davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22
A Costly Fight.

es and signals. II has closed every other
avenue by which another train might
possibly come in collision with the train
now entering.
The interlocking system OF signals.
which means literally both the display
ing OF signals for the information OF an
approaching train and the setting OF all
the switches necessary to give il a path
way through the maze OF tracks that
terminate in a big railroad station. has
always 10 be adapted 10 the particular
needs Of that particular station. Some
time these complicated mechanisms are
operated manually. sometimes by com
pressed air. sometimes by electricity
sometimes by a combination OF both
The student of railroad engineering
must therefore be familiar with All OF
these methods and able TO decide among
them on the one best fitted TO the needs
OF particular station. He must be
familiar with all the devices bv which
the towerman is kept informed OF thu
position OF trains approaching the sta
tion and still more or less distant And
he must know how the apparatus i.
constructed, the cost Of materials. an
the most immediate methods OF repair
On the road. and far away from the
centers of civilization, he may be called
upon TO set up temporary systems for
signaling or 10 tide over interruptions
or the regular service occasioned b.
storms. wrecks. or malicious interior.
ence; in the station proper he mus
know not only how 20 purchase and in.
stall such systems but also the human
side OF the matter the selection OF mel
who are actually 70 operate the system
their training, wages. hours OF labor
and general discipline.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22

complicated secrets OF their profession.
Railroad signaling is a department OF
railroad management with which only
comparatively small number OF men are
directly concerned but with which
much larger number have 20 be definitely
acquainted. The young American who is
preparing himself for the profession of
railroad engineering. the engineering
that plans and erects great railroad sys-
TENS, bridges rivers. tunnels mountains
their bewildering multiplicity OF tracks.
may never have to stand in the signal
tower and actually direct the movements
OF the trains But every big station
must have its own signal system. manu-
featured especially to solve the prob
lens connected with the running OF its
own trains, and il Is the railroad signal
engineer upon whom devolves the duty OF
selecting this mechanism. not only de-
Gliding the expenditure OF thousands of
dollars for a single piece OF apparatus
but assuming indirectly the RESPONSE
bUity for the safety of the persons whom
the apparatus is designed TO protect
The engineer. again, may be called upon
10 repair, or even TO manufacture for
temporary service a signaling system
necessitated by some piece OF work upon
which he is engaged. often many days
journey from any regular manufacturer.
His knowledge must be even more ex-
act. and very much more comprehensive
than that OF the man who lives in the
signal house and operates the levers oil
a single system with which ne is per
fectIy familiar.
The student Of railroad signaling be-
gins with the automatic signals which
any given train operates for itself. Ev-
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22
Buried the Machine.

and with additional precautions. Near
large city station the blocks are short
est TO allow the passage Of trains close
together: far away from the city they
increase in length. until on some OF the
Canadian and far Western railroads they
are as far apart as the railroad stations.
Precautionary Measures.
In some cases these signals are so ar
ranged that they cannot be disregarded
even If a locomotive engineer should be
willing to take chances When. for ex-
ample. such disregard of a signal might
precipitate an approaching train into an
open draw, or into a collision with an
other train crossing its path on a track
running ut right angles. the deraiIing
switch stands guard TO preven, such a
catastrophe. This switch NAV either
completely derail the train. leaving it
actually standing to one side of the
rails. or il may transfer the wheels to
another set OF tracks, deeply imbedded
in sand. which soon stops its progress.
Neither the derailing switch nor the
sand track are often heard or from the
very fact that a locomotive engineer ia
the last person in the world to mfsun-
derstlnd the reading OF a semaD hore
signal.
But this is all very simple when com
pared with the system Of signals neces-
sary 10 move the trains that pass in
and out of a terminal station. Here the
man in the signal tower takes the place
OF the moving trains. automatically ad-
justing its own signals. and the row u
levers that anyone can see from without
the tower becomes the means of switch
ing and signaling a constantly movinr
crowd OF passenger trains. freight
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22

