The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-04
RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.
Responsibility fOS Them Rests on the H,E
Oalcers % the Roads.

To TIE EDIroR or TEE sUN-Sir The
human equation n an element that cannot
be ignored In conslderink causes Of railroad
accidents. but there IL q possibility Of re-
duclng the error producing human equation
to lts lowest terms, . process which appears
TO be hAbituAllY neglected on the Pennsyl-
vanla Railroad. The system II provided
with the very bost mechanical appliances for
keeping trains from touching each other,
yet the daily practices vitlate all the precau-
lions made to insure safety.
You say that a high oficial Of the railroad
made the sin gular admission that trains do
run past the cautiOnary or green signals
very frequently each day. at a speed Of
sixty miles an hour. but we do not consider
that TO be necessarily unsafe" That is
remarkably frank admission. but 1t Is by no
means singular. for similar practices prevail
on nearly all railroads, and they are the direct
cause OF nearly all accidents that happen on
block signal protected rsiLroS,ls
from coming together II the rules are obeyed,
10 introduced on a railroad. To prevent
iES s h.ls th5PGge rS TSlSS Accidents SSs ispno.I Pps ::
see that the rules controlling the perfected
system Of protection are obeyed strictly, and
1e esspposssibIity 81 rsnnins past a danger DANGER sine aGe
nal Is disciplined for the offence. In prac-
tlcs. unfortunately, this strict obedience to
train through on time" l. an Imperative in.
junction hanging over all express train en-
RIneers. Make up lost time II possible" Ia
another piece Of advice always In evidence.
and It is much better for a man running an
slowing down than It Is 70 lose a minute Of
time. 10 II q melancholy fact that the reck-
less engineer who habitually takes his train
In on time, violating rules at nearly every
When the inevitable accident due to vio-
latlop OF rules happens. the engineer is pun
lshed and has to carry all the blame That
Is wrong. Tho superintendent whore duty il
was to enforce the rules and who neglected to
the punishment. Perhaps behind him is a
high Official whose policy II was TO en-
coura ge the violation OF rules. In that case
he Is the real criminal and ought TO he held
personally responeible.
American travellers who have had expert
enoe with British. train service and UNDER
stand the crowded condition Of the RAILWAYS
on that side, marvel that the immense traffic
Ia conducted with so few accidents. The
reason Is that block signal protection Is unit
when an accident does happen there the cause
10 Investigated exha ustlvely by an Official OF
the Board of Trade who IL wei trained In
the business II rules were haoitnolly vio-
report would put the blame upon them, II
= similar system were carried out In this
country. saw by officers belonging TO the
Interstate Commerce Commission, and re-
ports promptly published while the public
dents, the blame would fall upon those really
responsible. With that burden OF odium
imposed upon people who habituAlly neg
lected their duties OF supervision, the much
needed sentiment that rules are made to he
soon become popular. ANGUS SINCLAIR.
Ky o m October ?.