The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-12-16
SAFETY
FIRST On
RAILROADS |. |. |
vr -
This Should Be Paramount
Rule Of Roads
Suggested BY Interstate Com
merce Commission
--
Annual Report Of Conlrrlissisa
Made Public Today

is the paramount rule Of train opera
tton suggested by the interstate COM
merce commission in its twenty sixth
annual report submitted today to con-
gress. Discussion of disasters on
American railroads during the last
year constitutes an important feature
of the report.
1t is pointed out that many of the
accidents resulting in fatalities might
have been averted by the exercise Of
proper precaution of the employment
of suitable devices and good equip
ment, Figures given show that Of the
total OF 1916 derailments during the
year, 1,S77 were caused by defects Of
roadway and SsS47 were due to de-
fectiye equipment. This indicates an
increase over the previous year Of 652
in the derailments due to bad roadway,
and 1908 due to bad equipment.
The Investigation by the commission
itself OF railroad accidents involving
loss of life, the report says, "has pro-
ceeded far enough to indicate the need
OF more effective measures than thus
far have been taken to secure safety
of railroad travel While the previous
suggestions of the commission as 20
the adoption by the railroads of all-
steel, or steel -underframe, cars are
being adopted ''as rapidly as conditions
viii permit" and 'tthe danger from the
use of unsound cars is gradually dis
appearing" the serious dangers of
detective roadway and the use of un-
sound rails still remain, as result Of
which derailments are likely at any
time to occur. Concerning its in
Nestigations, the commission says:
"Of the thirty-one deraiIments in
vestigated, fourteen were either direct
ly or indirectly caused by bad track
In five OF these fourteen cases the
derailments would probably have been
avoided had existing speed restrictions
been observed; but IN all the remain-
ing cases no adequate speed restric-
tions were in force, and In three cases
the track conditions were so obvious
ly unsafe that derailments were likely
to occur even at low speed. In one
serions deraiIrnent an examination of
the track in the vicinity of the ac-
etient disclosed 906 rotten ties within
distance of lat rail lengths Under
many OF the rails there were as many
as eleven bad ties, ana under each of
two rails there were twelve ties SO
badly decayed and broken as to be
totally unfit for service. In many of
these ties the spikes were so loose that
they were easily removed by, hand, the
wood having no longer any holding
power. The track in the vicinity Of
this accident was poorly ballasted and
was unsafe for the passage of trains at
ordinary speed. This derailment oc :
Cured on straight track while the
train was running about thirty miles
per hour"
The report says that "the most dis
quieting and perplexing feature in the
problem of accident prevention is the
large proportion Of train accidents
caused by dereliction OF duty by the
employees involved. The commission
believes that as a rule there are no
men that have a keeuer appreciation
of their responsibilities than railroad
trainmen and enginemen," and yet 1t is
pointed out that 6S per cent of the
whole number Of accidents investigat-
ed were caused by mistakes on the
part of employees
There is a disposition in some
quarters" continues the report. ITO
charge these lamentable errors Of
failure OF discipline and to hold en-
rloyees wholly responsible for such
failure. This is a superficial view
which contains no promise Of effective
remedy.
"a remarkable increase in the speed
and weight of trains within recent
years, and the crowding of tracks and
terminals caused by the movement OF
an enormously enlarged volume OF
traffic. have greatly increased the
duties and responsibilities of train
service employees and multiplied the
chances of error on their part. Not
withstanding these added duties and
responsibilities which the conditions
of modern railroading have imposed
upon employees, the methods of
discipline and regulations calculated
TO insure safety in train operation have
remained practically unchanged
ITO prevent railroad collisions adj
-. l..M-
to reduce the chances of human error
to a minimum and second, to neutral
ize the effects of such error when ii
occurs. The recommendation previ-
ously made by the commission for
legislation requiring the standardiza-
tion Of operating rules and the use oi
the block system were designed to re-
duce the probability of mistakes by
employees, and those recommendation
ere once more presented for considera-
ton of the congress. Uniformity and
consistency In operating rules are
necessary to secure safety, and Ii Is
not probable that satisfactory code
which will meet the demands of mod.
ern operating conditions can be Sc
cured without appropriate action by
the federal government
The commission points out that ex-
cessive speed has been on important
factor in many train accidents, anC
that conditions Of safe operation are
often ignored in the effort to bring
fast trains in ON time. This is a bad
practice. for which the travelling pub
lie is largely responsible, and it shoulC
be discontinued. Adequate measures
should be taken to compel low speed
weneyer conditions require ii whether
schedules are maintained or not"
The total number of casualties or
steam roads, during the year ended
June. 80, was 180. .123, OF which 1O,58g
persons were killed and I69,538 injured
These figures indicate an increase over
the previous year of 1S9 killed and Is,
37g Injured. OF the total number oi
casualties, 400 railway employees were
killed and $4,000 injured through sin.
dustrfaI accidents happenings In.
cident to railroad business, but moi
due to the operation of trains.
An analysis of the dgures furnished
BY the steam roads shows that OF TIKI
number of persons killed, 318 were
passengers, 3.635 employees, and 6,63:
other persons. trespassing and no
trespassislg, indicating an increase 81
33 III the total number OF ennploye.
killed decrease Of 3S in the tota
number Of passengers killed, and al