554
§3 Scientific Library
| UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
«
16—53001-1
Cassier's Magazine
A3 Engineering Illustrated
Volume XXXIV May-October, 1908
The Cassier Magazine Company New York
S7948
Copyright, 1908, BY THE CASSIER MAGAZINE CO.,
New York.
INDEX TO VOLUME XXXIV.
Advantage of Hydraulic and Electric Power for Port and
Dock Work, Brysson Cunningham, . . 419
Illustrated.
Aeronautical Progress, 479
Aeronautical Motors, 281
Aeroplane Developments, 572
Air Compressors, . C. S. Vesey-Brown, . . 511
Illustrated.
Air Pump and Condensers, 284
Air, The Dehydration of, Joseph H. Hart, . . . 122
Alexandra, The New Turbine Yacht, A. C. Hurd, .... 38
Illustrated.
America, Iron Production in, 184
American Railway Transport, Safety in, ... Charles A. Howard, . . 3
Artesian Well Lining, 476
Automobile, The Six-Cylinder, Herbert L. Towle, . . 57
Illustrated.
Basis, The Purchase of Coal on a Scientific, . . . John B. C. Kershaw, . . 78
Bayles, James C. : The Discouragement of Preventable Fires, 465
Beach Protection, Effective, Lewis M. Haupt, . . . 539
Illustrated.
Becker, O. M.: The Manufacture of High Speed Steel, 291
Berlin Marine Exhibition, The, Max A. R. Brunner, . . 488
Illustrated.
Bituminous Coal, Gas Producers for, Oskar Nagel, .... 503
Illustrated.
Biographies:
Parish, William F., Jr., 96
Clerk, Dugald, 191
Ewart, William Dana, 287
Mushet, Robert Forrester, 3^3
Jeans, J. Stephen, 4&o
Roney, William R., 576
Boecklin, Werner: The Storage and Handling of Coal and Ashes in Power Plants, . . 235
Illustrated.
Bowker, William R. : Financial Outlook for Electric Tramways, 146
Bridge Construction in the Western United States, . . H. A. Crafts, .... 414
Illustrated. Bridges of Moderate Span, Railway, Conrad Gribble, . . . 210,304
Illustrated.
Brown, C. S.: Air Compressors, 511
Brunner, Max A. R. : The Berlin Marine Exhibition, 488
Illustrated. Building Construction in New York, Tall, C. H. Hughes, ... 263
Illustrated.
Building Construction, Tall, 3°2
Bunnell, Sterling H. : The Proper Use of Cost -Keeping Systems, 3°°
Canal, Manchester Ship, 476
Carbon-Monoxide Gas Producer, The, W. Y. Lewis, . . . . 223
Illustrated. Case-Hardening, Modern Methods of, J. F. Springer, . . . 137
Illustrated. Chain, Power Transmission by, . . . . ' . . Edward T. Flax, ... 67
Illustrated. Cities, Artificial Congestion Centers in, . . . . H. H. Suplee, . . . 559 Coal and Ashes in Power Plants, The Storage and Hand- ling of, Werner Boecklin, ... 235
Illustrated. Coal on a Scientific Basis, The Purchase of, ... John B. C. Kershaw, . . 78
Columns, Resistance of, . 574
Combustion in Locomotives, . . . . g
Compressors, Air, C. S. Vesey-Brown, . . 511
Illustrated. Concrete Pier Construction on the Pacific Coast, . . H. A. Crafts, .... 42
Illustrated.
iv INDEX
PAGE
Condensers, Air Pumps and, . 284
Condensers for Steam Engines, 188
Condenser Performances, 284
Congestion Centers in Cities, Artificial, . . . H. H. Suplee, . . . 559
Congestion in New York, Traffic, George Ethelbert Walsh, . 151
Concrete Work in Maritime Situations, Reinforced, . . Brysson Cunningham, . . 333 Illustrated.
Q3
Conservation of Natural Resources, The,
Construction in New York, Tall Building, . . . . C. H. Hughes, . . . 263 Illustrated.
Construction, Tall Building, 382
Copper, Electrolytic, 572
Copper Production in 1907, The World's, .... John B. C. Kershaw, . . 202
Illustrated.
Coster, A. Vennell: The Gas Engine as Applied to the Operation of Textile Mills, . . 402
Illustrated.
