The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-09-07
RAIL WAY SIGNALS
Fireworks" That Serve as Train
Protectors.
CODE OF TORPEDO AND FUSEE
Messages These Audible and Visible
Danger Signs Convey to the Engi-
neer-The Use Of Pyroteehnies as
Signals In the Naval Service.

SlgnalS IN the NaNal service.
Pop, pop" or perhaps single
'pop," sharp and distinct like that of
giant firecracker heard not only on
the Fourth of July, but on every day
I'm the year, Sundays included. What
did it mean? And on almost any
night as | look out of my window l
see the edge of the wood or the fields
lighted up by red or yellow fireworks
Why this strange illumination?
AS all these queer happenings took
place on the railroad few rods from
my house l made inquiries of the rail-
way officials, and here are some inter
esting facts about the use of these
curious fireworks"
The general superintendent of the
New York, New Haven and Hartford
railroad explained as follows:
"Our rules provide for the use of de-
tonators, commonly known as torpe-
does, as audible signals and Of 'fusees
as visible signals.
These tOrpedOes are attached TO
the top Of the rail on the engineers
side Of the track by two small flex-
ible metal straps. which are easily
bent around the ball of the rail- as
shown in the picture. and hold the
torpedoes securely in place until ex-
ploded by the first train passing over
this track.
"The explosion OF one torpedo is a
signal to stop; the explosion of two,
not more than 200 feet apart is sig
nal TO reduce speed and look out for
stop signal.
"The fusees are of similar construc-
tion to the well known Roman candle
used for fireworks celebrations, ex-
cept that they burn a steady fame
without explosions. A sharp iron spike
at the bottom end will usually stick
in the ground or in the cross tie when
thrown from the rear OF n train and
holds the fusee in an upright position,
where Il Is more plainly visible.
"A fusee must be lighted and left
by the flagman whenever a train IS
running on the "time" Of another train
or behind its own time and under
circumstances which call for such pro-
lection.
"a fusee on or near the track, burn
ing red. must not be passed. When
burning yellow the train may proceed
with caution when the way Is 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 distance.
"You will gather from the above
explanations that the red glare Of a
flaming fusee on or near the track
warns the approaching engineer that
a preceding train has passed over his
track less than three minutes ahead
Of him, and under no circumstances
must he pass this signal while burning
red. When the flame turns to yellow
he may proceed with caution, only as
the way is seen and known TO be
clear. keeping in mind that when the
fusee changed from red TO yellow he
was exactly three minutes behind a
preceding train. which may have stop
ped within a short distance or may
be proceeding at an unusually slow
rate OF speed"
The superintendent Of the Shore line
division, another branch of the same
railroad, gives this additional detail re
garding torpedoes:
when n train stops upon the main
line and requires protection against
a following train the flagman goes back
q specified distance and places one tor
pedo. He then continues a farther
distance back, placing two torpedoes.
AS soon as the train he is protecting is
ready TO start the engineer blows q
specified whistle signal which is a
notice to the fagman to return to his
train. On the way back he picks up
the one torpedo, leaving two on the
rail 10 warn the engineer Of an ap-
preaching train that another train is a
short distance ahead and 10 give the
flagman time 10 run back and get
aboard of his own train"
OF the use Of fireworks as signals in
the navy the chief Of the bureau of
construction and repair Of the navy de-
partment. Washington, makes the fol-
lowing statement:
"All modern ships are fitted with
electric signals. and the use OF such
signals is general in the naval service
In the case OF small vessels having no
electric installation and also for use In
case OF the failure of the electric sig
mails the navy has a system of colored
stars in connection with rockets for
the purpose of signaling.
"These are in no sense the ordinary
commercial fireworks, but are manu-
factured by the service for naval use
exclusively.
There are no photographs OF this
system OF signals for distribution. The
apparatus consists Of a specially de-
signed pistol from which are fired car
tridges containing the colored stars
that are used in the service code."-
New York Mail