The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-15
CLEAR THE TRACK
 FOR ROYAL TRAIN Precautions Taken When Royalty Travels ALLOW NO NOISE Line Is Carefully Patrolled and Engine Must Not Smoke-No People
 Can Come Near
 the Track
from London Answers.

From London Answers
 When the King and Queen and their suite travel by train, not only are the most elaborate. precautions taken to guard their safety, but every effort is made to protect their majesties from the slight est annoyance or inconvenience. It is a time of dreadful anxiety for the railway officials, and few of them breathe freely until the royal special has passed.
 Most minute and detailed instructions are issued to stationmasters inspectors, engine drivers guard, platelayers, sig nalmen and all who have anything to do with the route over which the royal train must pass. These are printed in red ink, must be kept strictly private. and must only be communicated to those in the serr vice of the company who. in the dis charge of theif" duty, require to know and act upon them. And these persons must not give any information whatever respecting the Knowledge of which they have become possessed. Immediately these sealed orders are received. they have to be acknowledged by wire to the superintendent of the line.
 Line Clear and Points Locked 2
 
 will run has to be cleared, and all facing points clamped and padlocked quarter of an hour before the special is due. Nothing must be allowed to foul it un- til the royal train has gone by. Often the train consists of a brake van, then a saloon, the Queens saloon, the Kings saloon, dining car, another special sa- ~ lon and another brake van.
 One guard. provided with a hand lamp and detonator, whose duty it is to go back and Nrotect the train if needful, rides with the rear guard, and there is another man, similarly equipped, whose mission is to afford protection forward, in case of necessity Artficers, provided with all the needful materials and appli . ances. accompany the train, and the whole of the carriages are subjected to most thorough examination before the train starts and at each place where it calls.
 The engine, in charge of a trusted driver carries four lamps by day-one at the foot of the smokestack, one at each end of the buffer beam and one in the center of the beam. After dusk and during foggy weather or falling snow, four powerful white lights are carried in the same position.
 The Railroad Patrol
 Competent telegraph men, under the charge of the telegraphs superintendent. accompany the train, with instrument Is and appliances by which communica- tion can be at once established at any place in case of need. The call-signaI of the train in any case of emergency Is TX. T." and messages sent from the train are prefixed "R L" these taking precedence of all other mes- sages. except those bearing the prefix "D. NJ
 Even shunting operations on or ad : joining the line on which the Royal special will run have to be suspended half an hour before it's approach, and all trains and engines, other than pas- senger trains, must be brought to a standstiIl before the train bearing its kingly and queenly burden is due. Pas senger trains are allowed to proceed, but their drivers are expressly forbid den to whistle, and, if possible, they must reduce their speed to ten miles an hour.
 At the various stations passed en route. work which might in any way affect the line on which the Royal train will run must cease, and all engineer ing work near 10, or on the line, Ehether in the hands of a contractor or the company's staff is suspended half an hour before the train is due. Every driver must prevent his engine emitting smoke.
 All the approaches to the stations have
 
 allowed to pass over the line at a level crossing for nearly half an hour before their majesties come speeding along.
 The most elaborate precautions. too. are exercised ill patrolling the line. Men are stationed along the railway at inter- vals of about a, quarter of q mile and patrol it. each han walking about fur long in. each direction and meeting his neighhor, so that. in the event of any thing happening.-<such as goods falling from passing Wafns, any obstruction would certainly be noticed.
 Each opening .ofs all underbridges is examined by the patrols as they pass these structures. s-fhe men take up their positions an hour In advance, and re- main there until .f>e train has passed. to see that everyth11g {s in proper order.
 Guardians of.fke Tunnel
 Naturally, tunnelsj JQ Sa source of great anxiety to tho, officta lns But so stringent are the precautioIlLSfhaf the possibility of an assassin con " himself is re- duced to minimq| kt each end of the tunnel a compofkhG man, with the necessary hand-lamp is placed an hour before the train is Aae, md his duty is to prevent any unauthofized person be- ing spon the railway N or near the tunnel when the royal train has emerged. "A