The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-24
WILL START WORK ON
NEW SWITCH PLANT
Automatic Device to Be Made
at North Birmingham
THE OUTLAY TO BE $4,000
Contract Is Let TO Il. L.. Penruddocke
and II Must BE Completed In 90
Days-Coneern VIII Employ
About 500 Men

Tomorrow morning work will begin on
a large plant at North Birmingham for
the manufacture of an automatic street
car switch by the American Automatic
Railway Switch company, Incorporated
in the state of Alabama, with a capital OF
s5O00GO. George A. Neal. formerly cash
Ter of tie Ripley County National bank
at Doniphan, Mo, is at the head of the
new birmingham enterprise and is pres
ident Of the company.
The switch which will be the product of
the new plant, and which has created
great interest both In inventive circles
AMI among railroad people, is said to be
enc OF the most simple devices ever seen
for the work it is to accomplish. The
company claims that its simplicity re-
duces the cost of the switch much be-
meath any other switch of any value that
is now IN use. and also that 1t stands
for long life and continual service without
repairs.
device is placed under the car track
which has connections with the movable
rail of the switch. As the car approaches
The switch the wheels pass over a small
trip on one of the rails which throws a
small trigger few inches above the sur
face of the street. If the motorman de-
sires 10 switch his car he has only to
place lis foot on a small lever in front
of him This lever puts apparatus
into position beneath the car which pushes
the trigger in the track to one side and
the switch is changed by the movement
of the car. When the switch changes it
| locks. and there Is no danger of a split
switch The only way to change the
| switch back is to approach the switch
with another car. This device does away
| with a motormans climbing from the car
| to change the switch.
Tie officers of the company are G. A.
Neal. presi0ert; r. o. Hood. secretary
| and treasurer. and J. T. Yeatman, vice
president. Some of the most prominent
men vino are directors of the company
are c. Il. Patterson, E. F. Enslen, Roscoe
Mcconnell, w. w Coghill and William
Hood.
The contract for the new plant. has been
lei to +. L. Penruddocke. The cost of
plant and equipment will be about 900.
AMI Mr.. Neal said yesterday that in the
course of a short time they would be
employing from 500 to COO men. The fac
tory is to be located at the crossing of
the Southern and Louisville and Nash
Vile railroads at North Birmingham. near
the Eimmck Pipe works. The contract
calls for the completion of the factory in
90 days and the officers of the company
hope to start the manufacture of their
switch by the latter part of July.
Mr. Neal is a new resident of Birming-,
ham, hut states that he intends to make
.his his home. He has been prominent
in business and financial circles of his for
mer home. He was cashier of his homa
bank and was president of the Missouri
Bankers association in 1907 and 1905 He is
said 10 be a man of keen business knowl-
edge and integrity.
Tie original automatic switch is the in
vcnticn of Matthew S. Farmer The
company has made several improvements
since the patent came into it's hands, and
the device is now considered perfect Any
one desiring to see the miniature railway
aHd tho operation of the switch can do
so by calling at the offices of the COM
rany at room 1912 Brown-Marx build-
ing.