Cost -Keeping Systems, The Proper Use of, . . . . Sterling H. Bunnell, . . 300
Crafts, H. A. : Concrete Pier Construction on the Pacific Coast, 42
Flood Resisting Bridge Construction in the Western United States, . . . . 414 Illustrated.
Cruise of the Indomitable, 478
Cremer, James M. : The Engineer as a Purchasing Agent, 322
Cunningham, Brysson: Reinforced Concrete in Maritime Situations, 333
Illustrated.
The Relative Advantage of Hydraulic and Electric Power for Port and Dock Work, . 419
Illustrated.
Degeneration of Patterns, 476
Dehydration of Air, The, Joseph H. Hart, . . . 122
Development, Engineering, 282
Developments, Aeroplane, 572
Development of Submarine Signalling, The, . . . Robert G. Skerrett, . 126
Illustrated.
Development Problems, Gas Engine, . . . . . Henry Harrison Suplee, . 156
Discouragement of Preventable Fires, James C. Bayles, . . . 465
Docks, Liverpool, 475
Education, Problems of Industrial, George Frederic Stratton, . 99
Education, Technical, 382
Efficiency of Steam Turbines, The, F. A. Lart, .... 47
Eight -Hour Question, Miners', T. Good, .... 132
Electricity, Power Transmission by Gas or, . . . . Prof. C. A. Smith, . . 275
Electrical Transmission, Long Distance, . . . . C. J. Spencer, . . . 549
Illustrated.
Electric Tramways, Financial Outlook for, .... William R. Bowker, . . 146
Electrolytic Copper, 572
Electric Wave Detectors in Radiotelegraphy, . . . Dr. J. A. Fleming, . . 458
Illustrated.
Empire from the Swamps, Reclamation of an, . . . George Ethelbert Walsh, . 468 Engine as Applied to the Operation of Textile Mills, The
Gas, A. Vennell Coster, . . 402
Illustrated.
Engines, Condensers for Steam, 188
Engines, The Orient as a Market for Motor, . . . W. G. Winterbottom, . . 569
Engineering Development, 282
Engine Development Problems, Gas, Henry Harrison Suplee, . 156
Engineer as a Purchasing Agent, The, James M. Cremer, . . 322
Engine House Works, Arthur Titley, . . . 195
Illustrated.
Exhaust Steam Turbines, 477
Exhibition, The Berlin Marine, Max A. R. Brunner, . . 488
Illustrated.
Exhibition, The Mechanical Features of the Franco-British, 445
Illustrated.
Expert Testimony, 185
Financial Outlook for Electric Tramways, .... William R. Bowker, . . 146
Fires, The Discouragement of Preventable, .... James C. Bayles, . . . 465
Flax, Edward T. : Power Transmission by Chain, 67
Fleming, Dr. J. A. : Electric Wave Detectors in Radiotelegraphy, .,,,.. 45&
Illustrated.
INDEX
Flood-Resisting Bridge Construction in the Western United
States, H. A. Crafts, .... 414
Illustrated.
Franco -British Exhibition, The Mechanical Features of the, 445
Illustrated.
Gairns, J. F. : Remarkable Locomotives of 1907, 10
The Mechanism of a Taximeter, 506
Illustrated.
Gas Engine as Applied to the Operation of Textile Mills, A. Vennell Coster, . . 402
Illustrated.
Gas Engine Development Problems, Henry Harrison Suplee, . 156
Gas or Electricity, Power Transmission by, .... Prof. C. A. Smith, . . 275
Gas Power Research, 571
Gas Producers for Bituminous Coal, Oskar Nagel, .... 503
Illustrated.
Gas Plant, Reliability of the Producer, Thomas L. White, . . 563
Gas Producer, The Carbon-Monoxide, W. Y. Lewis, . . . . 223
Illustrated.
GearWheels, Early, 573
German Iron and Steel Industry, The, T. Good, . . . . 257
German Naval Developments, 94
Good, T. : Miners' Eight -Hour Question, ; . . 132
The German Iron and Steel Industry, 257
The World's Tin Supply, 483
Gribble, Conrad: Railway Bridges of Moderate Span, 210,304
Illustrated.
Hardness, Measurement of, 473
Hardness, Methods of Testing Materials for, . . . J. F. Springer, . . . 387
Illustrated.
Hart, Joseph H. : The Dehydration of Air, 122
Haupt, Lewis M. : Effective Beach Protection, 539
Health of Miners, 187
Highlands by Rail, Through the Scotch, . . . . J. F. Gairns, .... 105
Illustrated.
