The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-04
TO PREVENT COLLISIONS
A NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICE
 SUCCESSFULLY TESTED.
United States Consul General at Der Lin Makes Report to State Department-Foreign Govern
 ments May Adopt It.

The Chicago Chronicle says Frank H. Mason, Consul General of the United States at Berlin, writes to the State De- partment regarding a new electrical de- vice for preventing collisions between railway trains which has been tested with entire success in the presence Of a board of experts on one Of the state lines near Frankfort. It is the joint in- vention of Messrs. Hubert Phrmann and Max Wendorf. and its construction ana method of operation are as follows: Mid way between the rails Is laid light third rail of the ordinary T pattern. the joints of which are so connected as to form a continuous conductor.
 Midway under the forward part of the engine is hung the working instrument. an electrical apparatus inclosed in a square case or jacket occupying cubic foot of space. The instrument Is con nected 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 driver, and red incan- descent lamp, which is lighted by the same impulse that rouses the alarm bell into action. further improvement of the device sets the electric brakes on the engine or entire train simultaneously with the alarm signal which sounds the bell and lights the lamp. The apparatus is so adjusted and arranged that the en- gineer can at any moment. by touching a lever, satisfy himself that 1t is in full working condition.
 The Track obstructed.
 The tests on November 12 were conduct ed on the main line from Frankfort to Hanau. between the stations Sachsenhau- sen and Goldstein, and a translation of the official report will illustrate concisely the working of the apparatus. Two loco motives, number respectively 29O and l42o had been equipped with the new deVlce and the experiments proceeded as toi- lows: Engine 290 drawing a special tram and approa ching Sachsenhausen at fuil speed received the danger signal ana came to a full stop. the driver of 29) then asked by telephone the cause of the sig nal and received from the keeper Of the grade crossing half mile in front word that a wagon had broken down in cross ing the track and obstructed the line Ar fer ten mintes' wait the engineer of 2go received word by telephone that the ob- structlon had been cleared away and thereupon resumed his trip.
 mile farther on the signal on 290 again sounded and the driver was informed bv telephone as before that the semaphore around a curve and more than half a mile distant was set at halt" There upon engine 29O slowed down and pro- ceedcd cautiously. sounding its whistle At short intervals, the telephone bell in the drivers cap ringing continuously un- iii the curve was rounded. when the ring ing ceased notifying the engineer that the semaphore had changed to "elear track" Thereupon 29o resumed full speed.
 To Prevent Collisions.
 In the tests to prevent collision engine No. 142O came up rapidly from behind and on the same track as No. 29O. which had slowed down and was proceeding cautiously in consequence of reported danger in front. The moment that No 142O came with 1.OOo meters Q.o9s yards) of No. 29O the signal on both engines began to ring and their red lights to glow. Thereupon No. 1420 halted. the driver in-