Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-26
WOULD TEST SIGNALS
Money for Experiments Wanted
by the |. C. C.
COMPUL SORYBL OCKSYSTEM
Report Favors Its Introduction on
Large Roads.
AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL
Commission Says It Ought to Make
Thorough Tests Before Recon-
mending Any System.
UT0MATIC TRAIN CONTROL

No hesitation is expressed by the inter-
state commerce commission in Its report
just sent to Congress in recommending the
block signal system for the control Of rail-
road trains all over the country. It is even
urged that there should be a compulsory
law on the subject, as there is covering
automatic couplers, air brakes and the like.
1t is stated by the report that the introduce
ton Of the block signal is progressing
steadily, If slowly, and that the officials
who are already introducing it should find
little objection to a compulsory law.
The report states that the block system
has already been installed on 4S743 miles
Of railroad, and of this trackage 6,826 miles
are the automatic block. There are fifty
railroads wholly or in part protected in
this way. Thirty important roads are yet
without the system at all. but they are
being brought into line by the increasing
frequency and expense of collisions and the
action of other roads.
1t is stated that the automatic signals
are replacing the manual and telegraph
block on the more progressive roads, and
this system is looked upon as the best
development Of the block system now in
use.
Automatic Stop Devices.
As to the use of automatic stop devices
and cab signals, the commission says that
it has not yet been given money to make
tests Of the several systems presented to it,
but 1t Is a matter well worthy of study,
and the indications are that it may even
tually supersede any other system Of train
control.
Most of the railroads from whom testi-
mony was elected as to the efficiency of
the block system said that it was one Of the
best investments they had ever made, and
kept down the expenses of the road by de-
creasing the frequency and cost Of colli-
sions. The roads that did not respond to
the inquiries of the commission put it, as a
rule, on the ground Of incompleteness or in
accuracy Of their records. But the commits
sion says that where the roads kept no rec
ords, it was because they knew without
statistical proof that the block system re-
duced the number of collisions or because
they INDUCED in "permissive blocking or
other practices generally disappreyed.
With regard to the telegraph block sys-
tenn, the commission says that it undoubt-
edly is conducive to immunity from COLI
sions. but there are thirteen cases of acct
dents occurring under 1t referred to in the
appendix to the report, and the commission
says that this indicated that the admins
tration of the service is not as good as the
system itself.
AS to the general introduction of the
block system, the report says that the rail-
roads which have not adopted it so far
have almost always advanced the plea Of
financial inability. But there is also the
temporiZing policy that in many cases puts
off the expenditure of money till the pres
sure of public opinion or the urgent neces-
sites of the case makes longer delay i'm
possible.
Compulsory Introduction.
In connection with the compulsory intro
duction Of the block system, the commits
sion recommends that it be given super
visory powers to inspect signals while they
are in operation, investigate the signal
practice Of the roads and investigate acct
dents, as is now done in England. The re-
port continues that If the compulsory intro
~uction Of the block system on all roads Is
not now deemed advisable by Congress
there certainly should be an investigation
to determine its necessity in the case of
certain roads where the traffic Is now most
dense.
In regard to automatic train stopping