>Barry Campbell wrote in message <6hveeh$ho7$1@news.mel.aone.net.au>...
>>Train Orders
>>have been the norm in Nth America since safeworking was deemed to be
>>necessary. The poms and us went to token working.
I was surprised to find a few years ago that token working (electric
staff) was really not uncommon in America and Canada. They used a
General Electric (?at least not a British) device, that bore little
resemblance to the "standard" british machine- more like a device for
dispensing chocolate bars! They had all the associated parphernalia
such as bank engine keys, divided staff, switching in & out, etc.
I saw electric staff in use near Manunka Chunk Junction (this is true)
on the Erie Lackawana in 1975. From what I gather, Union Pacific was
still using it on some of their western lines possibly as late as the
1980's. Other lines to use it were SP, CN&OTP, CNW, CP, CN
This doesn't modify the observation that train orders were the rule.
Token was the exception, but not as rare as hens' teeth.
Geoff Lambert
>Any figures on accidents/deaths in Nth America?
There are, but it is hard to draw conclusions from them. Train order
errors and accidents were relatively common (e.g. Casey Jones), but
whether the rate was significantly higher per mile worked is harder to
divine. The most notable accident under electric staff was the famous
Abermule smash on the Cambrian in 1927. Nine people dead, I think,
and an object lesson on how even fool-proof systems can be subverted.
Geoff Lambert.