In this training. as il is given 20 the
prospective railroad engineers at the
institute here in Boston. the men learn
not only the theory OF signaling but SO
far as is possible the actual use of the
tools and materials The student is
familiarized with the systems m use in
the neighbOrhood OF Boston. where the
recent building of two modern termi-
nal stations-one of them the largest in
the wotld and the other the third largest
in the United States-affOrds an excel
lent opportunity for seeing the latest
systems in actual operation b. visits
and examination. and an even closer ac-
Quaintance is gained by working models
in the institute laboratories. by which,
also. the student is brought face 10 face
with many OF the problems which he will
later meet in the regular practice CT his
profession
And, more than this. in the making OF
the man who is thus made responsible
for the safety of the travelling rublic.
comes the past as well as the Dres-
sent-the history OF railroad signaling
from the time when the signaling was
all done by men posted at >he begin
nings Of the blocks; the systems Used
on the other side of the water; the du-
ties OF the train dispatcher aud his
subordinates; the different kinds OF ac-
cidents against which railrOading rlust
be guarded. The little train in The in
stitute laboratory leads. in short, 10 one
OF the most important OF modern pro-
fessions-the more so when one real
lies the grave responsibilities sooner
or later TO be assumed by many Of the
young men who get their first lessons
IN railroad signaling by watching its
erstions-miniature. but none the Eess
comprehensive and correct.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22
II DELICATE SYSTEM OF SIGNALS THAT RUN RAILROAD TRAINS

~ OSToN. In one OF the
X laboratories OF the Massachu-
- sets Institute Of Technology
there is a little train Of cars. running
along a little railroad. When the little
train is set in motion Il automatically
opens and closes a number of electric
circuits connected with a series of rail-
road signals, and a person following its
course sees in miniature an exact repro
duction of a regular train. passing from
one city 10 another and automatically
signaling its position on the track to any
other train that may be following behind
IT,
This miniature railroad. at first glance
suggesting a toy shop in Christmas time,
Is part OF the regular course in signal
ing given for the benefit OF the insti-
tute's students OF railroad and electrical
engineering. covering a department Of
railroad operation or supreme import
ance TO the safety OF travellers. but very
litfIe known By those who are thus safe
guarded The actual signals. as they
String along beside the tracks are. OF
course nearly as familiar as the tele-
graph poles that separate them. and the
presence Of a signal tower. perched in
the air az every important terminal, Is
as much a matter Of course as the sta
ton clock. What goes on IN the signal
rower. and how It's occupant controls the
movements Of every car or locomotive
that enters or leaves tho station are
among tho familiar mysteries OF every.
day existence. and the little railroad In
the institute laboratory is an object les
son for initiating future railroad oper-
ators. builders. and experts into the very
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22

cry railroad system Is divided into
blocks. or sections. varying in iengt h
from a quarter Of a mile. in the neigh
borhood Of big city where trains are
frequent, 20 ten miles or more in outly-
ing places where trains are few and
widely separated. No two trains are
permitted on any one block at the same
time. The purpose OF the signals. OF
which there are several varieties all
working on the same general principle,
is to keep each train informed as to the
condition Of the block ahead Of it, Any
body who has watched a semaphore sig
nal-the wooden arm that rises as il By
magic when a train has just passed
has noticed that the arm does not fan
until some little time after the train
is well out Of sight. When the arm falls
the train is not only out OF sight but
has left the particular block Of which
the semaphore is the guardian. so that
the man in the cab OF an approaching
locomotive knows that his train can en-
ter without danger OF collision.
Electricity Plays a Part.
The semaphore is worked BY the train
itself. AS il passes over the track il
breaks an electric circuit at one end OF
the block and connects it again at the
other. When the circuit is broken the
hidden mechanism connected with the
semaphore releases the arm. which rises
by the force of gravity and remains al
right angles to the post until the train
passes out Of the block and the mechan-
ism again forces the arm TO the posi-
ton OF safety. But If this mechanism
gets out Of order the signal Immediately
sets itself at danger and no train is al
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22

in the morning and find themselves COM
pIeteIy buried in snow. The one store is
usually at the end of tunnel cut
through an immense snow. drift. The
population OF Boreas durihg these snowy
months consists. for the most part. OF
strenuous work OF fighting constantly
changing drifts. Snow at Boreas does
not fall-it RACES. 1t is blown about in
swirIs and eddies. and is forever form
ing new drifts as treacherously as
river that is constantly shifting the
sandbanks at it's mouth. These drifts are
not little affairs that VIII barely cover
a stake and rider" fence. They are
piled ten. twenty. and thirty feet high,
and they spring up in a night.
At Work With the Pillow.
To thc "tenderfOot' it would be impOs-
siJIe TO pillow a way through these drifts
at Boress. hut when huge rotary snow
pillow comes swirling up the track with
three or four engines pushing vigorously
behind il the tenderfoOt" reserves his
decision. He is still inclined to favor
the snow drift. but ne prefers TO await
developments before committing him
self With a rush and plunge the big
rotary is hurled into the white mass Of
snow. Black smoke pours from the en-
gines and the huge blades OF the snow
pillow eat relentlessly into the drift. The
snow shoots out Of the orifce at the side
of the pillow, forming huge, white semi
circle constantly moving forward. One
can keep tract, of the progress Of the
plow by following the advancement OF
this rainbow OF snow Foot by foot ;he
rotary eats its way forward. and finally
IL and the engines are buried in a huge
trench OF white Only the stacks or the
engines can be seen, belching their
blackness on the virgin garb about them
But the great white semi-eircle never
fails TO 20 forward until finally the
''tenderfOot" knows that the drift is be-
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22

