The Forrest City times., 1912-03-15
INSTALL BLOCK SIGNALS.
Missouri Pacific-IrOn Mountain Has
 About 5000 Miles in Operation

St. Louis, March I0.-OHe of the
 most extensive block signal systems ever adopted by a railroad is now be
 ing installed by the Missouri.Pacitic ] Iron Mountain railroad. When com
 pleted it will cover all the main lines
 and principal branch lines of this big
 railroad system. Already considera | bly more than .O00 miles of block i signals have been constructed by the
 company and are in operation pro-
 tecting its line. When the plans
 contemplated have been completed
 this railroad will have in round 1 figures, 5000 miles of block signals in
 operation.
 The block signal syste m ias been completed and in operation for some
 weeks over the entire main line of the Iron Mountain from St. Louis to l Texarkana. Ark. distance of 499
 miles and also over the main line of the Missouri Pacific from St. Louis
 to Osawatomie, Kan. 60 miles be- l yond Kansas City. Work on it is be-
 ing rapidly pushed from osawatomie to Pueblo, Col, the western terminus of the Missouri Pacific main line, and in the next month or two it will be completed thus placing the Missouri Pacific and Iron Mountain main thru lines under block sign al over their entire length.
 The distance from St Louis to Pueblo is more then 900 miles This will make one of the longest straight l stretches of track on the continent under block signals The total dis tance from Tsxarkana to St. Louis l and thence 10 Pueblo is 1.409 miles. nearly all of which is already under block. The block system las been completed and is in operation be- tween St Louis and Omaha. bY way of Kansas City. 4SI miles.
 From Osawatomie block signals are being extended by way of GogeeYiHe. Kan. and Fort Smith. Ark to Little Rock, Ark, and it is contemplated to further install the blocks from Little Rock, by way of McGehee, Ark. 10 La. l distance Of 759 miles from Osawatomie This when will give straight block signal system from Omaha. Neb.. 10 Alexandria. by way Of OsaWatomie. of LOT miles. which k even greater than the distance from st. Louis fa| Pueblo
 From D5po. IL. the Missouri Pa eitr terminal Tor E8st St. Louis the block 9nat5 are being installed to Parag9qld. Ak by way ef IHmo. Mo. i near whefe they cross tle great THebes bridge This stretch of 4l4 mics of track is canjainsly operated by the Iron Mountain ahd Cotton. Belt railroads. andtHa block signals ! on this part qf the itHa Wia Ge used by both systems.
 Hhe Missouri Pacific als5 las in view installing block signals from Peasant Hill Mo. to Joplin, l Me. distance of l3& miles. and from Bald Knob Ark 10 Memphis. Tenn l al miles
 When all this work k completed 1 every part of the lines. both main and branch, will be protected by block signals
 IL is next to impossible for col Iision 10 occur where these block sig nals are in use. These signals are normally set at danger. " so that no train can enter a block, or space be tween one signal and the next signal beyond, until the block is released for 1t 10 proceed. This not only pro- tects the train from running into an other in front Of il, but also protects 1t from having any other train run into it from the rear.
 As an additional precaution and convenience telephones enclosed in booths are to be placed at every side track along the entire area covered by the block signal system. and there will also be telephones in all stations, so that crew on the sidetrack can communicate at any time by tele- phone with the train dispatcher and learn the exact condition of affairs ahead and behind, and when the track will probably be clear for them. If they have noticed any flaw or de- feet Of any kind on the track they can also notify the proper officials at once and all other trains can Ie warned and men sent immediately 10 remedy the trouble.