The last spike in the Steamboat SpringsCraig extension of the Moffat road was driven November 19th, at Craig, marking the completion of the branch on which nearly 1,500 men have been working since the first of the year. All the citizens of Craig and many others from the surrounding towns helped to celebrate the event. The advance track laying crew arrived at the Craig depot site at 4:30 o'clock. The last rail was in place and spiked at 5 o'clock. The town of Craig after thirty-one years of waiting, received its first steam engine. The citizens held a two-days' celebration on the arrival of a trainload of excursionists. Craig for the next few months will be the western terminus of the Moffat railroad. The grading and track laying began last January. The surveys westward from Craig to Salt Lake City have been completed and it is understood that the extension will be started before the first of the year. The plan, it is said, is to begin grading and to continue through the winter as much as the weather will permit.-Rocky Mountain Guide.

The Erie Railroad established a record, recently, when one of its engines hauled a train of 102 cars of first-class freight from Port Jervis, N. Y., to Jersey City. The engine was assisted up the mountain to Guymard by three mogul pushers, but the rest of the way, over the low grade, the regular engine hauled the train without help. The train was one mile in length.

The railroads of the eastern district participating in the application for a 5 per cent increase in freight rates have filed with the Interstate Commerce Commission a series of statistical tables which give the details as to various operating conditions in the last decade incidental to handling and carrying freight.

The principal result herein enumerated is set forth in the fact that for 1912 these railroads were able to carry in each freight train an average load of 510 tons, while the average in 1903 had been but 391 tons. This achievement was one of the results of the fact that the 49 railroads in the territory affected expended during the past ten years an average of $200,000,000 a year in enlarging the roadbed and equipment. The increase in the property investment account per mile is due to many things-larger and more expensive terminals and stations for both passenger and freight; elimination of curves, grades and crossings; heavier and improved bridges, rails, ties, signals, interlocking, etc., and generally a more substantial standard of roadbed to carry the heavier equipment.

The railroads have also built larger locomotives. The average locomotive in service in 1912 had grown so in size and power that it could haul a heavier load by more than one-third-33.8 per cent, to be strictly accurate than the locomotive of 1903. This meant that two locomotives in 1912 could almost do the work of three average locomotives a decade earlier. This is expressed technically in the statistical fact that tractive power of locomotives on these roads increased from 22,796 pounds in 1903 to 30,501 pounds in 1912.

As the engines increased in size, so did the freight cars. The average freight car in use in 1903 could carry a little less than 31 tons.

In ten years the capacity of freight cars increased to 391⁄2 tons-a gain of more than 91⁄2 tons. At present three freight cars can carry almost as much as four could have carried in 1903.

Every freight car with any load in it carried 19 tons of freight on an average in 1903. This had increased to almost 23 tons in 1912, or short of 20 per cent. That is, five loaded cars in 1912 were doing the business of six loaded cars in 1903.

The Baltimore & Ohio railroad has installed an extensive exhibit at the International Safety and Sanitation Exposition, in the Grand Central Palace, New York, showing the methods adopted under the company's "Safety First" policy to protect the traveling public and railroad employes against accidents.

The exhibit of the Baltimore & Ohio will occupy 400 square feet of floor space. This company, having been the first railroad in the east to inaugurate a "Safety

1

First" campaign, and likewise the first to undertake such work under the jurisdiction of a department organization, its exhibition will include full-size models, working reproductions and photographs of equipment fitted up with the latest safety appliances and will also point out plans which have been carried out in the shops, on the tracks and other branches of the railroad in an effort to prevent accidents.

In the center of the big exhibit will be a locomotive model, mounted on a platform and in operation, with a working speed recorder registering the speed of the engine, distance it travels and time consumed, this being one of the appliances used in passenger-train service on the railroad as a guide to the engineer. The locomotive will also be equipped with one of the improved couplers in regular use, a safety chain across the opening between the engine and tender to prevent the men from falling off, an improved shaker bar and other devices to prevent accidents.

