Evening star., 1924-07-27
ORDER FOR TRAIN
CONTROLS DELAYED
Demand for Automatic De-
vices on AZ Roads Set
Aside Indefinitely.
VICTORY FOR LINES
Apparatus Now Will Be Subjected
to Further Study, Under
q. S. Decision.
VICTORY FOR. LINES

ment of automatic train control and
an intensive campaign of investiga-
tlon and research are expected to re-
suit from an order issued by the In
terstate Commerce Commission yes
terday setting aside indefinitely the
eHective date on which AZ railroads
must have installed an automatic
train-control device on at least two
passenger locomotive divisions. The
original order named Al major rail-
roads. requiring them to install such
device on a locomotive division by
February 1, 1926, in addition to an
installation on another division which
must be completed by January 1,
1925. 1t also named. As other roads
which must have automatic train con-
troll installed on full division by
February l, 1926.
Victory For Roads.
Hailed generally as a victory for
the railrads, which have claimed that
automatic train control is still in the
experimental stage, the commissions
order OF yesterday, while giving no
indication as to when a supplemental
order may be issued requiring the
installation of the device, leaves the
way clear to early settlement Of the
matter by another order The COM
mission may at any time, but prob
ably only after further exhaustive
investigation, issue an order reVuir-
on the roads, but at a date further
ahead than February !, 1926.
The railroads have won a point in
getting an extension of time for the
installation, and hail 1t as a victory
in support of their contention that
ms FOL L.. yinr
bankrupt some of the weaker roads.
At the same time the commission
amended its order 60 permit use of
the permissive system of control by
which an enGineman may. under GER
tain circumstances, forestall applica-
ton Of the brakes by the automatic
train stop device and control his train
in the usual manner in accordance
with hand signals or under limits
fixed by train order or the operating
rules or the company.
Dispute On Control.
Automatic train control is a lively
subject in the railroad world of to-
day. That it will one day be in gem
erai use by all railroads cannot be
doubted in view of the persiStency of
the commission in prescribing its
use, and its progressive installation
on the lines of the major railroads
of the Nation. The commission has
found in the course of an inquiry ex-
tending over 10 years and involving
hundreds Of Independent investiga-
tons, that some infallible adjunct
must be evolved to step in where
humans fail, and control the move
ment OF speeding train. 1t has
found this device in automatic train
control. it believes, and will insist
on its installation. The present order
stallaiion for purposes of investiga-
ton, and will not halt the general
plan of the commission. it is stated.
during the course of the commits
that many" Of the eighty collisions
which were investi gated in the period
from January /, 1911, to March 81,
1922. on lines equipped with auto
matte block signal systems would
have been prevented. The accidents
injury to 1897. besides immense prop
erty loss and damage suits to the
railroads. From March 81, 1922, to
March 81, 1924, the commission in
dents in which eighty-five persons
were killed and $50 injured. 1t drew
the same conclusions as to the posi-
bility Of prevention.
Extensive Resume.
Yesterdays order was explained
fully by the commission in an extern
sive resume of the history of train
control and the commissions records
of it's inquiries. The federal regula-
tory body said that the railroads as
sert generally they are not opposed
control, but that the devices which
they would now select for inStalla-
tions are in the development stage as
far as the apparatus is concerned and
the standpoint of adaptation to rail-
road operating conditions. Answer
ing these contentious, the commission
said:
that the art of automatic train con-
troll has long since passed the ex-
perimental stage. The Is years of
investigation and study and the re-
suits obtained in the actual develop
ment of these devices over periods of
Years upon some of the railroads have
clearly demonstrated the practicable
ity Of and the necessity for automatic
train stop or train control. The time
has now arrived when the carriers
should be required to select and in
stall such devices as will meet our
specifications and requirements.
ITO halt the work already under
way" the commission continued, IN
order to await the decision of joint
committee (appointed by the roads
the railroads) would, in our opinion.
unduly delay the progress Of train
control. We see no reason, there
fore, for vacating or setting aside or
for generally extending the effective
date of either of our orders in so far
as they relate to the carriers COW
cred by the first order, or for de-
laying in any way the execution and
enforcement of these orders with re-
spect to such carriers" The COM
mission said that there is merit in
the plan of investigation and research
suggested by the carriers ii they
wish to adopt it, and added that 1t
would be glad to cooperate in such
plan to the extent Of its ability,
but would not permit it to serve as
an excuse for delay in the instalia-
tions required by its orders.
Having given consideration to the
circumstances and conditions affect
ing the installation of the devices on
the lines of the AZ railroads, and in
view of the action which it had al
ready taken with respect to installa-
tion of such devices on the lines of
the smaller carriers, the commission
felt justified in suspending the ef-
fective date of the order for the AZ
roads affected by its decision of yes
terday.