The Washington times., 1915-12-04
Labor Representatives Support
Proposed Rule to Require
Use Of 100000 cp. Lamp.
URGED AS SAFETY MEASURE
Opposed by. Railroad Solicitor
and international Acety'ene
Association.

Final arguments for and AGAINST inc
adoption of proposed RUE 10 =.
all railroads in America to EQUIP 'ne'
iocom8tiyes with headlights that VIII
make an object the size Of man Vis,ol'
NJ GOO feet. were heard by the Inter-
state Commerce Commission TO-DAY.
Testimony was taken at hehiSS h,.,,,aS
which began September 2s and continuSSa
until October 2. ArgumeTts were e,,n,tor
today By NC Charles %nss C. Central tnI'I Taroad and
oscar F. Ostby. representing tne ins1 who
national Acetylene Association. WIZ wiz
spoke against the adoption OF ,ho the
and w. s. stone. grand ch'e Enyineers
brotherhood of Locomotive bnso,nr
and Frank McManamy. chief lc,,on lnsp,
of the division Of locomotive lnsptnn
Of the Interstate Commerce 80 nann,ion'
who spoke In advocacy OF its manta
Al the conclusion Of the arrui,h ,hs
Chairman McChord announced that ar
a,s,,,,ss;on would take the case under
advisefnent. =,
"In the Role of Belgium.
In oneninp his argument, MT. ost's
.,,d the acetylene business appeareu
hetore 9TH. commission in the ro'e vi
a Belgium" adding that so much ,eS,s. ..
lation had been enacted on heao.s
that only New England was eia "
the acetylene interests. lie ,,s,ac,ion aaiu
lene hCadllgntS nHu
to the men and the rallroauS' , M,
Ne argued that distance should nov
be used as the gauge OF tnc 49,
of n headlight. but that speclnca.,o,'
should be based on canulepom,, p'rS,er.hic 10
electric lights. such as the RUE cars McaiIs
Tor, because they do not blind ensineers
al meeting places ana YET tnro"
light sufficiently far an an1an ,,rnoses o, ,
motive for all pracucai purposeS'
Mr.. Paulding said there are totsi
NJ 81 $50 locomotive headlights In use
in the United states. i2.2l3 OF "hien
are oil burning. 2.yOi arc acetylehe,
22l20 electric arc. ana o"s e's,
inca andescent. To install electric hea
lights on all locomotives. ne saiu
would cost the railroads not less thail
81. .OOO, 900. lie devoted most OF h'S
argument to emphasizing the nahee'
10 the efficiency OF the signal systths
OF the large railroads that. he declhf
.d would b. brought about by the u e
of 100000 candlepo"er eieo'''S
headlights.
See "Phanton Signals"
Mr. apulings aid powerful headlights
might be desirable on small rail-
, road. but on large roads, where mere
; Is density OF traffic. multiple track
and many signals. II would be othei
wise than safety device. lie READ
from a humber Of reports ihdiCa'ih''
\ that tests had shown pD"trlul HttS
| lights not only prevented engineer
! from seeing cIiored signals in towers
! and on the side OF tracks. but had
! caused them 20 see phantom SIG
| nails" where no signals were showing
| MIR. Paulding said the large railroads
! were developing their signal systems
| and that the efficacy OF these systems
I would he minimized II not destroyed
| by the use of binding headlights!
| Mr. McManamv, who drew up th'
| rule, and submitted II to he railroads
| and engineers. said powerful hadllghts
! are necessary for the protection OF th'
| public against acct lsnts, and Tor th'
| safe and proper running of trains. H'
! said he had talked with large number
! OF engineers and fremen. md hearc
their testimony lt the hearing. and wa
4 convinced that .nese workmen believe
the electric headlight is necessary
Might Prevent Accidents.
| Grand Chief Stone spoke for mor'
than two hours. citing case after case
in which he said accidents could have
been prevented had more powerful head
lights been on the front Of the loco
motives The 1000 CO. -candlepower elec
trio headlights disclosed every object oi
! the track for sufficient distance Z
give the engineer warning in time 4
reduce the speed OF the train II not 4
stop 1t, he said. lie declared the con
i sensus of opinion among engineers i
that the powerful headlights do no
blind them. nor do they interfere ma
terially with the seeing of signals whel
the latter are properly placed.