Railroad Accidents, Their Cause and Prevention — John Shaqi
Railroad Accidents, Their Cause and PreventionRichards, R. C. (Ralph Coffin)
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Railroad Accidents, Their Cause and Prevention
Richards, R. C. (Ralph Coffin)
Railroad accidents
In a double track district, if you are running on the wrong track and
there are any section men working on the track or employees or others
walking or running on the track, you should act upon the theory that
even if they know you are coming they will think you are on the track
usually occupied, and until you know that they actually understand the
conditions you must be prepared to stop in time to prevent injuring
them. And if two trains are passing on the double track and there is
anyone around, don't let it be your fault that an injury occurs
because ample warning was not given of the approach of two trains
instead of one.
John Cooper, section laborer, struck and killed by engine No.
1564, April 16, at 9:00 a.m., near Steuben, while working on the
track, cleaning the crossing, engine was running on south-bound
track. Although running on the wrong track, engineman is unable to
say whether or not he whistled for the crossing. No one on the
engine saw the man.
ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY MOVING CARS ON OR UNDER WHICH MEN ARE WORKING
Injuries caused by the moving of cars being iced or on or under which
men are working seem to me of a class so inexcusable as to merit the
discharge of the party at fault. Think how you would feel if you or
your boy was under, on, or in, a car with a flag out and someone moved
the car without notice and you or he was run over. The following are a
few such cases:
Philip Elder, car cleaner, injured at Armstrong, July 5; caused by
train being moved by switch engine while he was on the ladder
filling the water cooler.
Patrick Connelly, car repairer, injured Nov. 29, at Falesburg, was
under end of car on repair track; Switchman Moody backed train No.
27 on No. 5 track, and cars did not clear coach No. 368; it struck
the car under which Connelly was working, moving it about 10 ft.
and dragging Connelly, who caught hold of brake-beam. Flag out as
required by Rule 1.
A. F. Brown, car cleaner, injured at Perryville yards, May 3, at
10:00 a.m., was working in smoker No. 762; engine No. 37 coupled
onto the car and pushed it down track and it collided with some
other cars, knocking this woman down. No switchman riding on the
car at the time of the accident.
Injuries caused by carelessness in throwing switches and derails we
all know ought not to occur, and yet they are of frequent occurrence.
The following are samples.
G. M. Claney, engineman; Alfred Dolan, fireman; injured about 10
a.m., June 4, at Peronia; after going in on side track to get some
cars, got signal from brakeman to come ahead. Brakeman failed to
throw derailing switch, and while going to main line engine left
the track, went down embankment, and turned over.
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