The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-24
TELEPHONES HELPED.
This Additional Despatch1ng
Service Growing Rapidly.
Other Items of Interest IN
Railway Circles.

In connection with the recent an
nouncement of the Santa Fes per
feet record of one year without
single fatality, 1t is interesting TO nole
some of the conditions which nave
made possible such an achievement
on a road which is so diverse in CHAR
acter of conditions as the SANTA re
Modern methods of making tra11lc
safer and less liable to accidents mas
played an important part in making
this record
OF all the safety contrivances
adopted by American railways IN re- re-
cent years the block system IS IN tne
lead Train collisions-both rear
end and head-on-which were form
erly responsible for the great losses
of life are prevented by sdlely
methods. The block system mas o th q
Installed over a large portion OF tn 1ts
Santa Fe and has contributed greaIS
to the safety of passengers 80
In all. the Santa Fe operates Las z
miles of block system. OF TINS amour
the santa Fe has 1.4S5.5 miles in OPP
eration between Chicago and Ration
IN. NJ. and intermediate points. FROM
Kern junction to Bakersfield, CaIL-'
and Glen Fraser to Christie. Ca T. i
there is 4.3 miles in operation; ~ ~
on the gulf lines between virginia
Point and Island, both in Texas. there
is a stretch of % miles.
This block system, which has not
been generally adopted by All tne
railways-n Notwithstanding puphc oPi
ion to the contrary-is being gradu-
ally pushed all over the SANTA
system Plans are now IN aclud ,I
working for the installing OF plocA
signal systems over 365 mlieS %
track on the system, which Will pc IN
oneration before cold weather sets IN.
between Knox and Cameron, III: the
santa will soon place an additlo1aI
system of 1875 miles. ana LIZ
Highland Junction to summit Caill o
the Santa Fe has ~ miles III
of construction. -
Another feature of the operation u u
the Santa Fe which is responslple 20
a large degree for the prevention u
disastrous wrecks is the lncreaseu ~
ciIifies for dispatching trains, through
tbe sI,Dnlemental telephone service
T7hus far. although the telepnone
has heen in use a little over a year
the santa Fe has 1922 miles OF tele-
phone lines when are Newton
TO Emporia, the Santa Fe mas 49,
miles in operation. From Ehpol! y.
to kansas City. via Topeka, tneTe -
a mileage of 1913 miles From IAN 1aa..
dan function to Carrollton Junction,
In Missouri there are 29.5 miles, anu
from Joliet to Pequot, Ill, there are
20.2 miles. ~, ;, ,+s
infancy as 1851 miles IS pro9ecteu
and much of this is under actual con-
struction. From Emporia to Kansas
CITY via the cutoff there is mlIeage
Of 11a8 miles which is nearly ready
for operation. From Chicago to KAN
sas City 1884 miles will soon be USED
in handling trains. From Wellington
Van to Waynoka, Okla, there is pro-
jected mileage Of 1o7 miles; from from
Clovis to Belen, 240.1 miles from
Waynoka to Amarillo, 205 miles; from
Amarillo to Clovis 104.s miles; from
Gainesville to Temple 1925 miles; ana
from Bakersfield to Ferry Polne on
the Coast lines 3S4.5 miles.
The Santa Fe is experimenting Win
motor cars which are much sa1er
than the ordinary trains although of
course they are suitable only for local
work. The road has recently mace
three tests. One is now giving good
service from Topeka to Empor1a,
distance of So miles. Another has been
in operation between Chanute and
Pittsburg a distance of 81 miles. me
third experiment was on the coast
lines between San Bernardino and Los
rA&,1eIes a distance of ST. miles.