Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-06
LEAD IN RAILROAD SIGNALS
British Claim of superiority over
Existing Systems In United
states.

H. Raynar Wilson, writing 10 the editor
OF the London Times in criticism Of
a statement which suggested that all
efficient railroad signalling devices ema-
mated from the United States. says that
credit must be given America for two OF
the appliances that have been adopted on
British railways These are the dead
mans handle" and the automatic tram
control but there has as yet been no
need to install the time lock. although
exactly the same conditions as are con-
sidered necessary for its use on Amer
lean roads are TO be found here. Inter
locking at conflicting points and signals
and the use OF the lock system are purely
British ideas. and also the control OF
the outdoor signals by the block instru-
ments and the control Of the latter by
tie trains Track circuits are generally
assumed to be an American invention,
but any division Of sections OF the line
BY means OF insulated joints was sntici-
pated by William Bulls English patent.
No. eco OF 1850, the writer claims. Mr..
Sykes used track circuit in 1855. But II
was not until 1871 that Franklin L. Pope
put one on the Boston & Lowell railroad.
While the earliest automatic signals
those fixed by Thomas S. Hall, in lssi-
were American, there was admittedly In
corporated in the method Of operation
the idea contained in the patent Of Mr..
Tyer, an Englishman. OF 1874.
Another point where the human agent
has been controlled, /. E.. signal being
raised TO the danger" position by
train. independently OF the signalman.
was done by Sykes. Tyer. Hodgson and
others in the '70s.
One item is. however. not mentioned.
and that is locomotive cab signals. The
writer says I'VE have the Americans
beaten" Since June. 1901. the Interstate
Commerce commission has been inviting
and investigating designs for automatic
train control and cab signals. But. as
yet. no cab signal. and only one system
Of train control for steam trains. is under
trial to any extent. on the British
Great Western railway and the North
eastern railway. however. cab signals
have long since passed the trial stage
and are In regular operation. Incident
ally II may be remarked that In 1S52 Mr..
Tyer took out q patent in which. by
electrical meaH. he warned q station OF
the approach OF a train. and gave stop
and "all right" indications on the en-
CINE
The fact is" says Mr.. Wilson, Eve
have little to learn from American rail-
ways. either in signalling or methods of
operation. The two countries are alto
gether dissimilar. know everything that
has been and Is being done in signalling
in America. and I can state with conf
dence that the automatic signalling In
stallations on the electrically worked
railways Of London and the power opera
tins of points and signals there. at Gias-
gw Central and elsewhere. are greatly
superior to any to be found In America.
There are many appliances in use in the.
United States that call for praise as
being ingenious, but their use is often
open to grave danger. as for instance
the substitution OF track circuits to hold
facing points when trains are passing.
over them, instead OF locking bars, or.
as termed in America. detector bars
There are evils associated with the latter.
admit. but the combination OF the me-
chanical with the electrical-retain the
bars and add the track circuit-is what
shuld be done"