High Pressure Water Supply, 381
High Speed Steel, The Manufacture of, O. M. Becker, ... 291
Illustrated.
Howard, Charles A. : Safety in American Railway Transport, 3
Hughes, C. H. : Tall Building Construction in New York, 263
Illustrated.
Hurd, A. C. : The New Turbine Yacht Alexandra, 38
The Race for Naval Power, 353
Illustrated. Hydraulic and Electric Power for Port and Dock Work,
The Relative Advantage of, Brysson Cunningham, . . 419
Illustrated. Hydraulic Machinery, Modern, Carl Wigtel, . . . . 84, 161
Illustrated.
Inclined Gas Retorts, 574
Indomitable, Cruise of the, 478
Industrial Education, Problems of, George Frederic Stratton, . 99
Industries, Some Aspects of the Power Problem in Textile, Charles J. Kavanagh, . . 371
Illustrated.
Industry, The German Iron and Steel, T. Good, . . . . 257
Iron and Steel Industry, The German, T. Good, .... 257
Iron Production in America, 184
Iron, Wrought, 286
Kavanagh, Charles J.: Some Aspects of the Power Problem in the Textile Industries, . 371
Kershaw, John B. C: The Purchase of Coal on a Scientific Basis, 78
The World's Copper Production in 1907, 202
Illustrated.
Laboratory, Swiss Federal, . . . 477
Lart, F. A. : The Efficiency of Steam Turbines, 47
Launching Ships, Methods of, 381
Lewis, W. Y. : The Carbon-Monoxide Gas Producer, . . . . . . . . 223
Liverpool Docks, 475
Locomotives, Combustion in, 282
Locomotives of 1907, Remarkable, J. F. Gairns 10
Illustrated.
VI
INDEX
PAGE
Long Distance Electrical Transmission, . . . . C. J. Spencer, . . . 549
Illustrated. Machinery, Modern Hydraulic, Carl Wigtel, . . . . 84, 161
Illustrated.
Machine Tools, Powering of, 186
Manchester Ship Canal, 476
Manufactures, A Museum of, 474
Manufacture and Testing of Steel, The, 189
Manufacture of High Speed Steel, The, . . . O. M. Becker, . . . 291
Illustrated. Marine Exhibition, The Berlin, Max A. R. Brunner, . . 488
Illustrated. Maritime Situations, Reinforced Concrete in, Brysson Cunningham, . . 333
Illustrated. Materials for Hardness, Methods of Testing, . . . J. F. Springer, . . . 387
Illustrated.
Measurement of Hardness, 473
Mechanism of a Taximeter, The, J. F. Gairns, .... 506
Illustrated. Methods of Testing Materials for Hardness, . . . J. F. Springer, . . . 387
Illustrated. Methods of Case Hardening, Modern, J. F. Springer, . . . 137
Illustrated. Mills, The Gas Engine as Applied to the Operation of
Textile, A. Vennell Coster, . . 402
Illustrated.
Miners' Eight -Hour Question, T. Good, . . . . 132
Miners, Health of, 187
Moderate Span, Railway Bridges of, Conrad Gribble, . . . 210,304
Illustrated. Modern Hydraulic Machinery, Carl Wigtel, .... 84, 161
Illustrated. Modern Methods of Case Hardening, J. F. Springer, . . . 137
Illustrated.
Motors, Aeronautical, 281
Museum of Manufactures, A, 474
Nagel, Oskar: Gas Producers for Bituminous Coal, . . 503
Illustrated.
Natural Resources, The Conservation of, 93
Naval Developments, German, 94
Naval Power, The Race for, Archibald S. Hurd, . . 353
Illustrated. New York, Tall Building Construction in, . . . C. H. Hughes, . . . 263
Illustrated.
New York, Traffic Congestion in, George Ethelbert Walsh, . 151
Operation, Railroad, 574
Operation of Textile Mills, The Gas Engine as Applied, A. Vennell Coster, . . 402
Illustrated. Orient as a Market for Motor Engines, The, . . . W. G. Winterbottom, . . 569
Pacific Coast, Concrete Pier Construction on the, . . H. A. Crafts, .... 42
Illustrated.
