Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 March 1893 — A MAZE OF SWITCHES. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A MAZE OF SWITCHES.

HANDLING THE CROWDS AT THE WORLD’S FAIR. Complex System of Interlocking Switches for Thirty-live Tracks Makes It Possible to Load 43,000 Passengers at Once In the Grounds. Controlled by One Man. Chicago correspondence: Arrangements for handling, the daily crowds of visitors to the World’s Fair after May 1 are completed. There is considerable work yet to be done on the ■new railroad depot, and many other details require finishing touches. Everything will be in readiness, however, before the Exposition opens. Six months later it will, doubtless be the proud boast of the Fair managers that the largest continuous crowds that have ever been massed together in this country were taken in and out of Jackson Park at the minimum of inconvenience and the maximum of safety and comfort. Visitors will enter the grounds through either of the four arteries of communication—the gates, the water piers, the alloy elevated and the grand central railroad terminal. The latter has cost the Exposition officials more thought than all the other modes of ingress combined. Of the twenty-two

roads entering Chicago it is probable that all will run more or less excursion trains direct to the Fair before the end of the season. To care for this volume of passengers tho Fair managers found it necessary to evolve a system that

would bring the trains directly to the center of the grounds without transshipment. Early in the preliminary plans the loop system was abandoned and a stub terminal, with interlocking

switching facilities, was agreed upon. This terminal is near the main foot entrances to the grounds, and the handsome terminal depot is being built in the central court, facing Administration Building. The staff work is already being placed in position, such of it as is ready, while large molds in a low, squatty, dusty building just back of the great framework are filled with sections of classic columns, grinning gargoyles, pediments with allegorical groups in bas-relief and other ornamental work in process of conversion into pseudo-marble. When this big square building is completed and throbbing with the breathing of scores of steam locomotives next summer this same staff will give it a reasuring air of solidity and tend to inspire the suspicious visitor with a sense of security. The inquisitive country oousin, however, may dispel the allusion by tapping the sham masonry with his umbrella. The resulting hollow sound will set him to wondering why such apparently light construction holds up against the Wind. There are nine systems of two standing tracks and one switch tra k each. There are also four systems of two tracks each without the switch track. This makes thirty-five tracks in all. The switch tracks are placed in the center of each system, and enable a locomotive to “run around" its train and hitch onto tho rear. Each different road entering the grounds will have one of the systems set aside for its special use. The capacity of loading passengers, during rush hours, at the terminal is not less than 43,000 inside of a very few minutes. Thirtyfive distinct trains of thirteen cars each, holding sixty passengers ea h, with locomotive attached and ready to start, will stand side by side. This is a capacity of 27.300. No sooner are these trains out of the way than others will be backed in. The storageyard has a eafacity of twenty trains of equal length to those mentioned. - Adding the loads of the twenty trains to the other thirty-five gives a total of almost 43,000 passengers that can be loaded aboard the cars and sent home within a very short period. Tbe tracks in the storage-yard are of the same length as those at the terminal—about 85u feet—so that any train arriving at the terminal can alsp find SDace in the storage-yard if necessary. Between each system* of .tracks there will be continuous fences, so that passengers must pas 9 along into the train 6hed before going through the turnstiles. All the tracks will be floored

on a level with the rails. The platforms will be protected by long umbrella awnings. The system of unloading passengers and taking them into the grounds Is based on the supposition that all the tracks and platforms are really outside the grounds. The visitor is not supposed to be inside the park until he passes through the turnstile and emerges from the trainshed Into

one or another side of the grand central court, or passes into the depot building and enters the grounds in that way. In connection with the terminal facil-

ities, probably ihe most notable feature is the extensive interlocking switching system which controls tho movements of all trains in the yards. The system embraces all the latest improvements in yard arrangements. The main yard is controlled by lfiO levers from a central switch tower. One man controls the yard, gives all tho signals, throws the switches, and directs train movements. In the main house 120 of the levers control the switches,the remaining forty operating the semaphore signals used. The whole apparatus of the latest improved interlocking varioty, which prevents absolutely any accidents from open switches or collision. In the tower the power used is steam, but in the yard system the switches are opened and closed and the signals operated by hydraulic pressuro. The steam furnishes the p >wer which is transmitted by the water column. From each switch and signal there runs to the tower an electric wire which automatically registers every movement made and informs the switchman whether or not the apparatus is working properly.

Given Positions of Honor.

Michigan and Missouri have been given positions of honor on the American side of mines building. They will stand for the mineral interests of America, while just across the way Germany and England will represent the old world. Both Michigan and Missouri will build handsome pavilions to offset the elaborate decorations of the German and English sections. The Michigan plans show a pavilion 49 by 62 feet of sandstone and marble. The pavilion is of tho Florentine style of architect-

ure. The entire mineral display of Michigan will be put in this pavilion. One of the feaiures of tho building will be a huge globe of copper. This globe, twelve feet in diameter, will have an outline map of the world etched on it. The Michigan mineral pavilion will cost about sls,Odd. Missouri's house in mines

building is now being set up. It was shipped in pieces from Bt. Louis.

PART OF MICHIGAN’S MINERAL EXHIBIT.

IN THE WAITING-ROOM, TERMINAL STATION.

GLIMPSE OF TOWERS IN THE NORTH END OF THE GROUNDS.