New-York tribune., 1908-03-16
WOULD ALTER SIGNALS.
SI7RW4T SYSTEM POOR.
so Sans Bion j. arnold IA Report TO
Public .Ser19ce Com mission

49,. .-no=d consulting engineer who has been
st15dzs-r the practical operation OF TIE suhNs i0i
thc Public Service Commission recommends ~
srec:ai report the signal and inteTiochih6 -
ron q change in the apparatus by which the neau-
-av q express trains can be reduced Wiih Saie's
F4o also proposes that when the improvements
eve beer, completed or the express STacks Ia.
,ocai tracks be equipped with the same BLOCK slS
sxstsrn ROW used Ahe express tracks
Nr Arnold admits that signal system "oulu
e,rease the capacity o. thu local tracks from my
~ forty trains hour, but al the same time points
Ct that only thirty local trains an hour are run
present -. -
IA discussing the subject Mr. Arnold says that II
.As tracks at express stations had been hulit on
mo levels permitting express trains 10 come IN OF
es,ba- side of one platform the capacity OF that
-e-,1ce would have been fully % per cent greater
,nz- Il is now But under the circumstances tae
only way 10 get additional track capaclt! Is To
allow the trains 10 get closer together III coming
mo tae stations without sacrificing safety! MI
A-2old makes tae following Recommendations
J. That the necessary steps be taken 70 aevetop e
s-5 install automatic speed control signal system
10 be Used auxiliary al station BLOCKS L NIlle
viii allow the incoming tram saIets 20 '-tp - oS
rHe rear q The train al The platform an4 - MI
the platform prompts upon 1le Re, - ~ standard
Sol-s train without sAcTlIlcins any O , -
q safety which Is now maintained between sd
That during the Development Of th- system
there b, installed at every express Ste1iym -. -
changes IN the block signal system ItIof If st+foT
s-@ ~ -s.a -11-7 To- +f1est changes Will
rre re Tresert possible headway by seven sec
ouds. and could ultimately become a pa u ''S
permanent recommended arrangenenlii ,,
That the subway officials consider tof the
purpose OF effectng temporary TeeL tle ioi - "a
81 ulau1ally operated PEI -
every express station 10 o. useG 10 eAleilee Z n
laved irCouinz and thus overcollle ne cltu
i+sze Effects on the schedule OF protected station
-he local tracks be protected by a com
.,7a+e bIork signal system when the automatic
sr.ea5 control system herein suggested has been
That when the load on th- subway increases
80 xo- carr1ine III electrical energy 70 and from
rhe trains The present. sEa@l SZSleIn oe 4.SeIeu ]
10 utilize both r2iis Tor CARVING Jhe return
current and a. the same tine make the system
The sigma sytnl - 81 f--i - 49,
---e have proven superior the single rail system
:. arrears from the report that already the stop
sf-1s-s a. express stations have been moved n
loser f. ire platforms. The original distance
decreased fHz speed in operation n trains TOO
ze-i5usrz- NJ Arnold SAYS that The system now
operated is not only far from satisfactory. 50
"a IS re fa-ir- Of train movement IS concerned
ru- does not afford positive safety. as Il pres-p-
roees hat ~1oto--1er viii be slowing down IN ap-
r-ozcHirE stations. He shows that a. present -he
following held outside u the station. where
platform waits are excessive until the train in the
s-s-o7 has cleared the end of the platform IN going
or He SHOWS how these delays have a curlua-
r'-a ee7ct on successive trains until schedule
g. sr-7@tf-,es disa--anged for a whole hour.
Nr Arrold's observations have shown him that
-- rre -ash hour the headwav Of the train is not
TI4'1 ss-IST lE1E minutes OF iEliEtE af IcLI
wfr he proposed improvements in the signal sys-
--- he believes % second hea6way- forty
--a--s an hour. Is possible.
The present signal system, NJ Arnold SAYS vas
-,osr perfect II the -ino- -he subway
e1uu-ed but that since then the art Of signalling
rez made -apid strides out Of z record q 155.-
as4 E74 signal and stop operations IN the ITO
-ez-s ended October. 1907. there were only +97
failures one i So a01- which M Arnold con
=l6=-~ test ~ the reliability ~ the
NJ A-1old x n make special report on the
-~-e---l--io- @ stations. IN which ne will az
length mo his idea having tracks on t~o levels
aE--e.e s-srtcrs n f.LL-e slbvvagE.