The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-01-30
RADIO
 ON HONG TRAINS
 SPEEDS FREIGHT
By ALBERT P. MAYER United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff COrrespOndent)
 Chicago, Jan. 3O.-CUP)-Exper- iments with end-to-end radio com- munication on long freight trains has developed many interesting time-saving features, including a saving of at least 30 seconds per mile in freight service, according to c. O. Ellis, superintendent of communications for the Rock Island railroad.
 Developments in radio the past few years have opened new vistas and it is now possible o utilize frequencies for communication that were only dreamed of a few years ago." Ellis said.
 These frequencies lie between that of 40 megacycles and 5000 megacycles and even higher. With this expansion of radio spec trum, it is hoped that channels will be made available for railroad use"
 Big Aid to YardmasteI
 The Rock ISlnad was granted a license and aSsinged call letters for experiments in radio comrnul.i- cation used in connection with the operation of trains in May 1944. Since that time, many tests have been made on tWo-Way radio be- tween locomotives and cabooSeS. These tests were made under the most varying conditions and under various typographical conditions between Chicago and Kansas City and between Denver and Salt Lake City.
 Ellis said two-way radio between the yardmaster's office and switch engines working in the Rock Islands suburban freight yard ir Chicago were begun June 5, 1944 and have worked out successfully.
 Timesaving uses of radio r switching yards include: to instruct crews of any additional switching required in the area in which they may be Working-often great dis tances from the yard office; engine crews can be instructed regarding the arrival and breakup of trains; yardmaster can instruct engine crews operating other yards and or industrial sidingS regarding addi- tional work to be done in the area they are working, or in other yards when returning to the home yard
 Radio communication or long trains has many uses including notifying the engineer when the switches are lined and crew aboard; notifying engineer when train is clear of interlocking plant a1Ni public crossings; conductor can advise engnieer of location of cars in train that are to be set out or cars to be picked up at sta tionS ill advance; engineer can advise conductor of reason for un- scheduled stops and they can ojint- ly determine action necessary to get train in motion with a mini mum of dalay.
 Facsimile Adaptable
 The Rock Island has also suc- cessfully completed tests demon- strating the use of facsimile and found that written messages can be transmitted by radio to trains while in motion. Similarly, the train crew could trasnmit a writ ten acknowledgement of the mes- sage back to the sender.
 At present permanent channels for use of radio on railroads have not been approved by the EGG and little progress is expected until ] such channels are assigned.
 When such authority is received from the EGG" Ellis said, we be- lieve that within a very short per- iod most of the major railroads of the nited States vii be utilizing radio for the operation of their yards and trains. Railroads in the postwar period will require every competitive advantage and, if our competitors are permitted to use radio in connection with their op- erations, the railroads should like wise have this privilege-especiallJ as it will contribute to the safe and efficient operation of trains"