Page:A voice from the signal-box.djvu/20

16 carefully, by men who thoroughly understand the practical parts connected therewith; and in the end they will not fail to trace the blame to its proper source; namely, to the unskilfulness of the signalman in not being able to tell, after moving his signal, whether it has acted properly or not.

I will name a case that occurred at the junction where I am doing duty.

I was in the act of pulling over a pair of junction points, when they became disconnected from the rod attached to the lever in my box, through the key coming out of the pin, and thus allowing it to gradually work out of the crank. Now this pair of points generally worked very easy, so that there was but the slightest difference in the strain upon the lever; still I detected a difference, and it was very fortunate I did, for I was putting the points right for a fast express to pass, which would otherwise have been thrown off the rails, as the fault did not in any way prevent my putting the signals to “all-right” for this purpose; and had I not discovered that something was wrong (as the box is worked upon the interlocking system) the result might have been something fearful. The experienced signalman is able to detect as slight a difference as two pounds in the force used to pull levers over, and men who can do this are, in my opinion, invaluable to Railway Companies.

Engine-drivers sometimes disregard signals at junctions and sidings, if the latter are protected by signals alone, as there is nothing to prevent them running from the siding or branch on to the main line, perhaps into a passing train; and before railway travelling can be made safe, these dangerous sidings and junctions must be altered. They should be protected both by signals and “Protection” or “Safety Points,” which should lead off into a dead end, blocked up with ballast, and interlocked with the main line signals. So that all the time the latter are standing at “all-right,” for a train to pass