New-York tribune., 1922-06-18
Train Control
Future Radio
Possibility
Experiments Now Being
Made With Radio Will De.
veIop System of Control
and Public Phone Service
Also Gives Entertainment
Communication TO Passen-
ger on Train Will BE Made
Over Ordinary Telephone

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and what nrc It's limitations These
are questions which railroad engineers
are attempting to solve by practical
application. not only in this country
and Canada, but also in Europe.
Asa form OF entertainment for pas
sengers 20 break up the monotony Of
long train journeys there is no ques-
tion about its immediate future possi-
bili,ies. This mas already been shown
by two notable demonstrations, one on
the Laekavanna and the other on the
Canadian Pacific.
The denomination in Canada was
particularly interesting, because it took
place on special train which was
equipped for livestock improvement
demonstration for the farmers through
out the Province of Manitoba. and.
therefore, served the two-fold purpose
Of instrue,ing the rural communities
in the advantages Of improved farm
ing methods and also in the entertain
ment and educational possibilities of
the radiophone.
The project undertaken by the Cana
dian Pacific was backed by the Domin-
ion and provincial governments, and
has been greatly successful. In fact,
so much 90 that the train is now 10
tour the Western provinces in the same
manner.
Two Operators Carried
The apparatus aboard the train was
installed by the Mareoni Company Of
Canada. and two operators and a radio
mechanic accompanied the train
,hroughou, It's trip. in order 10 insure
satisfactory operation at all times and
under all conditions. Radio broad
casting has not Of course. reached the
same stage Of general application in
Canada as il has in this country, and
reception had 20 be made from the
station Of Winnepeg newspaper.
Unlike the experiment on the Laeka-
wanna, the equipment on the Canadian
Pacific train did not include a trans
mitting set. As result there WAS
quite a change in the aerial system.
On TIE former threA six-wire cage
aerials we're used in order 70 get good
radiation. while on the latter three
single wires we're supported between
two triangular steel arms erected AZ
each end Of the car in such manner
that IT would pass safely underneath
bridges.
Although no definite plans have yet
been made. IL is understood that there
is strong possibility tina, the trans
Canada express OF the Canadian
Pacific will be equipped With receiving
apparatus as permanent feature. The
Lackawanna and the Chicago, Mil
waukec & S. Paul railroads have al
ready installed permanent sets on their
more important trains.
Great Future Possibilities
While the receiving &c broadcast
programs is interesting fs~n the
passengers entertainment viewpoint,
radio offers a really more important
possibility in the operation Of rail-
roads and in this connection the ex-
perimcnts being quietly carried on by
the Laekawanna are OF particular in
tcrest.
This importan, possibility Of course
has m do with transmission from
moving train The Lackavanna has
just been granted sending license
for car No 7s2, which is authorized
b. the government TO operate within
the second district. The call letters
Of this car are 2-KAJ.
Now the possibilities Of broadcast
ing from moving train offer two i'm
portant usages; FIRST, complete control
over the dispatching OF trains. and
second. the establishment OF n public
telephone service between persons in
homes or Offices and passengers on the
trains
In the former case the railroad can
control the trains from its own trans.
hitting stations. located at strategic
points along the road. preferably in
each OF the natural operating divisions
into which the particular railroad sys-
tenn is divided In this manner the
crew 81 train can keep the division
superintendent and other officials in
constant touch. and advise them Of
anv untoward occurrences which may
cause ,delay in the progress Of the
train.
Public Phone Service TO Trains
The second possibility will he
brought about much in the same man
ner as public telephone eommunica-
a. L. IL -
on certain OF the large transatlantic
aboard the steamship America have
beer conducted for the last two years.
II will be done through the medium
Of centrally placed radio telephone ex-
changes so equipped that they will
take the voice from the ordinary tele-
phone land line system and place IL
on the radio Zine" automatically and
simultaneously.
This system has already been de.
vised. and has successfully operated in
the tests with the steamship America
II consists Of system OF circuits
which permit each Of the two speakers
20 interrupt the other at any time,
without any cumbersome chsnge-over
switches. In fact. the whole operation
is automatic, and the speaker at each
end will talk over and listen in on
the ordinary type OF telephone in
every day use.
The development Of radio % this
type FOR communication with paSscn-
gers. and also for control OF the train.
will undoubtedly be very rapid from
now on. One Of the remarkable things
is that both these services can be main
tained simultaneously. without either
interfering with the other, although
kgfN will 50 sha wt.f T.