The Topeka state journal., 1905-08-08
Wireless TeIegraphy to Be Used
on Chicago and Alton.
All Engines on That Line to Be
Equipped With Apparatus.
TESTS SUCCESSFUL.
System Is Adapted to All Kinds
of Weather.
Gossip and Matters OF Interest
in Railroad Circles.

The tests of wireless teIegraphy on
engines running over the Chicago &
Alton tracks with a view to preventing
wrecks have proved so successful that
General Manager Goodnow and other
OFFICIALS of that road believe all the COM
pany's engines will be equipped with the
apparatus by September 1. The equip
ment is being manufactured as rapidly
as possible in the Alton shops at Bloom
ington.
Under the system adopted each engine,
carrying its own wireless signal ap-
paratus, constitutes the center of
movable block, travelling with the train,
stopping when the train stops, and af-
fording effective protection for a radius
OF, say, two miles front and rear. The
radius of this danger zone may be
greater or less, according to the require
ments of any particular railroad but
once determined upon, it must be in
variable for all trains on that road
Under the eye of the engineer in the
CAP is an indicator which keeps him
Informed every moment OF the condi-
tlons within the block of which he is
the constant center. If a train ap-
proaches within two miles to the rear,
green light shows on the indicator and
a warning bell calls his attention. If
the intruding train is within two miles
to the front, a red light flashes and the
bell rings. Variations in the stroke OF
the bell and the flashes of light tell
whether the other train is moving in the
same or opposite direction to that on
which the signals are received. For in
stance, on road running east and west
the standard signal may be a single
stroke of the bell and single flash of
light for all trains running east to west
and triple stroke of the bell and triple
flash of light for all trains running west
to east, with an interval of four sec
onds between signals. The colored light
continues to flash and the bell to ring
so long as there are two trains within
the danger zone. These signals are re-
ciprocal, and the engineers on both
trains receive their warnings at the
same instant. So long as the track is
clear for two miles front and rear a
steady white light burns on the indi-
Gator and the bell is silent.
The apparatus which accomplishes
this is mounted on the top of the en-
wave transmitter and receiver, abso-
1utely automatic in their action and
fully protected from injury the pos
sibility of being tampered with. The
transmitting mechanism is SO con-
structed that it automatically sends out
constant stream of regularly recur-
rent signals effective throughout the
predetermined radius. The receiving
instrument on each train is inSenSible
to the signals sent out by its companion
transmitter, but is affected the instant
another train approaches from front or
rear within the fixed danger zone. The
signals are entirely aerial, as in the
Marconi telegraph system, and the ap-
paratus has no connection whatever
with the track or wires.
An important feature of this method
of signalling is the fact that bad wealth
er such as snow, rain, fog, or electrical
storms, has no influence upon the trans
mission and reception of signals; in fact,
the signals are rather clearer in heavy
weather than otherwise. It is, of course,
essential that signals should be received
only by trains on the same track on
which they are transmitted. To achieve
this, use has been made of the principle
known as the polarization of the
Hertzian wave. The apparatus is so
constructed that the Hertzian wave can
enter only such receiver as is adjusted
to the transmitter from which it enla-
mates. BY this means trains may be
running side by side on double or four
track lines, and the signals emitted on
any one track cannot be received by
trains on any other track.
This system does away entirely with
signal towers, semaphores and signal
men, and precludes the possibility of
mistakes on the part of the engineer.
General Manager Goodnow declares that
he has absolute confidence in the sue
n the SVStaIO