RAILWAY ACCIDENTS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10738, 8 November 1928, Page 6

RAILWAY ACCIDENTS

BRITISH OFFICIALS INVESTIGATING NEW SYSTEM

HUMAN ELEMENT MAY BE ELIMINATED

SUPPOSED ADAPTATION OF INVISIBLE RAY

United Prefix Assn by El Tol. Copyright (United Service.) LONDON; Nov. 6.

British railway officials are investigating a new system which, it is claimed; would make accidents almost impossible by eliminating the ..human element. It is stated that tho of an invisible ray, which has been used with uncanny success as- a burglar alarm, has achieved this Chief- railway officials witnessed a number of demonsttrtions on model trucks. They saw trains stopped by a ray from the permanent way causing the application of the brakes. Furthermore, head lights were lit and l extinguished as trains entered and left tunnels. One of the chief attractions is that the ray penetrates ice, fog, and snow'.. For electrified lines, .the beam does the additional work of cutting off the current automatically. and releasing it when the line is clear ahead,. It is stated that the svstem is economic and cheap to instal. The .necessary power can be obtained from a single wire along existing poles.