Railroad Accidents, Their Cause and Prevention

by R. C. Richards

36. When persons (other than employees) by reason of climbing on or jumping from moving trains, or walking or lying on the track, are injured, they should be sent to their homes or placed in charge of the local city, village, or township authorities and no expense incurred on the part of the company in the matter.

37. A report of all accidents must be telegraphed immediately to the Superintendent or his assistant by the conductor, engineman, agent, yardmaster, foreman, or person in charge, by wire, giving the names of the injured persons and witnesses, the extent of injuries, and the names of the owners of the property damaged and the extent of damage, and as soon as possible a full and detailed report made and forwarded to the Superintendent or his assistant, a separate report being made for each person injured. If the person injured is an employee he should also make and sign a statement of facts in relation to the accident in his own handwriting on the same form; should he be unable to write, the statement should be written at his dictation, and after being read over to him he should sign it by making his mark, the person writing and reading statement signing same as a witness.

38. Whenever an employee, whether on duty or not, witnesses an accident in which a person is injured or property damaged, in which the company is in any way concerned, he must report it immediately. Every effort must be made to procure the names and addresses of all persons, particularly outsiders, who witnessed the accident, especially when persons are injured within the corporate limits of any city, town, or village, or when crossing the tracks at a public highway.

39. When an accident occurs on an engine, or is caused by an engine striking any person or conveyance, or when cars are being coupled or uncoupled, a full report must be made by the engineman, as well as by the conductor or the person in charge of the train.

40. When persons are injured while coupling or uncoupling cars or in getting on or off cars, whether passenger or freight, or in any other way, in which the accident may have been caused by defective appliances or machinery, the cars or appliances must be immediately examined by the person in charge, or by the agent, to ascertain their condition, and report made of the inspection, giving the numbers and initials of cars examined and the names of the persons making the inspection. The Superintendent or his assistant will then notify the inspector at the first division terminal, who will also examine the machinery, cars, or appliances and make report. When an accident is caused by defective machinery or by the breaking of machinery, tools, appliances, or rails, the broken or defective parts must be so marked as to be readily identified and immediately turned over to the Superintendent or his assistant.

41. When an accident occurs which results in the death of any person, the remains of the deceased must be immediately picked up and carefully conveyed to the nearest station building, care being taken not to remove the body outside the limits of county and state in which the accident happened. The agent at such station will then notify the Superintendent by wire, as well as the family or friends of the deceased.

42. Apply the brakes lightly at a sufficient distance from the stopping point, and increase the braking force gradually as may be found necessary, so as to make the stop with one application, or at the most two applications of the brakes.

43. In making a service stop with a passenger train, always release the brakes a short distance before coming to a dead stop, except on heavy grades, to prevent shocks at the instant of stopping. Even on moderate grades it is best to do this, and then, after release, to apply the brakes lightly to prevent the train starting. This does not apply to freight trains, upon which the brakes must not be released until the train has stopped.

44. A train must, at all times, have not less than 50 per cent of its cars equipped with air-brakes, which must be operated.

45. They must see that all switches are in perfect order and that frogs, guard-rails, and switch-rails are properly blocked and spaces in planked crossings kept clean.