Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-28
TRAIN.CONTROL DEVICES
NOW NEARLY INSTALLED
Mean Outlay Of s5O,0OO,OOO, Which
Railroads Would Rather Have Spent
on Eliminating Grade Crossings.

and push ahead to completion and in
dorSement by the commission OF their
efforts toward meeting the wish OF the
commission 2nd Congress. The roads
on January l. 1895, had installed on
about 80 per cent of the track
mileage covered in the first order for
a recognized train-control device.
They moved much faster in the last
few months than during the first
year and a half. for their train-con-
troll installation on August I, 1929.
covered only So per cent of the roads
named in the original order. requir-
ing them to have their installations in
by January l, 1925.
All the 40 roads have selected the
type of device they will eventually
install in conformity with the com
missions order. On only four of them
have the installations been inspected
and officially Endorsed by the commits
sion. All the installations must re
ceive the commissions formal 20. X.
in time.
Work Done Faster.
Statisticians of the railroads have
estimated the carriers proceeded with
train-control installations at the rate
August I. 1925. If this is true they
went much faster between August
and January !, 1926, for 2J per cent
of their installations were completed
IN that period.
Only within the past few days the
commission, persisting in it's cam
paign of education, and repeating its
words of warning. has called atten-
ton again TO the need of train-control
installation. The commission used
exactly the quotations used i'll many
other accident reports in it's report
on the accident which claimed 10 lives
on the Pennsylvania Railroad near
Monmouth, y. j., early in November
Had an adequate automatic train
control device been in use at this
point this accident would have been
averted." The report placed the
blame squarely on the engineman of
a PENNSYLVANIA express train who
failed to obey and observe the indl-
cations of automatic block signals
which were partially obscured by FOG.
In other words, the commission De
lieves that the mechanical engineer
train control would have stepped In
the moment the train entered the
dangerous area. taken the place OF
the human who failed to see the
danger signals and stopped the on
rushing train with its human frelgh'.
The Monmouth accident was particu-
larly horrible. but without the fire
hazard common in the DAYS OF
wooden coaches. The cars destroyed
we're of steel construction, but We're
crushed under the head-cnd impact
and ono car virtually telescoped from
end to end.
There are many angles 80 IRAN
control installation. Some aiIroau
men believe in the infallibility or the
human element, NOTWITHSTANDING thS
oyer,yhelminc testimony tina. humans
do err. RAILROAD men" the conmls-
sion saws animouSly auNocdtS
the extension of the block SlGnai sES-
TEN. TO keep pace with the lhcreaSe
of traffic on divisions where that sNs
tom is not now installed or where
additional protection is Necessary
THEY also as a unit admit the nted
NJ n suitable train STOP on certain
other divisions where traffic density
is greater and perhaps operating con
ditions more difficult to guard aCalilSt
possible failure To obser'4 -lsnai III
dications.
| Seek Block Systems.
/ on the other hand. the carriers be
Ilieye accidents are SO rev anu Wouiu
| he measurably fewer if block signals
| were in general use instead OF Only
! about 80 per cent of the passellEei
! trackage in the United states tnat
| the sDending of $50 100000. the
! an,ount estimated to carry out the
| provisions of the twin orders OF the
| commission. would better be done on
/ block signal systems. They add tnat
train accidents are much fewer than
/ embarrassing accidents ana point 10
estimates that upwards of 2O.OOV,ooV:
| 600 would be required TO eliminate al
| the grade crossings over rallroa"
/ tracks in the United states.
The average cost OF tram CohtI"
n train stop installations. the commis-
! sion saws. ranges from $1,000 10 Sl.36o
] for the ramp type equipment per 10
connective: from 81 800 to $500 for IN"
/ intermittent inductive type. and from
| 50 400 to SO. 800 Tor the continuous III
! ductive type.
The importance of continued enort
/ to eliminate as far as possible pre-
| ventable accidents. with their loss ci
/ life. injury to persons and destruction
| of property. by the installation OF au-
tomato train stop or train controi
devices can hardly be overestimated
| the commission declares. With the
! increased appropriation which inc
| Congress has now made available this
| work is being vigorously prosecuted
| The rail regulatory body adds. with
meaning clear to all. that of the col
lisions investigated in 1925, 6S.J pet
cent were preventable accidents. in
| which the killed and injured repre-
sent 76.1 per cent and 12.5 per cent
respectively. of the total casualties in
| all collisions investigated.