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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 6, Issue 2 (June 1, 1931)

Checkmate

Checkmate.

He pulled down certain levers to set
(Rly. Publicity photo.) Departure from Wellington of the New Plymouth Express.

(Rly. Publicity photo.)
Departure from Wellington of the New Plymouth Express.

page 38 another track. Suddenly one of them resisted his efforts.

“Checkmate,” I murmured.

“You see, that particular lever doesn't belong to the set I'm using now,” explained my companion. “It automatically checks me if I make a mistake. Locking system below this cabin. No lever will work except in its own set. Sort of trades unionism, you see. Anyway, that eliminates the element of human error.”

Signalling Methods on the N.Z.R. (Rly. Publicity photo.) Exchanging tablets, Thorndon Signal-box, Wellington.

Signalling Methods on the N.Z.R.
(Rly. Publicity photo.)
Exchanging tablets, Thorndon Signal-box, Wellington.

“Fine. But,” I pursued, relentlessly, “what if you have a train stationary at the Thorndon dock, and, forgetting that fact, you carefully set the track and allow an incoming train to come in on top of the other?” “Under the automatic system that is impossible,” was the reply, “because as long as a train is on a main line like that, the line is automatically locked against the entry of another train. Electrification. Until the one train is clear, the signal remains at danger, and I couldn't move the signal to ‘safety’ if I tried.”

The signalman, between explanations and demonstrations, was continually pulling his levers backward and forward. He put a netted cloth over the shining ends to get a grip, and each time pressed on an electric button release with his foot. The noise gave me time to think out new points of attack. I had thought at first that I might be criminally diverting the signalman's attention at such a busy time, but now I was comforted by the reflection that he couldn't go wrong, anyway. However, I turned to the maintenance man who had come in and divided my questions between the two.

“Now, what if an incoming train is set on a wrong track?” “Quite safe. One would never be able to switch a train on to that line unless it was clear.”

“But what is to prevent a train coming along a converging line from the shunting yard and colliding with a train on the main line?”

“The manner in which the points are arranged would not allow it. The setting of a main line automatically closes up converging lines. Points are dependent on others.