The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-04-29
MOVING TRAINS
TO HAVE RADIO
SOON is BELIEF
Installation on Two Rock Island
Trains Plan for Celebration
of 10th Anniversary.

Radio is already causing a great
deal of attention on passenger
trains all over the country.
One OF the latest developments
in radio is the inter-train telephone
communication while the trains are
in motion, which experimenters say
is a possibility. The receiving Of
messages from distant points has
already proved successful and of
ficials of the Rock Island Lines are
considering installation on the
Rocky Mountain limited and the
Golden State limited, both of which
stop in Rock Island The installa-
ton will probably be made by Oc-
tober when the Rock Island will
celebrate its 10th anniversary. This
demonstration will be one of the
most noticeable in showing the de-
velopment of the railroad in the
last 20 years.
The plan of communication,
while the trains are in motion, is
being developed by Fletcher Hiles,
steward on a Big Four limited,
running between Cincinnati and
Cleveland and officials of the road,
backing him, consider success as
sured.
Hiles is now operating a tenn
porary receiving set on the car.
With the train running at top speed
he has demonstrated for the bens-
fit of his passengers that they can
listen in" on concerts and the like
as successfully as if they were in
their own homes. He holds a gov
eminent license and the Big Four
road has granted him permission
to make the installation on the car
permanent At the completion of
this plan he hopes to rig up Al
other set on the train which i'm
mediately follows the limited and
work out methods whereby COM
munication between trains, and
with the various stations of
the road, can be assured.
Set Attracts Attention.
Hiles has attracted a great deal
of attention by his set on the train.
An insulated wire leads to the roof
from the set which is located on
the top of a buffet at the end of the
car. An aerial, approximately so
feet in length and three feet wide,
is strung along the length of the
car and is low so as to not strike
obstacles under which the train
must pass.
OF course Hiles has his troubles
the same as any one experimenting
with radio. When the train is pass
ing over steel structures or under
meath steel bridges he is unable to
receive because of the induction.
Another difficulty he has expert
enced is with his ground wire,
which he has soldered to the heat
ing pipes and the frames of the car
Several times it has been shaken
loose when the car was jolted by
switch frogs but he, plans to over
come this handicap in his perma-
nent set by having the connection
welded fast. Officials of the road
are encouraging Hiles and claim
when he has the plan working sue
cessfully they will install similar
apparatus on all of their trains.
Possibilities Unlimited.
The possibilities of the expert
limited by the officials and they
called attention to the fact that
working as it is hoped for, they
would be able at all times to keep
in touch with their trains. Wrecks,
washouts or caving of the track
could be reported and trains safe
guarded from accidents. In addi-
ton the passengers would be kept
in constant touch with the news
of the world and would be enter
tanned by numerous musical con-
certs and current reports.