The Washington herald., 1906-12-16

tower man, quietly. as he glanced casual
" up the track at the limited that was
just coming into sigh; at the rate of
nearly a mile a minute He got up and
walked over to the switchboard and
pulled TWO or three levers.
Through the open windows three
switches could be heard to click at rs
many points along the track, as they
lined up III readiness for the flyer. The
eating danger" swung to safety" In
he cab OF the express the engineer was
still too far away 70 sec the signal, but
when. a moment later, he could dis;in-
guisE i;s arms. he knew that al was well.
The train did not slacken It's speed. AS
the engine whirlcd by the man in the cab
looked into the tower, where he could see
the man at the switchboard. He knew
that there was no danger, so far as
human watchfulness and mechanical de-
vice can remove the element Of danger
from the life of tho man In the locono-
tive cab. says tho Cleveland Plain Dealer
After the train had disappeared from
view, the tower man pulled the throttles
sgain and the switches could be heard
opening up once more. Then the tower
man lined ~ another set Of switches and
signnls ready for a limited train from
the other direction. due a little later. His
whole series of operations that laid out
the track for the speeding caIgo Of hu-
man life was performed with an uncon-
cern that was in contrast to tie nervous
strain under which the tower man IS
popularity supposed 10 work.
His calmness reminded the visitor that
the day is past when the tower man IS
compelled 10 have his nerves at high ten
sion under such a strain; in fact. that
sooner or later the wearied nerves fray
and snap. possibly before a wreck has e.
suited. or perhaps not until loss OF life
intrUsted 20 his care is the final blow
that brain ard nerves cannot withstand.
Not Under Heavy strain.
Mental and nervous wrecks among tow
-r men and signal men. fortunately. are
becoming comparatively rare since the
adoption OF the interlocking switches a
feu years ago. Il has taken time for the
men IN the towers TO rid themselves Of
the apprehensiveness that came from the
responsibility that formerly rested upon
their shoulders. Men Of cool heads. men
.of sclf-possession. are still required. bu,
mechanical invention now bears a greater
part OF the burden Of guarding human
life
NO. said the man at the switchboard
. 60. F-
work would drive away ones reason in a
little while. IL seems TO me. if one did not
know that even if he should fall into er-
rCr, loss of life probably would not oc-
cu-"
This was not true in the old days OF
railrosding Time was when every switch
that was thrown from the tower. every
train that sped by meant TO the man In
the tower the possibility Of collision. Of
frightful loss Of life. Of discharge fol-
failure 20 carry out proper orders. The
constant lpprehenSivencsS the strain due
TO concentration upon duty told upon the
mind Of every man in the signal towers
upon switchmen. lever men. and opera
tors. upon every man whose duty IL was
10 lay OUT a route Of safety for the trains
that sped over the network Of tracks and
switches. The system is complicated, and
il was not surprising that even with fre-
Quent vacations and short watches many
an alert mind tottered and was wrecked
Once the body. lost its health or the brain
its calm. perfect control, The operator OF
switchman was no longer fit to guard tho
hundreds OF human lives in his care.
Nerves Were Once Required.
Il was not infrequent before the day:
that intsrlocking switches brought com
parative simplicity and safety for men II
charge OF the towers to have TO give VI
the work after only a brief period Ct ser
vice. some 70 take less responsible posi-
tioDs, and others. occasionally. with minds
so shattered that they were unfit for any
work at all.
Tower men. signal mcn, operators, and
even track walkers. declare that the strain
OF concentration and the feeling Of respon.
sihility that no man lntrustcd with tn,
care Of human life can tnT0w Of wIs So
severe that only the soundest bodies aHC
clearest heads could long Withstand the
tension. The arst indication Of the ve4 p
ms effects Of the strain would be the
sight Of wreck signals, speeding trains
ard collisions in the operators sleep
Then woUl. come a constant dread OF mis-
take, q feeling Of uncertainty about orders
already executed.
This dread. or fear. is what every op.
orator must avoid. He must not think OF
i, must aot speak Of IT, It is wonderful
say old treinmen. how the slightest sug-
EcStion Of danger may unsettie enc work
ing under severe nervous strain.
To the mind Of the average railroad pas
senger the tower man. or signal man. 8.
stu the man Of responsibility, with nerves
keyed to high tension, by the care upor
him. IL was a surprise to the visitor
therefore. to sec this man, who controlled
the movements of scores Of trains over q
bewildering network Of tracks so perfectly
free from the strain that one associate.
with his position. He would throw 4 Sc
ries OF switches and then sit down 4
await the coming Of the next train. call
ing for another operation. There was
nothing 10 indicate hurry when the 1yel
came in sight. nothing Of fear OF wha
might happen if he should neglect TO pal
the proper levers.
Suppose you should throw one of tho
switches and thus give the engineer hi:
signal but forget to throw one of tht
others. Doesn't it frighten you 70 think
OF what might happen" asked the visitor
Wrecks Can't Happen Now.
''But I can't do that replied the tower
man, unappaIcd at the thought of posi-
bic accident I can't give a signal o.
safety unless the whole series of switche:
are in proper place
'But suppose you should also open one
OF The other series of switches and thu;
let tyro trains on the same track
II coUida't co that either explained thC
tower maH. as lie walked over to TX
switchboard and tried ID open aOothel
switch See. It is locked he sail, 'looA
6ow2 here. There is the interlockeT, from
Htich the system gets its naue. When
open 9ns switch the movement locks thC
levers th;-t operate the other switchs.