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RE: (erielack) March 4--On this date in DL&W History 77 years ago . . .

$30 in 1931 would cost $369.34 today, or so says one website.

- -----Original Message-----
From: Pat_McKnight_@_nps.gov [mailto:Pat_McKnight@nps.gov] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2008 6:20 AM
To: erielack_@_lists.railfan.net
Subject: (erielack) March 4--On this date in DL&W History 77 years ago .
. .


From the archives at Steamtown the following letter appears:

Hoboken, N. J., Mar. 4, 1931.

Scheme for Detecting Dragging Equipment by J. J. Graf.

Mr. E. B. Moffatt,
General Superintendent,

Dear Sir:

After conferring with you on the 2nd regarding Mr. Graf's scheme for
detecting dragging equipment as described in attached papers ending with
his letter of February 26th to you, I was in his office and he brought
up the same subject mentioning a change that improves it.

This change consists in running two instead of one wire to avoid the
ground circuit to which I had objected and he furthermore suggested that
it be used approaching an interlocking tower where we can provide a
means for notifying the Leverman, who can then stop a train by means of
the signals already provided.

Since returning to Hoboken, I have discussed this scheme with Mr. Neafie
on account of the fact that the frame work carrying lead or find copper
wire must be mounted on top of the ties. We agree with Mr. Neafie that
the scheme is worth trying at one location, at which time it can be
determined whether the benefit obtained overbalances the possible
objections, which I will mention. The detecting device should be located
at least two signals back from the home interlocking signals at a tower,
for example, on the eastward track west of Henryville. This must allow
sufficient time after the dragging equipment breaks the wire in the
detector for the Leverman to receive audible indication and place home
and distant signals in their Stop and Caution positions respectively
before the engine of the train has passed the latter.

The possible objections are, that to be of very great use a number of
these detectors must be placed in the tracks as they will effect trains
intermittently and the sections through which damage has occurred in the
past are of considerable length. Thus, they will interfere with flanger
operation and will necessitate the placing of a number of signs. They
will also interfere with tie tamping and the wires running to them will
be subject to breakage during such an operation.

It should not cost very much to try out the scheme and both Mr. Neafie
and I join with Mr. Graf in recommending that this be done. The signal
portion of the expense, which will be that of providing visible and
audible indications in the tower and the battery for operating them,
should not amount to more than $30.00 by utilizing materials already on
hand.

Yours truly,

J. E. Saunders
Signal Engineer

Cc: AJN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is document 49 of 52 in a folder entitled:

DL&W RR--General Superintendents Correspondence--19166: Train control,
Drag Detector--Patent (1931-1941)

Patrick McKnight
Historian/Archivist
Steamtown NHS
570-340-5193

We need history, not to tell us what happened or to explain the past,
but to make the past alive so that it can explain us and make a future
possible.-Alan Bloom

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