New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-08
pRETEyTIyG RAILROAD ACCIDENTS.


An elaborate essay on the most common causes
of accidents recently appeared in The Railroad
Gazette It's authorship is masked; for the
paper is said to have emanated from the claim
department. Of the "A B & c. road, and that
title is evidently fictitious one. The document
contains many excellent suggestions, however
and it is the more interesting because of its
source The lawyers who investigate the de
mands for damages which are continually being
made ought to be able to judge pretty accurately
whether the injuries on which the claims are
based are preyentable or not
one group of accidents discussed iii this paper
comprises those occurring at grade crossings in
a city. OF course the best way to avoid these
is to abolish the crossings. That policy has been
adopted extensively by the leading railway COM
panies of this country, at least in the East, but
not 50 fully as could be desired. Where the
crossings remain they are usually guarded by
ffagmen or by gates. If the former safeguard is
the only one provided there is sense in requir
ing engineers 10 slow down 1t is suggested in
the paper here under discussion that if fiagmen
wore uniforms and were authorized to make
arrests the evil would be remedied. That is a
rather sanguine view to take. perhaps But
where 4 substantial gate is interposed any in
truder has only himself 20 blame if he gets hurt;
and since the travelling public have rights which
must be recognized, it is hardly fair to make a
material slackening Of speed compulsory. In the
rural districts the only protection is that af
forded by a warning whistle ana the ringing Of
a bell There it might be wise to discriminate
between two sets of conditions. When an unob
structed view Of an approaching train is possible
from the common highway. bell and whistle are
usually sufficient. When train cannot be seen
until il is close at hand a different policy might
well be pursued. Railroad companies should
consider the expediency Of marking such 10
calities with q special signal requiring en-
gineer to slow down.
Rear end collisions and some other accidents
result from disregard of block and torpedo
signals. In order to ascertain TO what extent
these are needed by engineers, some railroad com
panies arrange for careful supervision for a
specified period taking pains, of course, 10 con
ceal from the men themselves the fact that they
are watched. The practice is exceedingly COM
mendable because it enables the head Of the
mechanical department to know who is faithful
and who is not On one line whose identity is
not revealed The Railroad Gazette says that
Il series Of 1417 tests of this sort was ended not
long ago It was found that in only four cases
had signals been disobeyed, and in every one the
engineer paid some heed TO the warning; for he
slowed down where he ought to have stopped.
If these figures could be regarded as fairly
representative of the faithfuness and vigilance
of all engineers in the country. Americans would
have occasion for profound satisfaction. Per-
hans It would be wise. though, to wait for cor
roborative testimony from other roads. II any
OF the engineers VINO were under scrutiny had