The exhibit will include also the work which has been done in the shops to protect mechanics and laborers from injury, such as the guarding of exposed cogwheels, saws, gearing and other dangerous machinery. New standards adopted on equipment to guard against accidents, will be shown, also new methods in terminals, on the tracks, in signal towers, etc.

An interesting feature of the exhibit will be the "Safety First" clock, built and used by the men in the Mount Claire shops, in Baltimore. The face of the clock carries out the "Safety First" emblem of the company, with the letters surrounding the capitol; and as it strikes the hour and half hour, an automatic signal surmounting it goes to the danger position, a locomotive whisle blows to indicate that the signal has been observed by the engineer and a set of safety rules are displayed.

Surrounding the exhibit, there is a series of photographs of an all-steel passenger train, under which are figures stating that 120,111,029 passengers were carried during the past six years without a fatal injury to a passenger in train accident. Photographs showing walkways built on bridges to protect employes, also discouraging the use of gloves about machinery, the importance of wearing eyegoggles in the shops and the danger of riding on locomotive pilots are included in the series.

The exhibit is being made under the supervision of the General Safety Committee of the Baltimore & Ohio.

According to estimates, the railroads of the United States use about 150,000,000 wooden ties each year.

Much of the piling, wharf material, and lock gates of the Panama canal are made of greenheart, said to be the most durable wood known for these purposes, which comes mainly from British Guiana.

Direct appeal, through their maintenance of way department, is being made by the Baltimore & Ohio to trespassers to refrain from walking on the tracks, under a plan which has been adopted in furtherance of a campaign to reduce the number of deaths and injuries to person who have no business on or near their railroad property. When a trackwalker, section foreman, foreman of a track gang or one of his workmen meets a person tramping along the tracks, whether it be a hobo or mill workman, the railroad employee is expected to point out the danger accompanying this careless practice. This appeal to intelligence of the transgressor is followed by information as to the number of lives sacrificed and the permanent injuries sustained each year as a result of people using the railroad right of way as a public highway. It is said that already there has been a marked reduction in the unmber of deaths and injuries, due to the carrying out of this plan.

Detroit, Mich., Dec. 8.-After pleas of guilty Judge Tuttle collected $3,400 from the Grand Trunk & Michigan Central railroads today for violation of law. The Grand Trunk pleaded guilty to thirty violations of the hours of service act and two violations of the twenty-eight hour cattle law. Two similar cases against the Michigan Central were settled in the same way.

Federal Judge K. M. Landis, at Chicago, December 4, delivered an opinion that receivers appointed by the federal district court are not entitled to mercy when detected violating the law. Judge Landis, after listening to a plea for minimum punishment, imposed the maximum penalty, a fine of $500, on the receivers of the Wabash railroad, following a plea of guilty to a charge of keeping cattle locked up in cars for forty-three hours without food or water, in violation of the federal 28-hour law.

Cincinnati, Ohio.

Editor Forum-We are working under Manual Block rules and running a firstclass train on a short turn around run between A and B. There is a center siding at B. When train is ready to depart on the return trip receive card Form A, with paragraph "U" filled out stating that we may back out, block is clear. Is it necessary for us to protect before backing out? READER.

Answer-The exact answer to this question could only be given after a study of the rules in force upon the line in question. But in general practice a train is not relieved from protecting within block territory. With the information at hand, the editor of this department can only state that the train must be protected by flag before backing out of the siding.

Brownsville, Tex.

Editor Forum-An extra train pulls in on a side track, the head end cuts off and proceeds, the flagman being uninstructed. A first-class train arrives at the siding where the rear end of the train is left. Has the first-class train the right to proceed? DIV. 487.

Answer-Under standard rules the passenger train may proceed. A train is not entitled to the protection of Rule 101 unless it actually breaks in two. When a train breaks in two it is the duty of the flagman to notify following trains of that fact, otherwise a superior train is not concerned, as the rules require an inferior train to keep clear of a superior train.

If it was the intention that the head end of the train was to return against the first-class train under the circumstances as mentioned, then the flagman should have been instructed to hold all trains until the front portion returned. But in the

case of a bona fide break-in-two the flagman is expected to act under Rule 101.

