The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-01-19
THE TELEPHONE is EMPLOYED.
To Facilitate the Operation of Trains
On the Baltimore and Ohio.


has gained the distinction in its pro-
gressive policy of being the first steam
railroad in the world to reduce the
movement of trains by telephone to
systemized practice, clothed with the
best safe guards, as has been the tele-
graph train handling system that has
been in operation for many years.
The use of the telephone in this CON
nection, having been demonstrate 10
be effective, the management of~che
road has authorized its officials to
avail themselves of this valuable aux
iliary from time to time as experience
proves it to be desirable, economical
and in any way tend TO safely hasten
the movement of trains.
A conference of the dispatching
forces was held recently lat Baltimore,
and set of rules and forms was ar
ranged so to reduce the method of
handling trains by telephone to a
standardized system. Mr.. Chas Selden.
superintendent of Telegraph, was
Chairman of the conference, and it is
the exception that every non tele-
graph station that has passing sid
ing will be fitted up with telephone
connection to the nearest telegraph
office This will enable the transmits
ion of the train orders from the tele-
graph Office to the train crews at
such sidings direct, or to an employee
stationed there for that purpose.
For some time the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad has been extending the
use of the telephone for the trans
mission of ordinary business MESA
ges, connecting the division headquar-
tiers, with the terminals of the divis-
ions by means of the composite
telephone method. This system ad-
mits of the simultaneous working of
the wires telephonically and tele- y
graphically without interfering with
each other. Such circuits have been
established between Chicago and Gar
rett, Ind; between Garrett and Chi
cago Junction, Ohio, thus connecting
up the Chicago division; between
Newark and Chicago Junction; be-
tween Newark and Wheeling; be-
tween Wheeling and Fairmont; be-
tween Grafton and Wheeling; be-
tween Pittsburg and Wheeling and
between Wheeling and Holloway,thu
connecting the General Superintend-
ent of this Grand division with the
various superintendents and termin-
ais with which he deals. Other cir
cults have been put in from Grafton
to Clarksburg; Clarksburg to Parkers-
burg and from Grafton to Cumber-
land, thus completing the circuits for
the division located at Grafton. Jkere
are also circuits between Balts 80
and Brunswick, Md, and Baltimore
and Philadelphia for a like purpose
In addition to these long circuits.
the telephone is used extensively in =,
single track blocking and for the
movement of yard engines and the
connection of non-telegraph stations
with telegraph stations by which
trains are moved from the former to
the latter where the ordinary tele-
graph orders are received. In this
manner the telephone is used for
single track blocking between New
ark and Bellaire, Ohio. The telegraph
offices average about eight miles apart
and at many points the siding extends
beyond the telegraph office a distance
of about two miles. By having the
telephone located at the switches, a
train is allowed to use tie passing
siding up to the outlet switch Then
as soon as the train for which it has
been held has passed, the conductor +
notifies the operator in the block
signal tower and he is given permiss- 4
ion to proceed with his train to the 4
next block signal office. In this the
blocks are practically cut down so far
as main track use is concerned, Just
so much as the side tracks extend in
to the blocks. In some instances, it,
permits of the use of four miles of
passing tracks, leaving but four miles
of main track to be covered by the
blocking. The result is that it prac-
ticallY shortens the block by one half
the distance and hastens the move
ment of traffic to that extent.
This method of using the telephone
between Newark and Bellaire, over
104 miles of single track, has been in
use for about two and a half years
with great success. 1t is a system
that very much facilitates the hand
ling of traffic and is perfectly safe in
the movement of trains.
The Baltimore and Ohio railroad
will gradually extend the service to
all points on its system where 1T will
be beneficial 1t is one of the various
improvements being made by the Bal
timore and Ohio, that result in thor