The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1911-08-31
RAILWAY SIGNALS
Fireworks That Serve as Train
Protectors.
CODE OF TORPEDO AND FusEE

Messages These Audible and Vis5hzH
Danger Signs Convey to the EnaL
neer-The Use Of Pyroteehnics ~
Signals In the Naval Service.
"Pop, pop" or perhaps a sfngrH
"pop," sharp and distinct like that eE
a giant f~recracker heard not only sa
the Fourth of July. but on every daw
in the year. Sundays included. Whak
did it mean? And on almost AwK
night as / look out of my win6ow N
| see the edge of the wood oc the feldR
lighted up by red or yellow frewoE@
Why this strange illuminatien9
AS all these queer happenings toOk
place on the railroad a few rods fronn
my house I made inquiries of the RAN
way officials. and here are some inter-
esting facts about the use of these
curious fireworks"
The. general superintendent Of tEg'
New York. New Haven and HartfOEH
railroad explained as follows:
t'Our rules provide for the use OF Gn1;b
tonators, commonly known as; terp@
does, as audible signals and of fhsee@
as visible signals.
These torpedoes are attachefB
the top of. the rail on the engines
side of the track by two small fE
ible metal straps, which are easily
bent around the bali of the RAIN m
shown in the picture. and hold TIE
torpedoes securely in place until ~
ploded by the first train passing OEm
this track.
"The explosion of n torpedo E u
signal to stop; the explosion Of fwa.
not more than 200 feet apart is a sig
nal to reduce speed and look out Elr
a stop signal. g
The fusees are of similar constFEEzA
ton to the well known Roman canEg1E.
used for fireworks celebrations. s
ceDt thai they burn a steady faEne
witheu! COLLISIONS. A sharp iron SPIKE
al the bottom end will usually StErk
in the ground or in the cross tie wnHzn
thrown from the rear of a train HHa
holds the fusee in an upright p~ositIEEa
where it is more plainly visible.
"a fusee must be lighted and EeEk
by the fagman whenever a traink rs
running on the sstime'' Of another traTn
or behind its own time and UNDER
circumstances which call for such prcs-
lection.
"a fusee on or near the track. burm
ing red. must not be passed. WIera
burning yellow the train may proceeeE
with caution when the way is seen an8
known to be clear. Standard fuseeE<
burn red for three minutes and yea
low for w minutes and can be seeH9
for quite a distance.
"You will gather from the aDUEz
explanations that the red glare00f N.
flaming fusee on or hear the trarR
warns the approaching engineer thacR
a preceding train has passed over RsR
track less than three minutes affpUS1T
of him. and under no rireug1staEee%
must he pass this s~igna4.while hurnfnE
red. When the fame turns TO yef1oSw
he may proceed with caution. only ssE@
the way is seen and known tor Ego
clear. keeping in mind that whefF FW
fusee changed from red to yellow N
was exactly three minutes behind -
preceding train. which may have sfeTD
ped within a short distance or mEE
be proceeding at an r1usually ssW
rate of speed"
The superintendent Of the Shore nR
division. another branch of the saTraE
railroad. gives this additional detaff u1
garding torpedoes:
"When a train stops upon the mE2zrt
line and requires protection agaiMa
a following train the dagman goes bggtk
a specified distance and places aOne4NE
pedo. He then continues "a faftnT
distance back. placing two torpedORs
AS soon as the train he is protectfnER
ready to start the engineer blows N
specified WhistleN signal. which IS 10
notice to the 1agman to return ter ms
train. On the way back he picks
the one torpedo, leaving two oT NaE
rail to warn the engineer of am W
preaching train that another train ISM
short distance ahead and to give khR
fagman time to u back and E
aboard of his own train"
OF the use of fireworks as sfgnalBm :
the navy the chief Of the burean ~
construction and repair Of the naVFa
partment. Washington. makes thw Al
lowing statement:
"An modern ships are fitted with
electric signals. and the use OF sN6h
SlSudIS ~ SOASIdl LII LIE AdFQA
In the case of small vessels havinE~
electric installation and also for usRdm
case of the. failure of the eleetrfc
nails the navy has a system of eos0Usd
stars in connection with rockets Kay
the purpose of signaling.
These are in no sense the ordTHaE
commercial fireworks. but are maEEER
featured by the service for navah uO
exclusively.
'sThere are no photographs OF HaB
system Of signals for distribution Tae
apparatus consists of a specially 1e
signed pistol from which are frea~
tridges containing the cOlored
that are used in the service cod-