Patterns, Degeneration of, 476
Performances, Condenser, 284
Phosphorus in Steel, 285
Pier Construction on the Pacific Coast, Concrete, . . H. A. Crafts, .... 42
Illustrated. Port and Dock Work, The Relative Advantage ot Hydraulic
and Electric Power for, Brysson Cunningham, . . 419
Illustrated. Portraits :
Parish, William F., Jr., . 2
Clerk, Dugald, 98
Ewart, William Dana, 1Q4
Mushet, Robert Forrester, 2go
Jeans, J. Stephen, 386
Roney, William R., 482
Powering of Machine Tools, 186
Power Plants, The Storage and Handling of Coal and
Ashes in, Werner Boecklin, ... 235
Illustrated.
INDEX
Vll
Power Problem in the Textile Industries, Some Aspects of the,
Illustrated. Power Transmission by Chain,
Illustrated. Power Transmission by Gas or Electricity, Preventable Fires, The Discouragement of,
Prevention, Smoke,
Problems, Gas Engine Development, Problem in the Textile Industries, Some Aspects of the Power,
Illustrated. Problems of Industrial Education, . Producers for Bituminous Coal,
Illustrated. Producer Gas Plant, Reliability of, Producer, The Carbon-Monoxide Gas, .
Illustrated.
Proper Use of Cost -Keeping Systems, The, Purchasing Agent, The Engineer as a, . Purchase of Coal on a Scientific Basis, The, Race for Naval Power, The, . Illustrated.
Charles J. Kavanagh,
Edward T. Flax, .
Prof. C. A. Smith, James C. Bayles, .
Henry Harrison Suplee Charles J. Kavanagh,
George Frederic Stratton, Oskar Nagel, .
Thomas L. White, W. Y. Lewis, .
Sterling H. Bunnell, James M. Cremer, John B. C. Kershaw, Archibald S. Hurd,
Dr. J. A. Fleming,
Conrad Gribble, .
Charles A. Howard, George Ethelbert Walsh Thomas L. White,
Brysson Cunningham,
Brysson Cunningham,
Charles A. Howard J. F. Gairns, .
Robert G. Skerrett
Radiotelegraphy, Electric Wave Detectors in,
Illustrated. Railway Bridges of Moderate Span,
Illustrated. Railway Transport, Safety in American, Reclamation of an Empire from the Swamps, The. Reliability of the Gas Producer Plant, . Relative Advantage of Hydraulic and Electric Power for Port and Dock Work,
Illustrated. Reinforced Concrete Work in Maritime Situations,
Illustrated.
Resistance Columns,
Resources, The Conservation of Natural, Safety in American Railway Transport, Scotch Highlands by Rail, Through the,
Illustrated.
Ship Canal, Manchester,
Ships, Methods of Launching, .... Signalling, The Development of Submarine,
Illustrated. Six-Cylinder Automobile, The, Herbert L. Towle
Illustrated. Skerrett, Robert G. : The Development of Submarine Signalling, . Smith, Prof. C. A. : Power Transmission by Gas or Electricity,
Smoke Prevention,
Span, Railway Bridges of Moderate, Conrad Gribble,
Illustrated. Spencer, C. J. : Long Distance Electrical Transmission, . Springer, J. F. : Modern Methods of Case Hardening,
Methods of Testing Material for Hardness, ....
Steam Engines, Condensers for,
Steam Turbines, Efficiency of the, F. A
Steam Turbines, Exhaust
Steel, Phosphorus in,
Steel, The Manufacture of High-Speed, . . . . O. M. Becker,
Illustrated.
Steel, The Manufacture and Testing of,
Storage and Handling of Coal and Ashes in Power Plants,
The, Werner Boecklin
Illustrated. Stratton, George Frederic : Problems of Industrial Education, Submarine Signalling, The Development of, ... Robert G. Skerrett
Illustrated.
Lart,
PAGE
37i 67
275 465 286
156 371
99
5°3
563 233
300
322
78
353
458 210, 304
3 468
563 419
333
574
93
3
105
476
381 126
57
126
275
286
210, 304
549 137 387 188
47 477 285 291
189 235
99 126
Vlll
INDEX
C. H. Hughes J. F. Gairns .
Robert G. Skerrett J. F. Springer,
Charles J. Kavanagh
T. Good
George Ethelbert Walsh William R. Bowker C. J. Spencer,
Suplee, Henry Harrison: Gas Engine Development Problems,
Artificial Congestion Centers in Cities,
Supply, The World's Tin, T. Good ....
Supply, High Pressure Water,
Swamps, Reclamation of an Empire from the, . . . George Ethelbert Walsh
Swiss Federal Laboratory,
Tall Building Construction,
Tall Building Construction in New York, ....
