Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-04

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GURNEY. Chairman: TRAFToN and
GREENLAW. Commissioners
Section of Chapter $50 OF tho
Public Laws Of the state OF Maine
FOR the year 1871 reads in part as fol-
lows:
THE public utilities commission
shall prepare rules and regulations
from time to time governing the use
and operation Of headlights on electric
cars. and may from time to time al
ter. resclnd or add 10 any rules and
regulations previously made ny II.
The rules aud regulations of the COM
mission and any changes therein sha
take effect when approved by ekAe
governor and council and publtshsti
at least once. in each daily newspaper
in the state"
this Commission issued the follow1fg
order:
THAT on and after August I. 1917,
no electric street car shall he operatSd
on or along any street or highNYN
within this State after dark wikh
lighted headlight in use unless such
headlight is so equipped that no clear
reflected ray of light can come from
said headlight and strike the eye ora
person sitting in an AUTOMOBILE q
other vehicle when the electric Ctr
and such vehicle are on practically the
same level; aud no such light. howevfr
equipped. shall be used on any car
until, upon application therefor. TIE
Public Utilities Commission shSll
have given its written approval pr
the use of such light as equipped.
In accordance with the provisions pr
the foregoing order. the several cioc-
trio railway companies in our Stiqe
made application TO the CommisSifn
for approval of various kinds or hefH-
lights in use. and the Commission
made an investigation and inSpcctlpn
of n great number of these headlights
and of the availability and cffcctiNe-
ness of>such lights when used on cars
Of varying rates of speed and undEr
varying conditions. Several confI-
ences have been held with rcprcsenw-
tives of the different street railway
companies and with the manufset,Fe
of different types of headlights AID
headlight equipment for electric caFS.
AS result of the Investigations "
the Commission and the actual cNlE-
ricnce of the several street rallwty
companies in operating different tNUFs
Of lights, 1t appears that a nodihcr-
ton of the foregoing order is ~.
CURED TO accomplish the purposes pr
the statute. =
1t is evident that a car travelling ft
high RITE of speed req Tires a
brighter light and n light of greaHr
pickup distance than ono travelling ~
n low rate OF speed. The object TO Pc
attained. is to secure headlight pr
electric cars which is of sufiiciert
brightness to enable the motorman 30
operate his car safely under varying
conditions of speed but which at TIE
same time VIII interfere as little fs
possible With the safety aud convdh-
ienco OF the travelling public who ape
using the highways for automobile pr
other travel We shall therefore Pho
vide in our order for certain miqi l.
mum pickup distance according 20
h,,N ell, "a Inns ~ a hsa
details as to the particular type pr
headlight and as to the best methou Sr
preventing unnecessary glare to- the
individual arrangements of the soy
eral street railways. each headlight
used being subject to inspection 'ahd
approval OF the Commission. VI
1t is therefore 80
I. That the regulations made~hy
the Public Utilities Commission on
July 10. 1921. effective August I. 19sl.
be rescinded. such rcscission to be Gf-
fective May /, 1924. II
9. That on and after May I. 1920
every electric street car operated AFTER
dark on or along any street or hiSh-
way within this state. shall lrave a.
headlight so affixed to afford sufficient
illumination to enable the motormah.
when occupying his usual position Sn
the car. to see ahead In clear n l
mosphere a dark object, such ass. n
man Of average size, at distances rine :
scribed in the following table:
Headlight pickup distance required
for different speed cars.
Speed u miles per hour or less,
Minimum pickup distance
on track ............... 100 fcet
Speed 90 miles per hour out
side of City or Village
limits.
Minimum pickup distance aa
on track ......,........ 200 feet
Speed 20 miles per hour out
side of city or Village ~~
limits ~
on track ............... $50 feet
Speed 80 miles per hour out
side of City or Village
limits.
on irsek ' ..,..'. o '"..'".. $50. feet
Speed 50 miles per hour out
side of City or Village
limits,
on track ......;........ 45ofeet
Speed 40 miles per hour OUT -
side of City or Village ~
limits. ,os
on track .............., $50 feet
Speed a. miles or more per
hour outside of City or 'HN
Village limits, 81
Minimum pickup distance ~
on track ............. 76Oef9et
All such headlights must be kept
Clean, maintained in good condition,
and properly focused and adjusted. on
the car. All headlights having
pickup-distance of one hundred nifty
$50 feet Or more shall be equipped
with suitable DINNERS or other appar-
atus SO designed as to prevent unnsc-
essary glare, having when dimmedf
pickup distance of not less. than ohe
hundred G00) feet and not exceeding
one hundred fifty $50 feet, when dp-
Grated within the limits of cities and
villages where the streets are light@d.
shall be used on any car until, upon
application therefor. the Public UtDi-
ties Commission shall have. given Ms
written approval of the use OF suth
light as equipped. .F, tsse
Given under the hand and seal ofaxhe
Public Utilities Commission. at Angus
ia. this goth day of February. A--p.
1924.
CHARLES E. GURNEY.
IL.S.1 HERBERT w TRAFTON.
ALBERT GREENLAw,
Public Utilities Commission Of Maine.
In Council April j, 1894.
Read and passed by the Council. and
by the Governor approved.
EDGAR C. SMITH,
Deputy Secretary Of State-
A 4 trse COPY GEO. r. crpprNcsA
Clerk, Public Utilities Commission Of