The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-28

glistening rail, we peer out Of the cab
window and strain our eyes to see ahead
and note the CHASTITY telegraph poles as
they dance by. We feel the jar and VI
brations of the locomotive as 1t sways
and plunges along amid the chatter and
roar. as it gathers speed. while a series
Of sharp jolts or lurches is very apt to
make one feel accutely conscious that
for the moment the safety of the train
is trembling In the balance.
On rounding a curve there Is instantly
flashed the headlight Of another engine
and makes one feel as If a collision was
imminent.
We occasionally noted the friendly
twinkle of a signal lamp. which in a
stormy night appears as the faintest
glimmer, red or white "a poor lode star
for a dark and troublous night the thin
path of light Of which II seen tells the
engineer that the way is blocked or
clear, as he crashes over switches or
burrows into the darkness beyond.
One Of the most extraordinary risks in
railroading incurred by reliance upon
the colored signal light is that due to
the possibility of encountering a red
lamp having a cracked or broken globe.
which in such a condition ernits white
light, and every lamp globe thus broken
has the potentiality of an accident stored
in 1t.
At night when the engineer is silhouet-
ted against the glare of the open fire box.
his vision Is undo ubtedly affected by that
binding condition within the cab. while
the fireman who Is often counted upon
to help in the observation of signals is
at times SO blinded by the work Of firing
that he can render only occasional serv-
ice in the observance of signals ahead.
From the foregoing it will be seen that
the safe conduct of q train by reason Of
the vigilance Of an engineer is not who'll
ly dependent on his alertness and men,
tai mastery Of the situation arising in
the course Of travel. but is often depend
ent on his ability to obtain a visual mas
terry Of the signals presented and that
the causes Of non-observation and NAL
observation are not only due to the
limitations Of his vision and lack Of at
tention, but oftentimes to the speed Of
travel coupled with the conditions en-
countered and with which an engineer
having the keenest vision cannot cope.
A guiding signal light Is most appre-
ciated and is Of the least value when
darkness and fog is the thickest. When
there is a dense fog the engineer cannot
see the signals at all.
II the signals are not sufficient under
extreme conditions, when they are need
ed the most, what are they good for?
When q signal that is intended to guide
the way Of the engineer safely, lies be-
yond his focus or he is unable with SUI
preme effort to visualize 1t in time to
put his train under control on the side
of safety, then such a plan of signaling
is of precarious value as 1t Is not COM
mensurate with the protective duty 1t
should perform and therefore designates
its decided inferiority as a safeguarding
means
Progress Demands More.
Progress demands that something more
should be done in order to correct signal
visualizing limitations for the purpose
Of conserving human life.
What is further required? The writer
contends that there must be something
inherently wrong in any system and
method Of operation which in its prac-
teal workings is subject to so much I'M
certainty and is permissive Of so much
disaster.
The vital question of today, then. Is
how to most effectually put a check on
the wayside signal system and on the
human element the engineer.
To answer this question will be the
object of the remainder of this article.
The remedy Is not for the signal impress
sario to shut his eyes and declaim with
pride that in the production or display
OF the automatic wayside signal there is
but one failure In a million signal move
ments. The mere production of the Sig