The New York herald., 1922-01-11
n. Y. Central Plans Tests
and Elevated May Try
M It's Effectiveness.
/. ENDS HUMAN FALLIBILITY
Hedley of InterborOugh Prom
ises to Cooperate to Limit
A to Make Road Safe.

Frank =. Spragce. electrical en-
gineer. father of tho trolley car and Of
the multiple unit system of train con-
trol,> described to the Transit Com
mission yesterday a safety signal and
speed control device which, he said.
he would guarantees as an absolute
preventive of rear end collisions. He
stalxed his professional reputation on
the statement that so far from impair
inS traffic movement and reducing
carrying capacity it would promote
them and chat it could be installed
on the elevated lines at q cost ma
terially less than could block signal
system.
The corporation of which he is the
head Mr. Sprague said, is now under
contract with the New York Central
Railroad eto conduct extensive tests OF
the system re has perfected. These
tests will be begun within few weeks
on h stretch of main line track be-
tween Tarrytown and Ossining which
thei company has dedicated to that
purpose between certain hours of the
day.
This work is to be done. the engineer
raid. under the joint auspices OF the
bureau of safety of the Interstate Com
r1erce Commission, the American Rail-
ways Committee, representing 200 Amer
can railroads. and the New York Gen.
ffal. He added he had heard that the
Interstate Commerce Commission con-
tenplated an early order making auto
matte train control mandatory on GER
tain railroad divisions.
Train Would stop Itself.
Mr. Sprague compared his automatic
SLOW down" control with the brutal"
stop under the action or an automatic
tripper setting suddenly the emergency
brakes. The Sprague system. by means
of electro-maget Installations along the
track bed, imparts to the cab of the en-
gfncer or motorman visual signals, but
II also acts directly upon the brake con-
troller which he grasps In his hand. 1t
first warns the engineer Should the
engineer neglect to brake his train short
OF the collision point the train stops it,
self
Speaking of the factor OF human falli
biiity. Mr.. Sprague said:
Probably there is not one engineer
out OF hundred who does not run past
signals. He does not always get into a
collision. A train may be 1T the far
end of block and he may be going by
a signal at low speed. But with every |
human being there comes a time when
his mentality slips. when there Is some |
hiatus; for the moment his Judgment |
fails. 1t happens to the man on the /
bridge OF a steamer; it happens to every |
man who drives an automobile. There |
are times when a mans mentality goes
off momentarily for any one of a hum
cred reasons which are known TO psy-
biologists.
With this system the engineer or
motcrinan would be obliged TO keep his /
attention fixed all the time. But he
would be In the position of a man who
has some invisible mentor right beside
who would be tapping him on the shout
der and saying, John, this Is a signal;
wake up; apply your brakes. IL you do
not am going TO take the control os
your train from you and I'm going to
have you fired when you get in."
Would Guarantee the Results.
In reply to questions by Chairman Nc.
Aneny. Mr.. Sprague said: 81 do not
hesitate 10 undertake any extent Of
equipment on the elevated lines and 20
guarantee the results, namely. that we
would absolutely protect trains from
end collisions, regardless OF weather
conditions and without any reduction
whatever in average capacity, whether
on express or local tracks. Within N
period OF "A year | think the traffic
"a paclty would be Increased
Mr.. Sprague advised that a certain
part of the elevated tracks. which could