The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-02-20
STOPS TRAIN AT ONCE
DEVICE SEEMS TO END poSsIBIL-
ITY OF COLLISIONS.
Most Thorough Tests Are Said to
Have Demonstrated Value of the
Invention Beyond All Posi-
biIity of Doubt.

At last device has been invented
and successfully tested which appears
to solve the problem of preventing
railroad collisions. This device goes
to the root of the matter, acting au-
Dramatically with the proper setting of
train signals and relieving the loco
motive engineer of all responsibility.
Whenever the safety of the train and
its human freight depends on a sud-
den stop. this device insures, without
human Intervention, the closing of the
throttle and the setting of the air
brakes.
The most drastic tests covering
period of more than a year on 107
miles of double track equipped with
80 locomotives, made a triumphant
showing in which there was not one
failure of the device to operate. The
device and its operation are thus de-
scribed in a recent issue of the Rail
way Age Gazette:
The apparatus is electro-mechanical
so called. A ramp fixed on the ties, %
inches outside of the track rail, en-
cages a member depending from the
engine. The ramps are fixed in the
rear of each automatic block signal a
sufficient distance to allow room in
which to stop fast trains. The ramp,
when not electrified, causes an appli-
cation of the air-brakes; when cleo
trified, it energies an electro-magnet
on the engine which prevents the OPP
GRAFTON of the brake applying apparat-
us. There is no visual or audible sig
nal, and no speed recorder; neither is
the operation of the apparatus affected
in any way by the speed of the train;
though these additional features have
been worked out, SO that they could
be readily applied.
Each ramp is $50 feet long with a
short insulated section in the middle,
making virtually two contact pieces.
The outgoing end of the ramp is kept
constantly electrified, so that an en-
CINE moving backward, as in switch
ing operations, would never be
stopped. The ramps are made of 35-
pound standard T-iron.
The contact member on the loco
motive consists of a shoe fastened
to the bottom of a vertically nova
BILE piston working against a strong
spring, the whole being supported on
the back end of the crosshead guides.
The piston is raised three inches
when 1t engages the ramp. the ramp
being three inches higher in the CEN
ter than at the point near the end
where the shoe strikes it.
The movement of the piston opens
valve, allowing air pressure from
the air-brake train line to enter a
small air cylinder in the cab of the
locomotive. This pressure forces a
piston upward; and this piston oper-
ates a crank controlled by an cleo
trio lock. The lock, mounted on an
axle, revolves If its magnet is de-
energized, but does not revolve II the
magnet is energized. Revolving, an
arm attached to it operates a three
ported valve, allowing air pressure
from the train line to enter the oper-
ating cylinder. This opens the en-
gineman's air-brake valve, giving a
service application Of the brakes, and
closes the throttle.
The electric lock is operated by
current from the roadside battery con-
veyed through wire extending from
the shoe upward through a pipe to
the box in the locomotive cab which
contains the lock.
Thus the absence of the electric cur
rent at ramp, from any cause, will
result in the application of the air
brakes. There is train line pressure
In all pipes, and failure of pipes or
their connection also causes a stop.