Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-04-11
HEARING THE TRAIN.
Not Always Certain, and Walking On
Track Dangerous.

| N01 Always S0tSdt1y d"a wv
Track Dangerous.
| In the first place, don't walk on the
railroad tracks," Advice Is generally
something we remember only long
enough to repeat to some one else. A
1ew rules laid down by expert railroad
men regarding walking on railroad
tracks should never be forgotten py
any one who has occasion to make
footpath Of the steam locomotives
right OF way.
| The railroad track has been called
''the path Of DEATH" and not without
reason, since figures show that fully
two thirds Of the deaths from railroad
trains result from people walking on
the tracks.
| People start out bravely along q
railroad track, comfortable In the De-
| lief that there is no danger because
they can always hear railroad train.
| Surely" they say, such a tremend-
Gus engine and its rumbling train OF
cars will furnish sufficient warning to
enable me to step out OF the way OF
danger long before the great locomo-
tive itself reaches me-"
| And it does seem as If this was true,
but it is not true. For many years ex-
perts have been making an investiga-
ton into this, and the figures show
that most Of all these deaths are due
to the fact that people actually do not
hear the trains approaching, nor do
they take one-half the precautions
they take in walking along country
highway, while the danger Is tenfold
greater.
| No better example Of the dangers
of walking on railroad tracks could
| be given than in the few figures OF IA
talities Of one year. In that one year
6,43S people lost their lives on the
railroads. And Of this number, 1927
were killed by walking on the track.
A few Of these deaths were Of tramps
walking on the tracks, and about a
sixth of the whole number were killed
at grade crossings.
Walking on the railroad track Is an
American habit, and this Is solely De-
cause Americans are allowed to do So,
or, in other words, the railroad Of
| ficials are not as strict as they are In
other countries. 1t Is true that many
railroads put up signs saying that peo-
pie walking on railroad tracks are la
BILE to prosecution for trespass, but the
trouble Is that railroad officials do not
| back up these notices by having their
employees keep watch and arrest every
person walking along their tracks. II
| this had been done last year at least
800 lives would have been saved, as
that number killed while walking on
the tracks were not employees Of the
road.
In England and Germany and some
other countries no one thinks of walk
ing on the railroad tracks. They
would no more do that than they
den or bathe in his fountains. Any
one caught walking on the tracks in
those countries is promptly arrested
and fined heavily for the offense.
Do not believe that train can al
| ways be heard. 1t cannot. For this
reason people are killed. People think
they can hear the noise Of a train
when 1t is far away. A lot Of these
people have been struck by locomo-
tives when an instant before they
would have taken their oath there was
not a train within a. half mile Of them.
The noise made by a fast railway
train is chiefly directed away from
the train at the side. Comparatively
small portion of the noise is pro-
jected along the track in front Of the
train. Any other unusual noise at the
same time may divert a persons at
tention from the noise made by an
approaching train.
Another reason why trains may
come upon a person walking on the
track before he realizes their approach
is quality that sound possesses In
common with other wave phenome-
ma, although to less degree, Of trav-
cling in straight lines. Thus a fast
train approaching a sharp curve on
the concave side of which there is high
ground and on the convex side broad
plain will give a person on the curve
almost no warning Of its approach un-
til 1t swings into view a short distance
away.
Walking on road with two or more
tracks is particularly dangerous. A
large portion Of accidents to trespass-
ers occur on double-track roads where
a man in getting out Of the way Of one
train steps onto the other track in
front Of another.