The daily sentinel., 1913-12-19
INTERSTATE COMMERCE
ASKS MORE POWER
(Continueo from PAGE 1l


ing of train register; misunderstand-
ing of orders; occupying main track
on time of superior train; block oper-
ator allowed train to enter occupied
block; dispatcher gave lap order or
used improper form of order; oper-
ator made mistake in copying order:
switch left open in face of approach
ing train; excessive speed: failure to
identity train that was met.
These errors are exactly the ones
which figure in the causes of train
accidents year after year. Their per-
sistence, leading always to the same
narrowing results, points inevitably
to the truth of one or the other of
the following alternatives: Either 4
great majority of these deplorable
railroad disasters are unavoidable or
there exists a widespread lack of in
telligent and well-directed effort to
minimize the mistakes of employees
in the operation of trains. II is not
believed that all those accidents
which are caused by the mistakes of
employees are unavoidable. 1t is quite
true that man is prone to error. and
as long as absolute reliance is placed
upon the human element in the op-
GRAFTON OF trains accidents are bound
to occur, but until il can be shown
that all reasonable and proper mea-
sures have been taken for its pre-
vention no accident can be classed as
unavoidable.
Violations of Rules.
'All OF the mistakes noted above
are violations OF simple rules. which
should have been easily understood
by men of sufficient intelligence to
be entrusted with the operation OF
trains. The evidence is that in the
main the rules are understood, but
they are habitually violated by en-
ployes who are charged with respon-
sibility for the safe movement of
trains. The evidence also is that in
many cases operating officers are
cognizant of this habitual disregard
of rules and no proper steps are ta-
ken to correct the evil. Many operat-
ing officers seem to proceed upon the
theory that their responsibility ends
with the promulgation of rules. ap-
parently overlooking the fact that no
matter how inherently good rule
may be. 1t is of no force unless it is
obeyed. On very many railroads
there is little or no system of inspec-
tion or supervision of the work of
train-service employees SO far as per-
tains to those matters which vitality
affect safety. Employees are not ex-
amined on the operating rules except
at the time of their promotion, and
only the most perfunctory efforts are
made to determine their fitness to
perform the duties assigned to them
from time to time.
Too Much Speed.
High speed was an important con-
| tributing cause of several serious ac-
cidents during the past year. On
many roads there is no limit to the
speed at which passenger trains are
allowed to run. Enginemen are thus
encouraged to run their trains at ex-
cessive speed in an effort to make up
time lost on schedules that are In
many cases already sufficiently fast
for safety. Such high speed is espe-
cially dangerous In times of fog or
storm, when signals can be seen
but comparatively short distance.
| The maximum allowable speed OF
trains on all roads should be estab-
lished at safe limit, and 1t should
not be left entirely to the Judgment
of enginemen to determine whether
/ or not this limit is exceeded"
Recommendations.
| Among the important recommen-
dations for new legislation are the
| following
That one period be fixed for the
beginning of all actions relating to
transportation charges and that that
period be within three years from
the completion of the service as to