Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 178, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 July 1914 — BROKEN RAILS BLAMED [ARTICLE]

BROKEN RAILS BLAMED

CHIEF CAUSE OF RAILROAD WRECKS IN LAST TEN H. W. Belnap, Inspector of Safety Appliances, Recommends an Investigation With Idea of Finding Means . ... . *32 • ■ of Remedying Conditions. Broken rails have been responsible for the killing of 175 persons, the injuring of 6,004, and damage to the extent of $3,237,793 during the last ten years, according to a report made to the interstate commerce commission by H. W’. Belnap, its chifef inspector of safety appliances. Belnap recommends a complete investigation of rail, track and wheel load conditions for the purpose of determining the effect thereon of the recent types of locomotives and cars, with their greatly increased wheel loads, and ascertaining remedy. The report was made in connection with an Investigation of a derailment of a passenger ysrain on the New Haven road on October 25 last, near Westerly, R. 1., which resulted in the injury of 74 passengers and three employes. The report says that the derailment was caused by a defective rail. Chief Inspector Belnap points out that there are thousands of rails in use made at the same time and under identical conditions as those whose use had brought out the defect. “It is manifestly evident,” says Mr. Belnap in his report to the commission, “that in this type of rail failures there is presented a serious situation. Rail failures of other types havp been the cause of many accidents. To those elements of danger existing In the past is now added this type of failure shown in the development of interior fissures. It was intimated that the commission would await the action to be taken by congress on the Stevens bill, which has been favorably reported by the house committee on interstate and foreign commerce, and which gives the commission jurisdiction over the physical operation of railroads before taking any action looking to a general investigation of rail, track, and Wheel load conditions as recommended.