was compelled to run back few miles
for water. Instead Of taking the rotary
with him he uncoupled and ran his en-
CINE back. and in the meantime the
snow gathered so fast over the tracks
that he was unable to fight his way
back to the pillow. Such instances are
rare. however, and are only owing to
the oversight OF some trainmen. for a
rotary snowplow, with sufficient power
behind It, can eat its way through al
most anything in the shape of drifts. II
is a difficult matter. however. to cut
a way through a drift on a curve. espe-
cially with the kind Of pillow known as
The screw pillow. This pillow literally
bores it's way through the snowdrifts by
means of a long screw-like appliance
ahead OF the engine Al a curve &c will
sometimes continue to bore straight
ahead and thus ditch the engine.
Danger in the Drifts.
The rotary pillow also offers its difficult
ties. Sometimes it is called upon to eat
its way through an avalanche which has
descended upon a railroad track. In this
avalanche will be stones and branches
OF trees A good sized stone caught in
the blades of a rotary will work havoc
in the mechanism of one OF these Won
derful engines. and the work OF snow
bucking will have 80 BE- abandoned. Con-
sequently. the engineer who runs a TO
tsry must be one OF the most skilled
and experienced OF snow lighters. He
must be able 10 tell plain drift from
one that contains foreign elements,
and. above all, he must not lose his
head. The slightest miscaIculation will
often wreck a pillow that costs many
thousands OF dollars, TO say nothing OF
delaying traffic and spelling the temper
OF many passengers.
BlockadeS Are Common
In spite OF the great Improvement in
the facilities for snow fighting. block
AIDES are still OF frequent occurrence in
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22

w TESTERN railroads have en-
NV tered upon their season Of
snow bucking-a season that
does not end until the warm
suns OF early summer have melted the
last great snow banks in the Rocky
Mountains Overland trains. during the
last few weeks. have had some rough
going. and in Wyoming and Colorado.
where serious billiards have ragged.
many passengers were storm bound for
days at a time. on the plains OF west
ern Nebraska and Kansas trains we're
showed in for hours at a stretch. and in
the heart of the mountains the big ro-
taries we're set ar work, and had all they
could do 10 keep the path clear across
the backbone OF the continent. The IA
nous Alpine Pass in Colorado has had
an unusually heavy snow fall this sea
son. and several other railroad passes,
that have long been terrors to train
crews. look like impossible barriers at
this time OF the year. But no matter
how serious the aspect. Western men do
not become dismayed, and they call upon
a great lighting force, which seldom
fails TO clear the way
Every Western railroad is equipped
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22
How the Modern Snow blow
ENTERS
Into the Costly Fight TO Dig Through
the Tremendous Snoqu Drifts
That Bury the Tracks, and Sometimes
the Trains, for Days.

the shovel lad TO be called upon. The
Union Pacific. in the early days. Kept
thousands OF Iaborers upon its pay roll
simply as snow shOveIers. The snow
sheds crested b. this road alone have
cost an immense fortune. The winly
stretches OF Wyoming and other Western
States. are guarded by "windbreaks'
consisting OF fences placed at the most
exposed points. These fences look like
small barriers against such a mighty
foe as the snow king. but they do an
immense amount Of good. even a small
obstruction. IN many instances, serving
10 avert a blockade. 1t may be that
the next generation viii witness a great
Improvement in snow fighting. but vet
eran railroad men are skeptical on this
point. They have seen the snow fighting
brigade narrowed down from the men
with the sEovels 10 the single rotary
pillow. with the odds all in favor OF the
rotary. and they are not inclined to be-
lieve there is much room for improves
ment- Certainly It is one OF the wonders
OF railroading to see a battle Waged
against the snow on a Rocky Mountain
pass, and the honors are all with the
huge revolving pillow and the sturdy men
behind it.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22

VE WESTERN railroads have en-
wv tered upon their season OF
: snow bucking-a season that
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22
ROTARY PLow READY TO ATTACK DRIFT
JUST What The Approach Of
OUtnter
q Sz.-..5.l o..
SleanS TO the Men Who Are L1trusted
With Carrying the S9Uif
Express Trains Through the Teachsrous
Passes of the Rockies.