"101. If a train should part while in motion, the trainmen must, if possible, prevent damage to the detached portion. The signals prescribed by Rules 12 (d) and 14 (f) must be given. The detached portion must not be moved or passed until the front portion comes back."

This rule is not intended to protect trains which do not come within the scope of it.

Newberry, Pa.

Editor Forum-Please give me your understanding of the following order: "Engs. 1093 and 1081 run as 2nd and 3rd No. 82 B to Z." The two engines named above run from A to B, a distance of thirty-two miles, over double track without orders, assuming the rights of an extra under special rules. From B to Z is single track. When we arrived at H, a station where engines have their fires cleaned and take on coal, a message is received from the trainmaster to change engines. Engines 1030 and 1024 were assigned to the two trains in place of the two engines which arrived on the trains. The train dispatcher was asked for orders for the new engines, but he stated that we did not need any further orders and to proceed on the running orders we had. Is this correct? MEMBER 488.

Answer-Engines 1030 and 1024 should have been given running orders from II to Z. Train orders mean essentially what they state, and it is clear that the first order quoted could not be fulfilled by engines 1030 and 1024. On most roads trains are permitted to assume a schedule at its initial station, but when a schedule is to be assumed at other than the initial station a train order is necessary, Engines 1030 and 1024 had no more authority to run on the first order given than they had to go without running orders.

If engines 1030 and 1024 can be permitted to assume the schedule and display signals from H to Z without an order to do so, then engines 1093 and 1081 did not need an order at B. The dispatcher was wrong.

Valparaiso, Ind.

Editor Forum-Order No. 1: "Eng. 2 works between A and B 7 a. m. until 7 p. m., not protecting against extras."

Order No. 2: "Eng. 2 run extra B to C and return to B."

When Extra 2 returns to B, has it the right to again assume order No. 1, and work between A and B without further orders? DIV. 6. Answer-Extra 2 may work on order No. 1 from 7 a. m. until 7 p. m., unless such order is superseded or annulled. Order No. 2 does not affect order No. 1 in any way and when Extra 2 returns to B it may continue to work under order No. 1.

Rule 220 states that orders once in effect remain so until fulfilled, superseded or annulled; order No. 1 was not either fulfilled, superseded or annulled by order No. 2, and consequently remains in effect. The fact that Engine 2 stops working under order No. 1 for a time, and goes to C, has no more effect on order No. 1 than as though the crew stopped working to eat their dinner.

Latacionga, Ecuador, S. A.

Editor Forum-Please give me your understanding of the following order: Order No. 22: "Eng. 23 run extra B to A and then run as No. 15 A to Z."

No. 15 is a north bound train. A is south of B. Extra 23 south went into A eight minutes after No. 15 was due to leave A.

The dispatcher claimed that order No. 22 was no protection to Extra 23 against No. 15. He claims that if he had had an engine at A he could have given them an

order to run as No. 15 and annulled the order which Extra 23 held when it arrived at A. O. R. C. NO. 1.

Answer-The order, as quoted, is not sufficient to permit Extra 23 to move against No. 15 to A. When engine 23 was moving from B to A it was simply fulfilling the first part of the order, and as such it must protect against all regular trains. The second part of the order could not be executed or used for protection against No. 15 by Extra 23 south. Standard rules provide that train orders may be annulled, and it was within the province of the train dispatcher to annul the second part of order No. 22 when the extra arrived at A. Trains should never assume rights not actually conferred by an order.

Mahoningtown, Pa.

Editor Forum-No. 896 is due to leave A at 12:05 a. m. October 1 and is due to arrive at Z at 4:30 a. m. on the same date. The conductor reported for orders at 11:40 p. m. September 30 and the running order was sent and completed at 11:50 p. m. Can No. 896 use this order as a running order on October 1?

No. 333 arrives at F. N. tower and finds the block signal is red and the train order signal is displayed. No. 333 receives a message to run through the siding, which is three miles long and no office at the other end. Does No. 333 need a clearance card? LODGE 26.

Answer-The running order sent September 30 can be used by No. 896 on October 1. It is not necessary that the date of a train order correspond with the date of the train. As long as the date of the order is such as to indicate that it is for the train addressed no question of date is involved.

