The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-12-19

and that there may be no doubt as to
their application. To this end federal
legislation is necessary.
"Disobedience of signal indications
on blQck-signaled railroads is one of
the most serious phases Of the acct
often occurs in connection with the
movement Of important high-speed
passenger trains, and when it results
in a collision or derailment q most de-
plorable casualty list Is it's invariable
accompaniment. Fourteen of the in
vestigated accidents which have oc-
CURED ON block signaled roads since
July 1. 1911, were caused by engine
men running by stop signals or failing
to reduce speed as directed by caution
signals. In these fourteen accidents
los persons were killed and 81 were
injured. In seven OF these accidents
the culpable enginemen themselves
were killed.
mo adequate reason can be offered
for these serious lapses from duty by
men who in many cases suffer death
as q. consequence. Frequently it is
hard even to suggest a plausible ex-
PLANTATION for the disobedience Of sig
nal indications. That they are dis
obeyed, however. is a fact, and the
this cause call loudly for some means
Of arresting it's results, The most
disastrous accidents Of this character
occur on roads equipped with modern
systems Of automatic block signals,
where elaborate precautions to pre-
vent accidents (short of guarding
against the consequences Of signal
disobedience) have been taken. The
trains involved in these lamentabie
disasters generally are operated by
trusted employees OF long experience.
But the record abundantly proves that
even splendid signal equipment and
admirable discipline, coupled with
acter on the part Of employees. can not
prevent the occasional man failures
which produce such fatal results.
These facts are brought to the atten-
ton OF the congress, with the sugges-
ton that these man failures indicate
the necessity for the development and
perfection of some system Of automat-
ic train control to be used in connec-
tion with existing signal systems.
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 encour-
aged to run their trains at excessive
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 especially
dangerous In times of fog or storm,
when signals can be seen but a COM
paratiyely short distance. The maxi
mum allowable speed OF trains on all
roads should be established at a safe
limit, and 1T should not be left entirely
Ito the Judgment OF e~nginen1en to de-
ternine whether or not this limit is
exceeded,
"Inasmuch as the only purpose of
investigation, the report continues,
lis TO learn the true causes of ac-
cidents, so hat such causes ma be
eliminated as fully as practicable, it
lis manifestly impossible for the com
mission fully to accomplish such pur-
pose unless empowered by the law to
enforce its recommendations. F'lr-
~tfernaore. the commission should be
authorized to conduct independent in-
yestigations with respect to all mat
tiers affecting the safety Of railway
travel, the object being to prevent ac-
cidents as far as possible rather than,
as at present. merely to point out the
causes Of accident after their occur