Illustrated. Taximeter, The Mechanism of a,
Illustrated.
Technical Education,
Telegraphy, The Development of Wireless, ....
Illustrated. Testing Materials for Hardness, Methods of,
Illustrated. Testing of Steel, The Manufacture and, ....
Testimony, Expert,
Textile Industries, Some Aspects of the Power Problem in,
Illustrated. Tin Supply, The World's, Titley, Arthur: Works Engine House, . . . .
Illustrated.
Tools, Powering of Machine,
Towle, Herbert L. : The Six Cylinder Automobile, .
Illustrated.
Traffic Congestion in New York,
Tramways, Financial Outlook for Electric, .... Transmission, Long Distance Electrical, ....
Illustrated. Transmission Power by Gas or Electricity, .... Transmission by Chain Power,
Illustrated. Transport, Safety in American Railway, ....
Turbines, Efficiency of Steam,
Turbines, Exhaust Steam,
Turbine Yacht Alexandra, The New, A. C. Hurd .
Illustrated. Use of Cost -Keeping Systems, The Proper, .... Sterling H. Bunnell
Valves for Steam Mains,
Walsh, George Ethelbert : The Reclamation of an Empire from the Swamps,
Traffic Congestion in New York,
Water Supply, High Pressure,
Wave Detectors in Radiotelegraphy — Electric, . . . Dr. J. A. Fleming
Illustrated.
Well-Lining, Artesian, . . . .
Western United States Flood Resisting Bridge Construc- tion in, H. A. Crafts .
Illustrated.
White, Thomas L. : Reliability of the Producer Gas Plant,
Wigtel, Carl: Modern Hydraulic Machinery
Wireless Telegraphy, The Development of Submarine, . Robert G. Skerrett
Illustrated. Winterbottom, W. G. : The Orient as a Market for Motor Engines, Works Engine Houses, Arthur Titley
Illustrated. Work in Maritime Situations, Reinforced Concrete, . . Brysson Cunningham
Illustrated. World's Copper Production in 1907, The, .... John B. C. Kershaw
Illustrated.
World's Tin Supply, The, T. Good
Wrought Iron,
Yacht Alexandra, The New Turbine, A. C. Hurd, .
Illustrated.
Prof. C. A. Edward T.
Smith Flax
Charles A. Howard F. A. Lart
84.
PAGE 156
559 483
381 468
477 382 263
506
382 126
387
189 185 37i
4S3 195
186
57
151 146
549
275 67
3
47
477
38
300 187 468
151 381 458
476
414
563 161 126
569 i95
333
483
286
38
WILLIAM F. PARISH, Jr.
CHIEF OF TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT VACUUM OIL COMPANY SEE PAGE 96
IKDEX®
Cassier's Magazine
Vol. XXXIV
MAY, 1908
No.
SAFETY IN AMERICAN RAILWAY TRANSPORT
By Charles A* Howard
The question of the reduction of the number of railway casualties in the operation of railroads in the United States has reached a point where it is evident that something must be done to bring this important element in railway operation under definite control. Methods which were fairly satisfactory in the earlier stages of the transport problem have become outgrown, and it is apparent that the prevention of accidents must be brought up to a point comparable with the perfection which has been attained in other departments of operation. Mr. Howard indicates the lines along which such improvement may be made, and his discussion of the subject will repay careful and thoughtful perusal.- — The Editor.
CONDITIONS in railroad oper- ation have changed so much during the past decade that the methods which were formerly used and found successful and satis- factory, in many cases to-day, are entirely inadequate. The railroads have fallen behind the industrial de- velopment of America both in the increase of their rolling stock and in improvements and additions to their roadway, as well as in the per- fection of their organizations. When the average mileage made by freight cars in the United States, including only those in actual service, is only 23 miles per day, which was the case in 1906 and if anything is less to-day, there is something wrong. In some instances, it is simply a lack of cars ; in others, insufficient tracks and motive power ; in still others, wholly inadequate freight yards and terminal facilities, but the one great cause that is paramount above all others and applies to nearly every case, is the inabilty to man- tain a heavy density of traffic on ac- count of poor signal apparatus and
1-1 Copyright, 1908, by The
antiquated methods of handling trains, causing frequent and costly delays on account of wrecks and other tie-ups incident to this method of operation.
IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESENT ROADWAY NECESSARY.
