The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-19
ASKS MORE TOWER.


| ing main track on time of supeEloe
train; block operator allowed train 70
enter occupied block: dispatcher gove
lap order or used improper form Of
order; operator made mistake In copy
ing order; sw itch lett open IN face Of
approaching train: excessive speed:
| failure to identify train that Wa met
These errors are exactly the ones
which figure in the causes of train
| accidents year after year. Their pei
sistence. leading always to the same
narrowing results, points inevitably to
the truth OF one or the other OF tho
following alternatives: Either a great
majority Of these deDlorable railroad
disasters are unavoidable or there az
| lists a widespread lack Of Intelligent
and well-directed effort to minimize
| the mistakes of employees In the OPP
Grafton Of trains. 1t II 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 II placed upon
the human element in the operation
| OF trains accidents are bound to occur.
but until 1t can be shown that all rea,-
sonable and proper measures have
been taken for its prevention no acc1-
dent can be classed as unavoidable.
Violation 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 UNDERWOOD, but they are
habitually violated by employees who
are charged with responsibility for the
safe movement OF trains. The evi-
dence also is that in many cases oper-
ating officers are cognizant Of this ha-
- ~
er steps are taken to correct the evil.
MANY operating officers seem to
proceed upon the theory that their
responsibility ends with the prCmul-
cation Of rules, apparently overlook
ing tho fact that no matter how inher-
emily good a rule may be. it is Of no
force unless IT IN obeyed. On very
many railroads there II little or no
system Of inspection or supervision OF
the work OF train-service employees 80
far as pertains to those matters which
vitality affect safety. Employees arc
not examined on the operating rules
except at the time OF their promotion.
and only the most perfunctory efforts
arc made to determine their fitness to
perform tho duties assigned to them
from time to time.
This lack OF supervision ana m
spection with respect to matters AZ
fecting the safety Of trains u unex-
pAinable when tho careful supervt-
sion Of an matters directly Affectin8
the revenue of the roads II consid-
cred. The auditing and checking sys-
TENS used for detecting the dishon-
esty Of employees are marveb OF IN
Renuity and careful attention TO 0er
tall but means Of determining Whefh-s
or trains are operated In accordance-
with the requirements Of safety and
in conformity with the rules are al
most entirely lacking.
Standardization OF Rules.
..In previous reports the commits
sion has recommended legislation re-
curing the Standardization Of oper-
atfng rules. 1t II vital to the safe
movement Of trains that rules should
be explicit and uniform In character.
80 that they may be easily understood
their application. To this end federal
legislation IL necessary.
"Disobedience of signal indications
on, block signalled railroads II one of
the most serious phases OF the ac-
cident situation. Such disobedience
often occurs In connection with the
movement OF important high-speed
passenger trains, and when It results
in q collision or derailment q most
deplorabhe casualty list II its invari-
able accompaniment Fourteen OF the
investigated accidents which have oc-
CuTI8Q On OAOCk-Sl1s udAc0 IO0O0 oAAS0
July I, 1911. were caused by engine.
men cunning by stop signals or fail
ing to reduce speed as directed by
caution signals. In these II accidents
105 persons were killed and 311 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
al q consequence. frequently 1t n
hard even to suggest q plausible ex-
nal Indications. That they are dis
obeyed, however, n fact, and the
hves that are annually sacrificed from
this cause call loudly for some means
Of arresting its results.
Tho most disastrous accidents Of
this character occur on roads equip
ped with modern systems of auto
matte block signals, where elaborate
precautions to prevent accidents
(short Of guarding against the conse-
been taken. The trains involved in
these lamentable disasters generally
are operated by trusted employees OF
long experience. But the record
abundantly proves that even splendid
signal equipment and admirable disci-
pline, coupled with long experience
and high moral character on the part
OF employees, cannot prevent the &C.
casional man failures which produce
such fatal results. These facts are
brought to the attention Of the con-
gress, with the suggestion that these
man failures indicate the necessity for
the development and perfection OF
some system Of automatic train con-
troll to be used In connection with ex-
istin9 signal GystemA.
High Speed . Cause.
High speed was an important com
tributfng cause OF several sefious ac-
cidentse during the past year. On
many roads there II no limit to the
speed at which passenger trains are
allowed to run. Enginemen are thus
encouraged to run their trains 1T ex-