Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-03-19
Roads in Bad Condition.

There probably are few people in
the city who know anything Of the
work. responsibility. and the me-
chanical devices connected with the
interlocking system employed by. the
Northwestern. Chica 20 Great West
orn and the N. & ST. l.. railroads at
their triple crossing near South
Third street AItho the system Is
ured mainly for the protection OF the
different corr 81 MES. the lives OF hum
dreds Of passengers daily are pro-
teCted by this device. Few have ever
taken the trouble, or shown interest
enough 10 know why and how tn"
,ntnrfock;rl, system works as
Thirty-two passenger trains Grass
this crossing every day and nearly
twice as many freights. SO il may. pc
plainlyZsc1n that some srnesns must
he taken TO keen these troins from
crashing into each other. TIE inter
locking system does Just that. a
definition OF the interfering system
asEeiven by a railroad man is:
system employing -traCl-s. switches
and signals. controlled by levers from
a tower. and is so interlocEed that
these levers cnn only be moved in a
PREDETERMINED manner.
Gre Nan in Cort-oi.
One man controls all track signals
and SWITCHES, and IS known as TIE
tower r-ar. His stntion is in Small.
inconspieiIous two story bu''"nE
last south OF TIE crossing at Third
street, Tho walls of his room are al
windows. giving him splendid view
Of the right Of ways Of the three rail-
roads.
To the east of BIN t. targ'od net
work Of tracks. ~ If whiHh he CON
,trols. He has absolute oowNr over.
the r-ov2nent Of trGi"s over the
-crosS'-r. He gives preference 20
passenger trains over frHigh+s- and
gives them the "p'"rt" but when
two fre'eits wpnt the "p'nr' Re
gives preference to tho one. which
can cross in the least time.
Is Matter Of Pout:ne. -
Every time a train is given the
plant" the slnle routine must he
zone thru ny the tower man. If a
Northwestern passenger train is
coming FRO mine east, iite lower Ma :
/ is warned by an electric bell in the
tower Of the approach Of the train.
This ben is rung antoine ticallv by
the train striking 2 certain point in
the rails and making an electrical
connection. and. at the Same time, a
red pendulum is dropped in the lock-
ing cabinet in the tower. If there
are no other trains nearer to the
plant" than the Northwestern the
tower man will give them the cross
, ing. In order to do this he mist
first block the ri g. st. L. and the
Chicago Great Western lines.
He pulls the lever giving them the
dista-. signal caution. which is To-
Gated three quarters OF mile from
the crossing. on their right-of way.
and then gives them the danger sig
nal at the home signal.
These signals are seriphores. and
when the danger and caution signals
are given, an arm at the top of the
! pole moves TO a rig NJ =tTi-is win TIC
| pole and when the way is clear, the
Z. K X. /. . ! o.. y -. 4
arm stands at an angle of forty-fiye
degrees with the pole. AT night the
signals are given by different colored
lights. The danger signal Is red, the
caution yellow and tht clear track
| signal Is green.
| After the tower man has given the
M. & st. L. and the Great Western
roads the signals. he can then pull
the levers that will derail all trains
on the two roads that try to pass the
plant" but NOT Until he has given
the signals can he throw the dera'l
levers. because they are 70 locked
that they ,can only be moved in a
IRE deterp,ned ms inner. After ne
has a,incEsJ the NJ. 4, st. u and the
| Ck1cxxo Great Western, he thsn
u y u