In some few cases, an increase in the roadway is sadly in need, but in general it may be said that by suit- able improvements in the existing roadway, and additions to motive power, the present mileage of cars can be increased to an enormous extent by a far less outlay of cap- ital than would be necessary to pro- duce the same increased mileage by adding trackage. The reason for this is the fact that generally the roadway represents approximately 80 per cent, of the total cost of the railroad, leaving only 20 per cent, for the equipment. As an illustration of this, from the reports of the New York Railroad Commissioners, the equipment of the Boston and Maine Railroad represents only 16 per cent, of the total cost, the other 84 per
Cassier Magazine Co. 3
CASSIER'S MAGAZINE
cent, being in the roadway; on the New York Central, 75 per cent, of the total cost is in the roadway ; and on the New York, New Haven and Hartford, 79 per cent. It is mani- fest, therefore, that as the roadway represents approximately four-fifths of the total cost of the system, that it should, in the interests of its stockholders, be operated at its max-
passers — was 70,934, of which 4,225 were killed and 66,709 were injured. Of this total number, referring to Table 1, 537 passengers were killed and 10,457 injured, and of these passengers, 63.5 percent, were killed and 58 per cent, injured as a result of collisions and derailments, most of the latter being caused by trains running into an open switch, gen-
|
TABLE I. |
|||||
|
Passengers. |
Killed. |
Injured. |
Total. |
Per Cent Killed. |
Per Cent Injured. |
|
341 196 |
6,053 4,404 |
6,394 5,600 |
63.5 36.5 |
58. |
|
|
42. |
|||||
|
537 |
10,457 |
10,994 |
100. |
100. |
|
imum capacity and not allowed to practically remain idle more than one-half of the time. If the road- way were worked as near to its limit as the motive power equipment is worked, there would be far less trouble from car shortage, and the net earnings of the railway systems would be greatly increased.
CASUALTIES RESULTING FROM ACCIDENTS.
There is another problem which seems to have been worrying a large number of people of late and that is the already large and rapidly in- creasing number of people who are killed and injured every year in railroad accidents in this country. The total number of casualties from the report of the Interstate Com- merce Commission for the year end- ing July 30, 1905, including pas- sengers and employees only — no tres-
erally left in that condition because some employee was too late or mis- understood his orders or else was negligent of his duty or perhaps he had been working 36 hours without any sleep, which is not at all un- common. All of the collisions with such few exceptions that they may be disregarded are caused by faulty signal systems or frequently no sig- nal systems at all, or else because an engineer ran by a signal set at danger.
It can be seen that, by the preven- tion of collisions and derailments, three-fifths of the number of casu- alties to passengers may be pre- vented, while the other two-fifths are spread among a diversity of causes, as getting on and off trains in mo- tion, which accounts for a large portion of the casualties, and being run down by trains in stations, such accidents being caused in general
TABLE 11.
Class.
Accident.
Collisions
Derailments
Parting of trains
Locomotives and cars breaking down
Falling from trains
Jumping on and off trains
Struck by trains
Other causes
Total
|
Killed. |
Injured. |
|
95 |
3,744 |
|
51 |
2,309 |
|
61 |
|
|
11 |
|
|
53 |
437 |
|
89 |
1,529 |
|
54 . |
120 |
|
16 |
2,312 |
|
358 |
10,523 |
Total.
3,839
2,360
61
11
490
1,618
174
2,328
Per Cent Killed.
10,881
26.6 14.2
14.8
24.8
15.1
4.5
100
Per Cent Per Cent Injured. Total.
35.6
22.0
.6
.1
4.1
14.5
1.1
22 0
100.
35.2
21.7
.6
.1
4.5
14.9
1.5
21.5
100.
AMERICAN RAILWAY TRANSPORT
by the carelessness of the passenger and largely beyond the control of the railroad.
To bring this out a little plainer, and also to show that this ratio of people killed in collisions and derail- ments is not more excessive than usual for this particular year, 1905, Table II. is given, which shows in more detail the manner in which the various passengers were injured or met their death during the year 1906. From this table it will be seen that 26.6 per cent, of the pas-
operation, where practically the only two errors that can occur are the operator setting the wrong signal or the engineer running by a danger signal, yet the casualties resulting from collisions are 352 for every one caused by failure of equipment.
MOST EMPLOYEES KILLED IN COLLISIONS.
