Jefferson jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 1907-1926, 1911-12-01
RAILWAY SIGNALS



oseoss osscs Conway - TIE t"si.
ass~rks Uss 81 py~stssh~iss -
oIsoeis IN the Na~si Service
Pop, 200" q perhaps q single
spop." sharp and distinct like that OF
4 Giant nrscraeker heard not only on
ths Fourth Of July. but Oh every day
In the year. Sundays included What
"a Il msanl And on almost any
night a. ] look out Of my window l
~ The edge Of the wood Or the ne!ds
nghted up BY red or yellow 6reworks
Why this strange illumination?
AZ oil these queer happenings took
paaee on the railroad few rods from
my house ! made inquiries Of the rail-
way officials. and hero are some inter
ssting facts about the use OF these
curious fireworks"
The general superintendent Of the
New York. New Haven and Hartford
railroad explained ~ follows:
"Our rules provide for the use Of de-
tonatorr. commonly known NJ torps
does, a. audible signals and Of 'fusee~'
- visible signals.
These tsrpsdoes are attached to
ths- top Of the rail on the engineers
side Of the track by two small nex-
ibls metal stups. which are easily
bent sround the ball Of the rar. ~
shown In the picture. and hold the
torpedo-~ securely In place until ex
pioded by the drst train passing over
this track
THE explosion Of one torpedo II
signal I" stop: the explosion OF two
not mor- than 200 feet arArt Il \ sig
nal to reduce apeed and look out for
q stop signal.
The fusess are Of similar construc.
don to the well known Roman candle
used for fireworks celebrations. ex.
cent that they burn 4 steady name
without explosions. A sharp iron spike
1t the bottom end will usually stick
In the ground or In the cross dc when
thrown from the rear Of train and
holds the fusse in IN upright position.
who're It In moro plainly visible.
"A fusee must be lighted and LETT
By The dagman whenever 4 train u
running on the slime" Of another train
or behind It's own time aud under
circumstanee which call for such pro
lection.
"A fusec on or near the track. burn
Ing red. must not b. passed When
burning yellow the train may proceed
With canton when the way n seen and
known to be clear. Standard fusees
burn red for three minutes and yel-
low for seven minutes and can BE- seen
for quite 4 distance.
"You Will gather from the above
expisns tons that the red glare OF q
flaming fusec on or near the track
warns rhe approaching engineer that
4 preceding train has passed over his
track le~x than three minutes ahead
Of him. aud under no circumstances
must he pass this signal while burning
rod. When the fame turns to yellow
b. may proceed with caution. only ~
the way - seen and known to b
clear, keeping in mind that when the
fusee changed from red to yellow he
was exactly three minutes behind =
preceding train. which may have stop
ped within . short distance or may
b. proceeding at An unusually slow
rate at speed"
The superintendent Of the Shore line
division. another branch. OF the same
railroad, eives this additional detail ~
yardinR torpedoss:
when a train stops upon the main
limo and requires protection against
q following train the dagman goes back
q specified distance and places ono tor
pedo He then continues a farther
distan nee back. placing two torpedoes,
Al soon a. the train he n protecting IL
ready to start the engineer blows a
specified whistle signal. which u .
notice to the nagman to return to his
train. On the way back he picks up
the one torpedo. leaving two on the
rail to warn The engineer Of an ap-
preaching train that another train b a
short distance ahead and TO give the
Aagman time to run back and Get
aboard Of his own train"
w I0P uNC III ur0WOIKN NJ Wa8o1tU III
the navy the chief Of the bureau Of
construction and repair Of the navy de-
partment. Washington. makes the fol-
lowing Abatement:
All modern ships are lifted with
eaectfic signals. and the Use Of such
signals y general In the naval service.
In the esse Of small vessels having no
electric instaila ton and also for use In
case ct the failure OF the electric sig
mails the navy has . system Of eolored
stap In connection with rockets for
the purpose of signaling
These ars IN NO sense the ordinary
commercial Arswoeks. bot Az manu-
hetursd By the service tor naval uss
exclusively.
TAsro aro No photographs Of thu
systsn Of Signals for distribution. The
apparatus consists Of q specially d.
signsd pistol from which are nred car
t1dgsa containing the eolored staIs
that are used In the service coda
New York Man.