"Perhaps no single invention in the history of the development of railway transportation has contributed more toward safety and despatch in that field than the track circuit. By this invention, simple in itself, the foundation was obtained for the development of practically every one of the intricate systems of railway block signaling in use today wherein the train is, under all conditions, _continuously active_ in maintaining its own protection. "In other words, the track circuit is today the only medium recognized as fundamentally safe by experts in railway signaling whereby _a train or any part thereof may retain continuous and direct control of a block signal while occupying any portion of the track guarded by the signal_." [1] From the Third Annual Report of _The Block Signal and Train Control Board to the Interstate Commerce Commission_. Dated Nov. 22, 1910. Resolution Adopted at Annual Meeting of Signal Section, A.R.A. Chicago, June, 1921 WHEREAS, Almighty God, in the exercise of His Divine will, has removed from this world our late honorary member, Dr. William Robinson, and, WHEREAS, Dr. Robinson, well called the "father of automatic block signaling" because of his basic invention of the closed track circuit August 20, 1872, began the development of an automatic signal system in 1867 and installed the so-called "open circuit" system at Kinzua, Pa., on the Philadelphia & Erie, now the Pennsylvania Railroad, in 1870, and, WHEREAS, he worked on the development of fiber for insulated rail joints in 1876 and also developed the channel pin about the same time, and, WHEREAS, one of the first signals controlled by more than one track circuit was installed under his direction at the Tehauntepec tunnel in California in 1877, and, WHEREAS, his death at Brooklyn, N.Y., on January 2, 1921, at the age of 80, is an irreparable loss to the Association. THEREFORE, we, members of the Signal Section, American Railway Association, pay our last sad tribute to his memory and express our deep appreciation of the many and lasting obligations that our members and friends owe to him, and by words and outward token express our sincere sorrow for the irreparable loss the Association has sustained. THEREFORE, be it _Resolved_, that a fitting memorial to the memory of Dr. William Robinson, commemorating the 50th anniversary of his invention of the closed track circuit, be prepared and presented to this Association at the Annual Meeting in 1922. _Resolved_, that these resolutions be spread upon the records of the Association. THE INVENTION OF THE TRACK CIRCUIT