Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1909-12-08
WRECK REPORT IS
MADE BY SOMMER
TO COMMISSION
Says Cause Was Lengthening of
Spring in Electric Pneu-
matte Machine.

TRENTON, Dec. Sat the meeting
today OF the State Railroad commis-
sion report prepared by President
Frank H. Sommer shows that the COM
mission after its investigation into the
collision on the Pennsylvania Railroad
on the elevation at Brunswick street.
Jersey City, on November last found
that the wreck was caused by the
creeping or lengthening of spring in
the electric pneumatic machine in
"RU" tower.
In this wreck four persons were killed,
and forty others injured and with a
view to prevent such an accident in
the future, recommendations were made
by the board for several changes in the
railroad system. They were. that
springs of the type used in the tower
mechanism should be strengthened,
that repair men ia charge OF the ma
chine be provided with instruments for
the accurate measurement of the OPEN
ings between the springs and their roll
ers that complete tests of the machine
be made at regular intervals, that daily
inspections be made. and written re-
ports in detail filed with the company.
The report of the board tells of the
intricate machinery and appliances by
which the switches and signal system
are worked. and also contains gen
eral statement of the facts of the wreck
and speaks OF the failure of the rail-
road company TO notify its patrons of
the probable delay il transportation
The board repeated the recommenda-
tion made in 1907 and announced that
after a conference is held with the
attorney general. an order win be pro-
mulgated in accordance with these rec
concentrations ana insofar as il lies in
the power of the commission they will
be converted into mandate. The rec
concentrations provide that passengers
must be advised OF the probable delay
In traffic before tickets are sold.
The report, IN part, says.
1T appeared that prior tc the acci-
dent engine No. 3115 wds moving on the
east-bound service on No. track, on
its way to the station te take a vest
bound train, and had received a clear
signal. Train No. 104, also moving east
had received clear signal. but lie
electric pneumatic switch FROM track 2
to track was open and the eIlgines
CAME into collision at a point east
thereof.
1T appeared that some ere l2islts.s
prior to the accident an engine had
crossed from track Ne. ! 10 track No :
and that the operator q. The n e.
tower had reset the switches fer the
straight route The indicator al lie
tower at that time, according TO the tes-
t;nony. showed that the switches were
released. permitting the operator to sn e
& clear signal.
The testimony showed that imnledi-
;tely after the accident it was diseov-
cred that the contact spring khown as
the TX" spring. port Of the electro
rheumatic machine located at the ''ltt'''
tower, and controlling signals ard
switches, had crept or heightened ane
that the spring had at once been short
ened.
THAT this was the cause OF the ac-
cident was also indicated by The Festi-
naony of the fireman of train No. l04,
to the effect that he locked ahead and
saw both home ard distant siguals
clear. and from the conditions found in
the ground, namely, that the switch
leading from track to ? was
open when, in accordance with the
signals, it should have beer closed.
''As this machine is constructed the
space between the strings and the '.X''
and sY'' bands, at the first position of
the lever, is one-half inch and such
space between the springs and the ''X''
space is reduced, when in the in
dieating position Of the lever. to
S-s2 of an inch. While it appears
that it had been supposed that it
was impossible, where this machine
was used to have a clear signal
given and switches open except for the
designated route. yet it appeared af-
firmatively that ut Trenton. in July,
1909. the machine there located on the
line of the Pennsylvania railroad,
which is OF the type of the machine
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