The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-04
RAILROAD NEWS.
Freight Cars to Be Better Equip
ped Witt Air Brakes.
Public Has Aroused Interstate
Commission to Action.
HEARING TO BE HELD.
Railroad Officials Also Heed De-
mand for Safety Appliances.
Gossip and Matters OF Interest
in Railroad Circles.

HeeQ is at last Delng taken Dy the
interstate commerce commission and
railroad operating officials of the de-
mands of public sentiment for the
more complete equipment of freight
cars with air brakes and their use
throughout the entire train to prevent
accidents from buckling. The COM
mission and the railroad men realize
that little more than a strict COM
pliance with the letter of the law in
this regard would greatly increase the
safety of railroad travel and decrease
the loss of life and property.
AS the law stood UP to 1903 all that
was necessary for compliance was to
see that SO per cent of the cars in
freight trains were equipped with
power brakes, but these cars were not
necessarily strung together SO as to get
so per cent efficiency out of the brakes.
In 1903 an amendment to the act was
passed compelling the road to couple
up the SO per cent of the air braked
cars. But there are few freight trains
made up these days that contain so
per cent of cars equipped with power
brakes. Owing to the extra work re-
quired to couple these brakes togeth-
err the operating departments have is
sued orders that only sufficient cars to
comply with the letter of the law shall
be so connected.
Buckling is one of the commonest
accidents that railroads have to con-
tend with. 1t is caused by the sudden
application of the power brakes, which
results in a complete stopping of the
cars to which the air is applied. but
those cars that are not coupled W
are thrown from the track through
their momentum and the impact
against the forward cars. The danger
is not so much to the freight train as
to fast trains coming on the opposite
track. Frequently there is not time
between the discovery of buckled
freight car and the coming of a fast
express on the opposite track, to flag
the latter, and disastrous wreck re-
suits.
An inquiry has been started by the
interstate commerce commission con
corning these evils and it promises t.
result in an order that not less than a
per cent of the freight cars shall b.
connected with the engine by powel
brakes.
One road, at least, has taken cogniz
ance of this impending order and ha
promulgated a rule more than comply
| ing with it. The Pennsylvania compan.
within the last few days has ordered al
| of it's cars equipped with air brakes be
fore July 1, 1906, and further has givel
notice that no cars will be accepted
ped. With such equipment and all car
properly coupled, accidents by bucklini
will practically be eliminated.
There were in the freight service OF
| June 81, ISU4, l,OJ1p1S4 SdAS, VI WAA1Si
number /, 434, 1856 had train brakes. TIL
aggregate number of locomotives AM
| cars in the service of the compan1e
were 1876, 304 of which 1,554,7 72 Wer
fitted with train brakes, showing an in
crease during the year of 92,513 Unde
| the law of 1898 as amended in 1903, tn
| interstate commerce commission may
from time to time, after full hearing
increase the minimum percentage o
cars in any train required to be opera
| ynr-< rai
| to comply with any such requirement
of the said interstate commerce com
mission shall be subject to the like pen
atty as failures to comply with any re
ol1iremtn of the commission"
| Circulars already have been sent GU
by the commission seeking Information
1pon the subject, and full hearing
nroba bly, will be held this fall unless al
] the roads engaged in interstate trafh
previously wake up to the realization o
what is coming and voluntarily readjus
themselves to meet the public demand il
this particular.