The following table will show the number of employees killed and in- jured in the different classes of ac- cidents during the year 1905 :
|
TABLE III. |
||||
|
Accident. |
Killed. |
Injured. |
Per Cent Killed. |
Per Cent Injured. |
|
230 479 162 672 2,264 |
3,543 5,330 4,537 5,523 36,581 |
6.0 12.5 3.6 17.8 60.1 |
6.4 |
|
|
Falling from trains Jumping off moving trains |
9.8 8.1 10.0 |
|||
|
Unclassified |
65.7 |
|||
|
Total. |
3,807 |
55,514 |
100. |
100. |
sengers were killed and 35.6 per cent, injured as a result of collisions alone. It will also be noted that classes 5, 6 and 7 are accidents, due primarily to the carelessness of the passenger, and nearly unavoidable by the rail- road. If these accidents are con- sidered as inevitable, which is pretty near the case under the present meth- od of handling passengers, it leaves practically all of the remainder of accidents due to either derailments or collisions, of which collisions take care of approximately 60 per cent.
FEW FAILURES OF EQUIPMENT.
To show how far the construction of the cars and locomotives is ahead of the methods of controlling trains, just note the numbers of casualties in class 4 caused by the breaking of locomotives and cars. When it is considered the number of things that could happen — brake rigging drop, an axle break, a tire break, a wheel break, boiler explode, con- necting rod break, or a hundred other failures — it is certainly wonder- ful what a small number of acci- dents occur. Contrast this with the accidents due to mistakes in train
Of these collisions shown above, practically all except those in classes 2 and 7 could have been prevented by an automatic block signal, pro- tected by an automatic stop. This would have cut the number of peo- ple killed by 70 per cent., the num- ber injured by 65 per cent, and the damage to road and equipment by 71 per cent.
One of the first installations of the automatic train stop was on the ex- press tracks of the New York sub- way, and no collision of any descrip- tion has occurred on any portion of the line on which the stop was in- stalled. The densest traffic of any steam railroad in New York State, and probably in the United States, is the Erie, which operates, on the average, over all its lines, Sundays included, 43 trains every 24 hours. On the New York subway, 693 trains pass over every mile of line every 24 hours. Of this system 28 per cent, of the mileage is four track, so that the above figures reduced to the same conditions as the Erie, that is per mile of double track, would mean that 542 trains pass over every mile of double track every 24 hours,
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and that day and night, all the year around, each train follows the next preceding one by an interval of 5.3 minutes.
NO SIGNAL ALONE WILL STOP A TRAIN.
The worst, accidents which happen are those collisions which are caused by engineers running by signals set at danger. By glancing at Table IV. it will be seen that this type of col- lisions represents during this quarter 30 per cent, of all collisions in .this class, 26.5 per cent, of the total num- ber killed, 30 per cent of the total number injured and 28.4 per cent. of the damage to rolling stock and roadway. A few individual cases of some of the recent accidents of the above nature may not be out of place here.
On October 1, 1907, at Providence, R. L, the Shore Line Express on the Xew York, New Haven and Hart- ford Railroad ran into the rear end of the "Knickerbocker Limited," one of the finest excess-fare trains on this railroad. Fortunately very few persons were in the rear car, which was of very heavy construction, and only three persons were injured.
About this same time a train on the Worcester, Nashua and Portland Division of the Boston & Maine R. R. ran by a signal which was ob- scured by a cloud of smoke. Eight people were injured in this accident.
Very closely following this colli- sion, the engineer of the "Nyack Flyer" on the Erie R. R. had his head struck by a passing tehgraph pole, and as this locomotive was one of the type having a Wooten fire- box, necessitating the separation of the engineer and fireman, the train ran for a long distance before the fireman noticed what had happened, and it was only by the greatest good fortune that a serious accident was prevented.
On December 27, 1907, a train on the Pennsylvania R. R. crashed into the rear of the Atlantic City Express in Camden, N. J., having run by a danger signal in the fog. Four
people were killed and twenty-one in- jured in this accident.
On December 30, 1907, at Terra Cotta, D. C, the Frederick Express on the Baltimore and Ohio R. R. was struck in the rear by an extra train which had run by a red light at a speed of 60 miles an hour. In this accident 43 people were killed and over a hundred injured.