No. 333 should not leave F. N. tower until it receives a clearance card unless the train order signal is changed to the proceed position. A message does not release a train from a train order signal.

G. A. Bradley has been appointed superintendent of the Norfolk Southern, with office at Norfolk, Va.

J. F. Alsip has been appointed trainmaster of the Tacoma division of the Northern Pacific at Tacoma, Wash.

C. W. Brown has been appointed assistant superintendent of the Lehigh & New England, with office at South Bethlehem, Pa.

J. S. Moore has been appointed assistant superintendent of the First and Second divisions of the Virginian Railway, with headquarters at Victoria, Va.

A. H. Smith has been elected president of the New York Central & Hudson River and the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, succeeding W. C. Brown, resigned.

C. F. Kirchner has been appointed assistant superintendent of the Southeastern division of the St. Louis & San Francisco, with headquarters at Birmingham, Ala.

Frank Brophy has been appointed assistant superintendent of the Houston division of the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio, with office at San Antonio, Tex.

Fairfax Harrison, heretofore president of the Chicago, Indiana & Louisville, has been elected president of the Southern Railway, succeeding W. W. Finley, deceased.

W. H. Corbett has been appointed trainmaster of the Minnesota division of the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie, succeeding A. W. Shepherd, assigned to other duties.

T. S. Mahoney, trainmaster of the Texas & Pacific, has been appointed superintendent of terminals at New Orleans, La., succeeding P. L. Wing, transferred. J. Kleck succeeds Mr. Mahoney.

W.

Brother P. W. Resseman has been appointed general yardmaster of the New York Central & Hudson River at Buffalo, N. Y.; his jurisdiction includes also the Frontier yards of that company.

J. L. DeForce has been appointed superintendent of the Idaho division of the Northern Pacific, with headquarters at Spokane, Wash., succeeding A. M. Burt, promoted. T. E. Coyle has been appointed superintendent of the Pasco division, with headquarters at Pasco, Wash., succeeding Mr. DeForce, transferred.

B. F. Van Vliet, superintendent of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul at Marion, Ia., has been appointed superintendent of the Iowa & Minnesota division, with headquarters at Mason City, Ia., succeeding W. W. Collins, retired.

A. G. Whittington superintendent of the San Antonio division of the International & Great Northern, has been appointed acting general manager, with headquarters at San Antonio, Tex., succeeding Henry Martin, deceased.

D. F. Peters has been appointed trainmaster of the Scioto division of the Norfolk & Western, with office at Portsmouth, Ohio, succeeding G. F. Turley, resigned. B. Crumbler has been appointed assistant trainmaster at Williamson, W. Va., succeeding Mr. Peters, promoted.

J. H. Gumbes has been appointed superintendent of the Renovo division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, with office at Renovo, Pa., succeeding W. G. Coughlin, promoted. J. M. James has been appointed assistant superintendent of the Pittsburg division, with office at Youngwood, Pa., succeeding Mr. Gumbes, promoted.

In our mention of official changes occurring on the Chicago & North Western, in our December issue, the resignation of Mr. W. D. Cantillon as general manager was noted. Official denial has been made that Mr. Cantillon has resigned, and we are glad to correct the error made. Mr. Cantillon is merely temporarily absent from duty on account of ill health, and his many friends will be glad to know that he expects to resume his duties in a short time.

B. C. Byers has been appointed superintendent of the Cairo division of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis, with headquarters at Mt. Carmel, Ill., succeeding P. J. Maloney, resigned, E. H. Ziegler has been appointed superintendent of the Peoria division, with office at Indianapolis, Ind., succeeding B. C. Byers, transferred. J. A. Morris has been appointed superintendent of the Cincinnati terminals, succeeding Mr. Ziegler, promoted. W. H. Carter been appointed trainmaster of Cincinnati division, with office Springfield, Ohio, succeeding Mr. Morris, promoted. E. M. Kelly has been appointed trainmaster of the Sandusky division at Bellefontaine. Ohio, succeeding Mr. Carter, transferred.

has

the

at