on the railways of the United States Each
department is controlled by "A committee and the
mead OF that department is required make fort
nlSnt!y reports 10 this committee. I SeNeral
times advised by heads OF departments that il re-
qured most of their time get Up their reports 70
tne committees and the remainder OF their time 70
ma out what the committees deGided do, thus
requiring them 10 be hand in their offices al
most continuously instead OF being out on the
hEe- t the board of directors wOald follow tne
cISanlzatlo adopted the principal railways
or the United States and give their heads OF de-
partments the executive authority which should 70
win II, am satisfied that the earnings and physl-
car condition of the property would be materiail!
improved Couple with this the introduction oA
autornat tic block signals and power brakes. and IN
stead or It's being necessary to increase rates WhC
are now abnOrmaly high in would be possible %
decrease rates. to the satisfaction of the Sharehoa
ers The population of the United Kingdom oehs
zVo0 10 each mile of railroad. against 5SS persons
IN tne United States per mile should make IL possi
ne 10 conduct the business of the railways in INC
tnlted Kingdom with satisfaction and profit 80
NewYork, Sept. s. 1907 G. H