The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1906-05-25
DUTY OF THE SWITcHMAN.
Which Controls an Ele.
waited junction.

High above the network of elevated
tracks and switches at the Thirty
sixth street junction station of the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit lines, even
above the roofs of the station sheds
themselves, stands a small. steel con-
structed box house perched on the
top of two tall iron pillars. The walls
are pierced by SO many windows of
such unusual dimensions that at first
glance it would appear that the walls
are made entirely of glass. This
house, says the New York Tribune,
is the new electrical switch tower,
from which the intricate system of
switches controlling the main New
York line, the two junction lines run
ming to Bay Ridge and Coney Island
and the ladder tracks Of both the new
| and the old train yards are operated
by means of costly electrical device.
The interior Of this tower offers a
striking contrast to the old-fashioned
type, where there was double row
of huge iron levers. to swing which
the strength of two men was some
times required. Here the small, con-
veniently placed electric levers can be
ger. The switchboard occupies the
center of the room, having been built
in such a position that the operators
standing before 1t have an uninter-
| rupted view of both the incoming and
outgoing tracks of all the lines. On
| this switchboard the levers are ar
ranged in double row, one below the
| other, Sc in all. The handles of the
bottom row are painted red and con-
| troll the boards of the semaphores.
| The handles of the top row are paint
| ed blue and black and control tho
| switches and the switch locks. By
this means, If switch is to be turl.ed.
! the operator first swings the upper
lever, which throws and locks ths
switch itself, and then swings the
lower lever, which drops one or the
other Of the semaphore boards as the
case may be, thus giving the signal
for the train to proceed on its way.
| Directly in front of the operators
as they stand by the levers is an ex-
| act reproduction in miniature of the
tracks, switches and crossovers con-
tanned in the ground plan of that sec
ton of the road. In the miniature
the tracks are represented by little
brass strips, and the positions of the
switches, semaphores and dwarf sig
! nails are painted and numbered on the
background of the reproduction. The
entire device is electrically connected
with the switchboard. When the OPP
| orators, therefore, turn switch on
the regular tracks, the corresponding
switch in the miniature turns also, SO
that the operators can see at glance
what has been the result of their &C
ton, and If by any chance the mechan-
ism should have gone wrong they can
take steps to rectify it Immediately
After $3.50 o'clock in the morning,
or, in other words, when the morning
rush hour has come to an end. the
train dispatcher begins to reduce the
amount of service ON the road from
six to three cars all around. These ex-
ira cars have to be cut out promptly
and sidetracked at either the Culver
depot or at the yards of the Thirty
sixth street station. Here they re-
main and undergo a careful inspection
until the evening rush hour begins at
shortly after four O'Clock, when they
are again taken out of the yards and
impressed into the regular service ia
meet the increased demand.