Norwich bulletin., 1913-09-25
Railroad Officials, Directors and Trainmen Blamed
 For the Wreck at WaIingford
BY THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION
Charges in Its Report That Wreck Was Due to Inefficient Management Neglect of Precautions For Safety, Too Close Spacing of Trains Without Proper Safeguards and Derelicton of Duty Part of Certain of the Employees

safety,
 Weakened Respect for All Rules. But no intelligent system was de- .Vised by which to ascertain when rules were disobeyed.
 Rules were disobeyed largely, and ! only small proportion of these viola tfons was made the subject matter of reports to officials.
 "Of some of the rules, as has recent ly been said by the general manager of this railroad when he issued new ones in their place, there has been
 convincing demonstration of their in adequacy
 "DereUction of duty by those who are charged with the making and with the enforcement of safety regulations can not fail to weaken respect for all rules and to render nugatOry to a large eX- tent all efforts to maintain effective discipline. Rules that are not intended to be enforced have no proper place in railroad cOmpanys s code of regu- lations, and when the operating officers of a railroad permit rules which have been established to secure safety to be violated with impunlty they cannot reasonably expect to escape responsi- bflity for the consequences of such Vio- lations."
 Why Officials Are Blamed
 Fhe report contains no recommenda~ tions, except by inference, and no or ders as the interstate commerce com mission is without authority to control or supervise the operation of trains It is suggested, however. that the forth coming annual report of the commits sion will recommend to the congress the enactment of laws conferring spe- clfic authority upon the commission to regulate train operations.
 Continuing his enumeration of faults rf 10 1s2c cYlf missioner McChord says:
 Discipline was weak and ineffective, certainly a fault of the management.
 Rules were inefficient a fault of the higher officials.
 Rules were inadequateIy enforced, the blame for which must be charged to the officials. And while all this was true high speed was equired. And this high speed was required over the section of the road where this accident occurred, while there were in use anti quated signals which were condemned by the locomotive enginemen, as well as by the public service commission of Connecticut.
 Proper Spacing of Trains.
 There was an imperative call a,ris- ing from the density of traffic and complex operating conditions on this railroad for close and intensive super intendence. This call was unanswered until after the public hearing in the case.
 The proper spacing of trains was a ma tier for which not the train en- plUyes but the management of the rail- road was responsible.
 The duty of safeguarding against the hazards inhering in this business cannot be divested from themselves by a mere vote delegating it upon another. unl ess there is an. exercise of legal standard of care and diligence in st. pervision to ascertain and know that 1t is performed
 Duty of Railroad Employees.
 When public calamities call their attention to the performance of the duty of safeguarding this enter prise, where governmental authorities call public attention to the necessity of further safeguards, it seems some fur ther action by the directors of a rail- road upon which such caiamities are recurring is called for than a formal reaffirmation of a vote delegating the whole safety question to on official
 Tt cannot be too strongly impressed upon railroad employees that they are most strictly bound to comply with safety rules provided by the railroad for their guidance. No matter how many contributing causes there may be for which others my prove answer able. the direct and proximate cause of this disaster was the failure of these members of these train crews be fore referred to, to obey rules and ex- ercise the degree of care under the cir cumstanceS which was commensurate with the grave reSpOnSi ibility resting upoh them at the time
 Our reference to the management of this railroad in the past, of course. has no application to the new president hT tef on the day he took charge. Presum- ably he was selected because of his ability and fitness as q railroad man aeer. It is to be hoped that he may be permitted to devote himself prima.- FiIv to the problems of safety of Op- erstion which this railroad manage ment is now under the highest compul- sion of duty and huma nity properly to solve.
 Adequate Block System Required.
 'aThe density of traffic on this rail road requires an adequate block sys- tenn, and until the system now being installed between Springfield and New Haven is available for use an adequate method of providing d proper space be- tween trains should forthwith be plac- ed in operation.
 Definite instructions should be is sued to enginemen and trainmen to ap- proach signals in weather so foggy or stormy as to obscure in any degree the clear view of signals with train un der full control. Such instructions should also be enforced
 Banjo Signals Criticised.
 Commissioner McChord severely criticized the banjo signals" in use to some extent upon the New Haven. declaring them to be far from ade- quate to provide for the safe operation Of high speed trains, especially durine, fUggy or stormy weather, notWith- the rule governing their up- eration. As a result of the action Of the stAte commission a modern signal system is now being installed between Springfield and New Haven
 Attractions Q1 the rules and regula dOns governing the operation of trains on the New Haven were shown hy the report to be ot curring with alarming regularity and frequency" The state- ment of the operating officers and the records furnished in this case the re- port says, "arc conclusive proof that they know of these dangerous prac- l dces Their responsibility ill the mat ter cannot be eyaded"