The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-28
PHONES IN LOCOMOTIVES.
German Device to Lessen Danger OF
Railway Collisions.


Washington Letter.
During the three-quarters OF q century In
which steam railways have been operated
inventive genius has been striving for some
device that will guard against rear-end coll
lisions, derailing at open switches and the
many other causes of human slaughter and
the destruction of property. Millions or
dollars have been expended IN safety equip
ments, and a thousand and one electrical
devices have been tested, only TO find that
the greatest safeguard Is a strict compli-
ance with the rules for the operation or
trains. However. whenever inventive skin
comes forward with something new in this
line, IL is sure TO attract the attention or
railroad managers. and to a greater or less
extent. that of the travelling public.
Ii is learned through report recently
made to the Treasury Department by Con-
sui General Frank III. Mason. at Berlin.
that unique device for preventing coll
lisions between railroad trains, the joint
product of Hubert Pfirmann and Max Wen
dorf of Berlin. has been tried on one Of the
state lines near Frankfort before a board or
experts with entire success. and that IL Is
likely 10 come into general use In Germany
and other countries.
In referring to Its construction and gen.
eral operation, Consul General Mason says:
Midway between the rails is laid a light
third rail of the ordinary I pattern, the
joints of which are so connected as TO form
continuous conductor. Midway under ths
forward part OF the engine Is hung the
working instrument an electrical apparatus
Enclosed In a square case or jacket occupy
| Ing cubic foot Of space. The instrument
is connected with a contact shoe. which
slides along the third rail, and by wires
with telephone and electric alarm bell
in the cab of the engine driver. and red
incandescent 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 simultaneously with the alarm
| signal which sounds the bell and lights the
lamp. The apparatus is so adjusted and
arranged that the engineer can at any mo-
ment, by touching a lever, satisfy himself
| that it is i'm full working condition.
1.-The tests on Nov. u were conducted on
the main line from Frankfort TO Hanau be-
tween the stations Sachsenhausen and Gold
stein, and a translation OF the official re-
port will illustrate concisey the working
OF the apparatus. Two locomotives. num-
equipped with the new device. and the ex-
periments proceeded as follows: Engine
go. drawing special train and approaching
| Saschsenhausen at full speed. received the
danger signal and came TO a full stop: the
| driver of 290 then asked by telephone the
cause or 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 INSTRUCTED
the line. After ten minutes wait the en-
gineer of go received word by telephone
that the obstruction had been cleared away
and thereupon resumed his trip.
"A mile farther on the signal on go
again sounded, and the driver was informed.
| by telephone before that the semaphore
round a curve and more than half a mile
distant was set at halt. Thereupon En-
CINE 29o slowed down and proceeded eau
| tiousy, sounding its whistle at short In
| tervals. the telephone bell in the drivers
cab ringing continuously until the curve
was rounded, when the ringing ceased, no.
tifying the engineer that the semaphore
| had changed to track clear Thereupon
go resumed full speed.
I'm the tests TO prevent collision engine
1870 came up rapidly from behind and on
the same track as 29O. which had slowed
down and was proceeding cautiously in
consequence OF reported danger in front.
meters Q.093 YARDS OF go the signals on
both engines began TO ring and their red
| lights TO glow. Thereupon 1870 halted, the
driver inquired of 80 in front the cause OF
the alarm, and a complete understanding
| between the two trains was Immediately
established.
"An important point In this connection il
that in practice the same warning signal is
sounded upon every engine equipped with
the apparatus which is on the same track
and within the prescribed radus-a kilo-
meter or a mile, as the case may be-from
the engine and the train which cause the
| distractions.
| IL semaphore be falsely set at safety
| the train may run past IL into a block in
! which another engine is halted or moving
| with perfect security that warning will he
| given in ample time to prevent a collision
under any and all conditions of darkness.
| fog, storm mistaken instructions.
THE invention has other minor points OF
! usefulness, but the foregoing will be suffi-
| cient to indicate the general method of its
| operations and the measure OF its efficiency.
"In effect, IL puts the engine driver OF
| every train into instantaneous touch with
| other trains, swftcbmen and station and
| crossing keepers in his neighborhood, and
| keeps ever before his eye and ear an auto
| matte and infallibie signal which springs
| into activity the moment that his locomo-
| tive. whether running forward or back
ward comes within the radius OF danger
| from collision"