Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-18

The Train Dispatchers' Association OF
America will meet in annual convention
in Baltimore this week. 1t is probable
that the convention will amend the code
of rules under which the trains OF the
country are handled. Although the dis
patchers have no authority to amend
these rules. the American Railway Asso-
citation, which does possess the power.
naturally will give much weight to the
action of the Baltimore convention.
Another matter which will claim con-
sideratiOn is the bill pending in Congress
to require all railroads to operate their
lines under a standard signal system.
This bill was introduced by Senator Wes-
ley L. Jones of Washington. having been
prepared by the railway commissioners
Of that state. It is intended to overcome
one of the principal causes Of accidents
In train operation.
A striking instance of the sort of con-
dition this measure Is intended to remedy
is afforded in the case of the train serv-
ice between Portland. Ore. and Sc
attic, Wash, over one of the prin-
cfpal lines. Between these two cities a
train travels over, five separate and dis
tinct roads. each having its own peculiar
system Of signals. Sometimes the signals
mean one thing on one part Of the line
and Numerically the opposite on another
part. Each road has about a hundred
different rules. making 800 rules with
which the trainmen operating between
these two cities must be familiar. Under
these conditions 1t is inevitable that dan
gers should be involved which would be
absent with a uniform system and no
contradictory rules.
No innovation ever made in railroad
ing has spread as rapidly as the new
idea of train
Telephone Dispatching dis patching
Is Spreading Rapidly. I ?, 's an,1 :
few years since this system was taken
up. but SO successful has 1t been In
practice that it is only a question Of time
until the telegraph will serve only as an
emergency reserve.
One of the largest telephone dispatch
ing systems now in use Is that of the
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern be-
tween Buffalo and Chicago. The system
has worked SO well that it is taken as a
model by other roads In their installa-
lions Of dispatching telephones. With
few exceptions train dispatchers are en-
thusiastic over the advantages of the tel
ephOne in their work. On one line 1t has
been shown to be possible to call twenty
eight stations in half minute. The dis
patcher, by the use of a selector, which
is an attachment by which he can ring
any bell on the line without ringing the
others, is able to call four stations with
a single ring. In most instances the
telephones are so equipped that when
the dispatcher presses the button the
telephone bell in the station called rings
and continues to do so until the operator
answers 1t.
The dispatcher wears what Is known as
a breast transmitter and a headpiece re-
ceiver. which permits him to have his
hands free. His telephone is in the cir
cult at all times, and any operator on
the line need only take down his receiver
and pronounce the name of his station to
command the attention of the dispatcher.
He has full control over the line, and no
operator is allowed to call up another
station. The dispatcher will do the call
ing for him If business requires 1t. With
the telephone there is no such thing as
talking by proxy. The dispatcher can
talk with any man on the line. 1t fire.
quently happens that in case of an acct
dent or other emergency the dispatcher
in ten-minute conversation with the
conductor over the telephone can do more
to straighten out tangle than could be
done in an hour with the telegraph key.
BY system OF repeating all messages