Historic Safety Advance.

George Stephenson, the pioneer locomotive builder (says D.T. and I. Railroad News), was the first to suggest the steam whistle as a means for preventing accidents. This was as far back as 1833. Charles Minot of the Erie Railroad issued in 1851 the first telegraphic train order. In 1863 the development of the manual controlled block system was started by which spacing was accomplished by telegraphic signals, between contiguous stations and entirely independent of any other method of protection. The earliest form of block signalling, as practised in Britain, long before the telegraph was invented, consisted of erecting a high mast at each station, on which a huge ball could be raised and lowered. When a train left the station the ball was raised. In this way trains were authorised to proceed. The controlled manual system, known as the Staff, Tablet and Lock and Block, was first used in Britain in 1874 and in America, on the New York Central, in 1882. In 1868 the Westinghouse air brake was successfully applied and by 1870 was being adopted generally for use. The first automatic signal using electric track circuits and dise type signals was patented in 1870 by Dr. William Robinson, an American. In 1883 standard time was adopted on all railroads in America. Prior to this fully 48 standards of time were recognised. In 1885 the first tests of the automatic coupler were conducted under the auspices of the Master Car Builders' Association. In 1893 the Federal Safety Laws were passed requiring power brakes, automatic couplers, side and end hand holds, “for greater security to men in coupling and uncoupling cars.” In 1903 the first all steel passengercars were constructed.