A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON THE SEVERAL SYSTEMS IN USE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM BY MICHAEL REYNOLDS MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS 99 66 AUTHOR OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINE DRIVING, STATIONARY ENGINE DRIVING," CROSBY LOCKWOOD AND CO 7, STATIONERS' HALL COURT, LUDGATE HILL 1882 [All rights reserved] 10-2-28 17763 PREFACE. CONTINUOUS brakes fill an important part in the conduct and working of railway trains, and I have endeavoured to contribute my quota of experience in brakes, for the diffusion of knowledge and the prevention of accidents. The occurrence of frightful accidents has received a check of late by the introduction of continuous brakes. The use of the block-system and interlocking points cannot prevent exceptional cases of accidents: the derailment of a train, for instance, by the failure of the permanent way. More accidents have happened by defective permanent way than by any other cause. Such accidents may be repeated, and it is therefore imperative that we should be prepared for exceptional cases. A train may be fitted with a continuous brake, which, whilst the train is on the metals, is all right, but, when the train is off the rails, is all wrong. I have endeavoured to explain from my experience what a continuous brake should be capable of doing, and when it is found most useful. I have given cases to show that a continuous brake in the hands of the driver would, in all probability, have saved the lives of passengers who were killed. With such evidence before us, every accident which takes place in the future with fatal results will, no doubt, be subjected to rigorous investigation. |