Evening star., 1935-07-21

lily.
available to college faculties and stu
dents in highway courses the facili-
ties, organization and bulletins of the
association, to the end that the prac-
tical information at its disposal may
be utilized in the training of the
future leaders of the highway industry
and profession, and to promote studies
in highway economics SO that the
value of our highway systems may be
made manifest and the funds avail
able may be spent most effectively.
THE highway construction field"
Mr.. Upham continued, comprises one
of the largest and most important
industries of the country. There is
need for adequate training of en-
gineers, not only to plan and con-
struct highways, but to consider the
many economic problems incident to
the proper development of the high
way facilities of the country.
THE new division will function
through faculty representatives to be
appointed by the deans of all engi-
neering colleges in the United States
and Canada. These representatives
will serve as contact men between the
division and their institution and its
students in highway engineering"
Prof. Steinberg is president of the
Maryland Association of Engineers, a
member of the Highway Committee Of
the Maryland State Planning Com
mission and former assistant director
of the Highway Research Board of
the National Research Council.
A new electrical device that meas
ures the speed of any car over a dis
tance of 18 inches. and sets a new
high for accuracy, may soon be play
ing an important role in traffic control.
Under the direction of DR.. Harry
r. De Silva, head of the psychology
laboratory of Massachusetts, State Col
lege, portable electrical timing de-
vice has been completed which, when
set up beside a motor highway, will
accurately register the speed of all
cars that pass.
The development of This instrument,
which can be transported in the back
seat of an ordinary scoan, is being
watched by motor vehicle registrars
in Massachusetts, and Connecticut,
and commissioners of public safety in
these two States are reported inter-
ested in the test results. The Ma
tional Safety Council Is also contem-
plating a series of tests to deter
mine its possibilities for speed study
problems.
The apparatus which DR.. De Silva
has developed consists of two instru-
ments. On one side Of the road two
light sources are set up to throw two
small concentrated beams of light
across the road into the cells of the
indicating instrument on the other
side. These light sources consist Of
lamps end are oper-
ated by an auto storage battery.
The recording instrument contains
two photo-electric cells which are ac-
tivated by the light beams across the
road. When a car approaches the
trap" it cuts of the first light beam
and this interruption of the light sets
the circuit in the recording appar-
atus in action to begin the charging
condenser. The interruption of the
second beam of light by the passing
car stops the charging process. The
amount of charge in the condenser
varies as the time taken by the car
to travel across the two beams of
light. This charge represents time
and is read directly in miles per hour
on a recording scale which holds the
reading until the operator notes it
down.
Then the pressure of button resets
the apparatus ready tor the next car.
Many advantages are claimed for
this method over ordinary methods of
speed measurement. Not only is the
instrument accurate within 2 miles
an hour at 60-mile auto speeds and
within fraction of mile at 80, but
1t can be used in places where ordi-
nary speed measurement methods are
useless. Thus it can be used to meas
ure speeds approaching intersections,
and at curves in the road.
By throwing a single switch the
speeds Of cars coming in either direc-
ton can be measured. The instru-
ments can be concealed at the sides
Of the road since the light beams are
effective at the distance between the
instruments of over so feet. Moreover,
If the motorist discovers the instru-
ments, he cannot slow down and rem
der the reading inaccurate as he can
in the ordinary speed device since the
beams are only 18 inches apart.
The instrument is expected to be of
particular value In speed studies such
as recently conducted by the e. r. A.
in Massachusetts, and Is far more ac-
curate than the Stop-watch or tape
methods which depend for accuracy
upon many human factors of reaction
time and visual acuity.
Further ref1nements Of the record
ing devices are being planned by DR..
De Silva. He is at present consid-
e-ing the possibility of installing a
camera to photograph both the license
number of the car going through the
trap and the dial reading of the speed
meter. This would yield evidence, far
more objective In nature than the mo-
tor cycle officers statement of speed.
which is nearly always contradicted
hv the n1OtOriSt.