Holbrook argus., 1912-09-24

-Sp~Ae come the sys
 tematization of a pig business machine.
 From a sentimental point of view he gradual disappearance of the tele- graph operator. lounging carelessly 'Ver the table ca which his sounder clicked and clattered, until he awoke With start at the call of his own 'tation, Is to be regretted. To an ex- :ent far greater than the ordinary traveller realizes, the telegraph has gwen way to the commonplace tele- phone of everyday use.
 It was not many years ago that railroad first experimented with the telephone as substitute for the tele- graph key on an unimportant division. At that time there seemed to be many good reasons to believe that the 'peaking instrument could never re- place the key for train dispatching. A ecent report of the insterstate com. nerce commission shows that by the 1rst of this year the telephone was being used for the transmission of rain orders on nearly 5000 miles oi 'oad. This Is more than one-third of he mileage which is still protected oy the telegraph. Nearly all of the important roads are using the tele phone over part of their lines, and Jew mileage is being added at rapid ate.
 The Atchison, for example, Is now lsing the telephone for nearly 5000 niles and the telegraph for less than 1000. The Atlantic Coast Line, Bal dmore & Ohio, and Boston & Maine Ire using 1t for few hundred miles each, probably with a view to finding low 1t compares with the older sys tenn for efficiency Among the rail. roads which are using telephones on stretches over 1000 miles in length are the Chicago & Northwestern, Burlington, St. Paul, Rock Island, Great Northern, Illinois Central, Louis vile & Nashville, Lake Shore, Big Four, Northern Pacific, Pennsylvania, Seaboard Air Line, and Canadian Pa :itic. Many other railroads are equipped with the telephone service over several hundred miles of line, and are increasing their facilities as last as the extension seems warranted
 Following the receipt of the inter state commerce commission bulletin, with these figures The Railway Age, Gazette communicated with the vari- ous roads, with view to ascertaining the character of the service rendered. Practically all of the roads replying said that much time is saved by the use of the telephones, not only by re- ducing the time necessary for trans hitting orders and messages, but also by having phones accessible night and day at all meeting places, includ- Ing blind sidings. A record which was was kept on the Wheeling & Lake Erie, where the service was recently introduced, showed that in 20 days during which results were checked up the time saved to freight crews was equal to 49 hours for one train and engine crew.
 Some interesting experiences with the new service were reported by the Lehigh Valley, showing not only the effectiveness of the telephone in min imizing delay of trains disabled, but of other trains which would have been held up. An extra westbound train ran out of water, making 1t nee essary to cut the engine loose from the train and bank the fires. Another train was following, and this, too, was held up. Both conductors got out the portable phones carried on all of the trains and notified the. dispatcher. who was thereupon able to run westbound passenger train, which would have been blocked, around the stalled trains without delay.
 With each portable telephone there Is carried an 18-foot sectional fish pole" These are being installed on all caboose and baggage cars. Each telephone Is fixed in box under switch lock and is accompanied by printed instructions for use. This out fit is also supplied to bridge and rail- laying gangs, track supervisors, work trains, tool trains, train masters, and superintendents. The construction of the lines costs about $100 per mile for a metallic circuit of copper, strung on poles already in position. The portable telephones cost from $15 to s25 each.