The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-02-13
TELEPHONES IN ENGINE CABS.
Feature Of a Railroad Safety Device
Made in Germany.

Feature Of a Railroad Safety Device
Made in Germany.
An officer of the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad, commenting on the disaster
Westfeld, told a Baltimore Ameri-
can reporter about a safety device
for railroads, which has been tested
in Germany recently with gratifying
results.
1T is the joint invention of Messrs.
Hubert Pfirmann and Max Wendorf,"
said he. midway between the rails
is laid a light third rail of the ordinary
T pattern, the joints of which are SO
connected as to form a continuous
conductor. With this initial state
ment the nature and operation of the
divice are described as follows:
Midway under the forward part Of
the engine is hung the working in
strument, an electrical apparatus en-
closed in a square case or jacket occu-
plying a cubic foot of space. The in
strument is connected with a contact
shoe, which slides along the third
rail, and by wires with a telephone
and electric alarm bell in the cab
of the engine and a red incandesoent
lamp, which is lighted by the same
impulse that rouses the alarm bell
into action. A further improvement
of the device sets the electric brakes
on the engine or entire train stimuli
taneously with the ararm signal which
sounds the bell and lights the lamp.
The apparatus is so adjusted and ar
ranged that the engineer can at any
moment, by touching a lever, satisfy
himself that it is in full working con-
dition.
1.-THE tests recently were conducted
on the main line from Frankfort to
Hanau, between the stations Sachsen-
hansen and Goldstein, and a transla-
ton of the official report will illustrate
concisely the working of the apparatus.
Two locomotives. numbered respect
lively 29O and 142O, had been equipped
with the new device and the expert
ments proceeded as follows: Engine
900, drawing a special train and APP
preaching Sachsenhausen at full
speed, received the danger signal and
came to a full stop; the engineer of
29O then asked by telephone the cause
of the signal and received from the
keeper of a grade crossing half a mile
in front word that a wagon had broken
down in crossing the track and OBJ
structed the line. After ten minutes
wait the engineer of 290 received
word by telephone that the obstruc-
ton had been cleared away and there
upon resumed his trip.
"a mile further on the signal on
900 again sounded, and the engineer
was informed by telephone as before,
that the semaphor round a curve and
more than half a mile distant was set
at halt Thereupon engine 29O SLOW
ed down and proceeded cautiously,
sounding it's whistle at short inter-
walls, the telephone bell in the cab
ringing continuously until the curve
was rounded, when the ringing ceas-
ed, notifying the engineer that the
semaphor had changed to track clear
Thereupon 200 resumed full speed.
I'm the tests to prevent collision,
engine 1920 came up rapidly from
behind and on the same track as 200,
which had slowed down and was pro-
ceeding cautiously, in consequence Of
reported danger in front. The mo.
ment that 1920 came within 1000
metres Q,093 yards) of 200, the signal
on both engines began to ring and
their red lights to glow. Thereupon
1920 halted, the engineer inquired of
290 in front the cause of the alarm,
and a complete understanding be-
tween the two trains was Immediate
ly eStaDllSled. .
"An important point in this connec-
ton is that in practice the same warn
ing signal is sounded upon every en-
CINE equipped with the apparatus,
which is On the same track, and with
in the prescribed radius-a kilometer
or a mile, as the case may be-from
the engine and train which cause
the obstruction, If a semaphore be
falsely set at safety, the train may
run past it into a block in which
another engine is halted or moving
with perfect security that warning
will be given in ample time to pre-
vent a collision under any and all
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