TRAIN CONTROL

Evening Star, Issue 19638, 18 August 1927, Page 4

TRAIN CONTROL

EXPERIMENTS TO EE MADE THE "SELECTIVE TELEPHONE" ONE MAN PLOTS ALL MOVEMENTS. £SrzcuP to thb * Stic ’] WELLINGTON, August 17. Following investigations abroad, the Railway Department is now making preparations for an experiment in train control. Matters arc now well in hand, and tlie experiment will bo mado in selected sectors in both islands at an early date. The line between Christchurch and Oamani in the South Island Jms been chosen for the trial of tho new system. “Train control” lias been tlie_ subject of investigation by E. S. Brittcnden and Air J. W. M. Smith, transport officers to tho department, who recently spent three months in Australia, and who have just- returned to the dominion with their report. It is now being adopted by all progressive railway systems in tho world, and brings tho whole traffic in any sector under the direct control of tiro central authority. Tho efficiency of the system depends on tho possession of a highclass telephone system of a special typo known as the “selective telephone,” and this is now being installed in tlio chosen areas. This is so arranged that the central authority may call any particular station on the line, excluding all others. Tlio usual railway telephone system is a station to station line, and under this all stations within a certain area receive all rings put through. Ou the new line it will still he possible for ono station to call another, but only through central. The main principle of the new system is that one officer (the train control officer) issues all instructions, arranges all crossings of trains, and keeps his finger oh the whole pulse of the sector. This does away with tho “station to station ” method of control, where decisions as to where trains are to cross are mado between the stations concerned, a method which sometimes results in tho crossings conflicting with tho general movement of traffic in the sector, and causing congestion. Tlio train control officer will plot the movements of trains on a diagram, and will be in charge of tlio whole transportation of his area, while everything will be reported to him. The new telephone system will save labor at stations, also, for it will reduce tho number of telephone calls. At the same time, the ordinary “station to station” telephone lines will continue in operation for ordinary business purposes.