This just gives an idea of a few of the collisions which have taken place in the Eastern part of the United States during a recent period of about two months, all caused by the fallibility of the human element of the engineer. It is also very inter- esting to note the frequency with which engineers will take their chances and run by a signal that they cannot see, assuming that it is at clear. The actual number of times which this offence is com- mitted can never be known, as usu- ally the signal does read "clear," and it is only in cases of disaster that this fact is brought out in public. The average locomotive engineer is a man of exceptionally clever judg- ment and can take a great many chances of this kind before he makes a mistake ; but the time always comes when an error is made, as the statis- tics show, and with due consideration for passengers this condition should not be allowed to exist. No block signal of itself ever stopped a train. Without the co-operation of the en- gineer it is useless, but if the auto- matic train stop is used, even if the engineer does disregard the sig- nal, his train will be stopped in spite of him.
AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL IS NOW IN SUCCESSFUL OPERATION.
The point will be brought up that there is no such a thing as an auto- matic train stop that is practicable under railroad operating conditions of to-day. This is not the case, as there are several railroads using them to-day with the best results, so good that they are extending the system further along their various
AMERICAN RAILWAY TRANSPORT
lines. Those in the New York sub- way are electrical in character but operated by mechanical trips. In Europe, on the main line between Vienna and Krems, a mechanical stop has been in successful operation for some time. The great majority of people who have reasons for de- nouncing the automatic stop use the argument that the mechanical trip is very apt to get frozen and inoper- ative during the severe winters of American climates. The mechanism thus exposed to the elements is of precisely the same character as that which operates the signals and switches, and this mechanism at pres- ent has but few faults to be found with it.
Everybody who has ever had any- thing to do with locomotive operation knows that the minute electricity is brought on to a steam locomotive, trouble begins and never ends until it is taken off. It is almost impossible to prevent grounds ; and then, again, the locomotive engineers, as a class, have little use for electricity. One of the worst objections to its use is the fact that it is almost impossible to design an electrical device which cannot be interfered with or allowed to get out of order by the engineer. Any such arrangement to have any safety at all must work on the open circuit plan; that is, when the circuit is open the train is to be stopped, and when this design is in use, the constant grounds which are bound to occur will stop the trains so fre- quently that this scheme is imprac- ticable. The mechanical method of train stopping, on the other hand, has proven its merit in actual prac- tice where the weather is severe, and is without any delicate adjustments, needs practically no care ; its princi- ples and action are already under- stood by the present engineers, and it is absolutely beyond the control of the engineer. In the glossary of the Interstate Commerce Commis- sion's report the definition of an "Automatic stop" is as follows : "A mechanical appliance to be used as or
in connection with a block signal on a railroad to stop a train (or car) by cutting off its motive power or set- ting its brakes or both." From this definition of a train stop by the Com- mission, it is evident that, after their careful and extensive research of this subject, they have come to the correct conclusion that mechanical means is the only satisfactory method of accomplishing the desired result.
The railroads, to a large extent, declare the automatic stop as un- necessary and impracticable on gen- eral railroad principles, just as they did the automatic coupler and the air brake ; but they got over it after a limited use of these apparatus when they found out how much they saved every year, and they will do the same with the automatic stop.
RAILROADS WILL SAVE MONEY BY AU- TOMATIC CONTROL.
The primary objection, and in fact the only objection, the railroad com- panies have to the automatic stop is the cost of installation of the equip- ment. Let us consider this matter from the stockholder's point of view as well as that of the traveling pub- lic and see plainly how several of the large Eastern railroads, for example, are situated in this matter of ability to stand the cost of installation of an automatic stop.
Column I, Table V, shows the total cost resulting from accidents during the year ending June 30, 1906, including injuries to persons and property, damage to road and equipment, clearing wrecks and other expenses incidental to accidents. In making up Column II, it has been assumed that 15 per cent, of the to- tal cost in Column I can be saved by the installation of a mechanical auto- matic stop. This figure has been ar- rived at after a very careful study of the causes and results of the rail- road accidents of every description which have happened in the United States during the past five years, and is taken on an extremely conserva- tive basis. The estimate of the cost
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of installation of the automatic stop in Column III is on a very expen- sive foundation, making due allow- ance for possible royalties on patent- ed inventions. The maintenance of the apparatus is a very uncertain problem at the present time, but by comparison with other machinery of similar mechanical construction, used under similar conditions of service, experience shows that five per cent, of the first cost per annum is not too little. Column V is obtaned by sub- tracting Column IV from Column II. Column VI shows the interest on the investment that would be made by the installation of the train stop. Column VII gives the