with large force OF snow ighters Ro-
tary snow plows. and men who know
how TO run them. can cut their way
through drifts that in the early days of
Western railroading would have resulted
in complete bIoekades. The rotary snow
pillow is one OF the marvels of the rail-
road OF today. and il is a liberal educa-
ton in the art OF snow fghting TO see
one or them eating its way through a
white drift that threatens TO cut off
communication between the East and the
West. There are several passes in the
Rocky Mountains which. fer six months
in the year. or more. form a constant
menace to train crews. These passes
are situated at the top of the Great
Divide. where the elements have full
sway Boreas Pass in Colorado is a
fair example. The snow begins falling
at BOreas late in August or early in
September. and it does not cease until
well into May and sometimes June.
There viii be Intermittent snow storms
in the midsummer months. but these are
trifing affairs. and are not TO be men
toned in the same breath with the ire
mendous snow falls OF January and Feb
ruary. Few men make their homes at
Boreas- It is nothing for them to get ur
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22

the West. and they are not always
amusing matters. II is nothing for a
train 10 be caught between towns IN
Colorado or Wyoming and stalled for
hours. and perhaps days. Occasionally.
provisions run low and the passengers
face the danger OF starvation In a more
thickIy settled country recourse could be
had to farm houses. but in the mountain
Gus stretches. where there is not a ranch
house within miles. the situation does
not always impress the victims as sort
OF midwinter picnic. Western railroads
have even been made pay damages be-
cause Of long blockades. These are in
stances. however, in which negligence
could be shown. AS a rule, the rail-
roads take every precaution. and do not
relax their vigilance and put their snow
piows out Of commission until all danger
OF a heavy SLOW fall is over.
A Costly Fight.
The railroads that penetrate the Rocky
Mountains spend hundreds OF thousands
OF dollars annually in fighting snow.
Special crews are kept for this work,
and special engines are held in reserve
to put behind the snow plows Before
the day OF the rotary. the man with
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22

ing conquered. When the regular over
land limited comes along a few hours
later the passengers 90 not know or the
battle that has just been fought They
travel through a canyon of snow as they
pass Boreas, but they have no idea OF
the tremendous force required TO cut
This white path over the ridge OF the
continent So they so on. all uneon-
road men at the next siding ahead oil
the rotary and grid up their loins for the
next battle, which they know Boreas will
be prepared to give them in a few hours.
A Knotty Problem.
The experiences at Boreas rass during
a hard winter are duplicated at many
other railroad passes in the Rocky
Mountains. to say nothing OF great
stretches at lower attitudes which have
always been the favored haunts OF snow
drifts and which have always given rail-
road men great trouble It is the unex-
pected element al these points that
brings serious aspect to the situation.
At the passes over the Great Divide rail-
road men are prepared for trouble. and
consequently serious blOckades are few.
but when word comes that the train has
failed TO fight its way through the drifts
100 or perhaps 200 miles from the near
est available rotary pillow there is con
sternation. To get a rotary pillow to the
bIockaded train takes time, and in the
meantime the drifts are accommodating
on the unused road. and each hour
brings new meraces TO railroad men and
passengers alike.
Buried the Machine.
Sometimes even the rotary pillow has
been known to be caught in a zuow
blockade One instance recently arose
in wyoming An engineer who had a
rotary on ahead and who was making
good progress during a fierce snowstcrn.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-22
Blockades Are Common.

In spite OF the great Improvement in
the facilities for snow fighting. block
AIDES are still OF frequent occurrence in
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-07-09
FOREIGN NOTES.

The Uganda mission in Central Africa
begun 20 years ago, has now 100 church
buildings. seating 126,S50 persons, erected
chiefly at the cost of the peole.
The project of Seine having pla-
carded Paris with posters describing
terrible effects Of alcohol and absinthe
drinking. the cafe proprietors each filed
a damage suit against him.
An impression has been abroad for
some years that Nine. Modieska the
actress, had lost the large fortune she
earned in this country. The fact is that
she has been quite able to cease acting
any time she wanted to in the last II
years but continues her professional
work because there is demand for il
and because she likes it. Most of hei
fortune is invested in her California
ranch. which has increased in value
largely of late,
According to a French writer, coloreo
bills posted in the streets reveal the
character of the people the posters are
intended to interest. He finds the Eng
fish poster cold and ironical the French
light and subtle with yelled reflections
the Austrian soft and freshly. lie oh
serves stiffness and awkardnoss in tn,
Swiss Posters ana intricate design In thu
German. Italy in her posters show
herself noisy, with debauches of indig,
| and solferino red" while Spain post
bills with tnts of an orange omelet
| Posters in this country says the dis
covorer, still reflect the Puritan ances
| try of the people" which remark seem
to indicate that he has not yet crossed
the Atlantic.