Science: Train Control

Last week the Pere Marquette Railroad announced successful experiments with an automatic train control similar to the device announced by the Chicago & Northwestern a month ago ( TIME, Oct. 5). Electro-magnetic waves flow into the rails, are picked up by coils under the locomotive’s pilot or cowcatcher,” condensed, transmitted to signal devices in the engineer’s cab. If the engineer is incapacitated or heedless, the current proceeds to operate controls, braking, throttling, halting the train. The incoming signals are despatched automatically by the block towers along the line and keep engineers informed of the condition of each block of track as lie enters it. The Michigan Central has already put the radio control device on ten locomotives over a ten-mile stretch between Jackson and Rives, Mich. The Chicago & Northwestern has equipped some 40 locomotives over 150 miles of track between Boone and Council Bluffs, Iowa.

At New Orleans, delegates to the American Railway Association’s annual convention last week discussed the use of radio communication in their business. It will soon be introduced on freight and passenger trains to establish constant communication between the conductor and brakemen, and the engineer. The present methods are steam valve signals (on passenger trains), and arm-waving from freight cabooses.