Demonstrating the Idea of Railway Signaling

Two months have passed since the Axelsen & Nielsen Air Brake Company started its operation. And since then, they have been producing 40 air brakes and 20 locomotive draft gear per day. The company implemented a six-day work week, so in total, that sums up to 2,080 air brakes and 1040 locomotive draft gear.

If the rate of production doesn't change, or worse, decrease, due to a variety of reasons such as product defunct and supply chain issues, the company won't be able to make the remaining 9,190 air brakes and 4,572 locomotive draft gear in time.

The company only has eight months to complete the order, otherwise, it would be a breach of contract, and could have a devastating effect on the company's reputation. Even with all that risk, Poul and Jonathan weren't slightly concerned, in fact, they were optimistic, believing that they'll manage it as long as the thing they ordered from Mister Morgan arrived in time.

Meanwhile, Poul is leading a group of engineers to make a miniature model design of their future product, the railway signaling, and interlocking systems, in the office space.

On the floor were a detailed scale model of interconnected railway tracks, junctions, railway signals, and steam locomotives, basically a train set that you'd often see in toy stores. A set of copper wires that are wound in the tracks and connected to a control panel located on Poul's desk.

The control panel simply consists of buttons and pins that can stop and control the flow of the current on the copper wires. Next to the control panel. Poul and the engineers have been working on making a model for five days, and now they are ready.

Walter wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his arm and spoke.

"Everything is clear, Sir Poul."

"I'm done on my end too," Timothy said as he finished installing blocks on the side of the railway tracks. A block is basically three sets of light; red, yellow, and green.

"I wonder where he is going with this," Timothy muttered under his breath as he looked at Poul.

"Okay, step aside everyone. Let's prepare for a demonstration," Poul announced and the engineers stepped backward from the model.

Seeing that everyone was out of the way, Poul proceeded. "In this demonstration, we'll test the effectiveness of an automatic railway signaling device on tracks. Walter, can you please place our two locomotives on the same track with a distance of three meters between them."

"Understood," Walter acknowledged his order and began picking up two miniature steam locomotives and placed them on the same track as instructed. "Should I get it to move now, Sir Poul?"

Poul nodded, allowing him to start the locomotive. The steam locomotives began puffing out smoke from the funnel and the piston moving.

"As you can see here, two locomotives are on the same tracks moving at the same speed. If you would please look at the blocks, you can see the color changes depending on the distance of the train on the next blocks. But to understand it further, let me explain to you what it is. A block is just a set of relays and batteries causing the electricity to flow in a loop. Where does electricity flow? In the tracks. As you can see the light has turned green because there is no train moving on the track yet…"

Poul paused as he waited for the steam locomotive to pass through the block. Everyone watched in anticipation. As the train approached the block Poul is referring to, the light turned from green to yellow. Once it passed the block, it turned red.

Everyone gasped in amazement.

"So, why did it turn red? Simply, there is a train moving on the track where electricity is flowing. The electricity doesn't flow through the relay anymore, it flows on the wheels of the train. But how did it turn red, mechanically? Well, an armature is what keeps the signal green. When there is no electricity supplying the armature, it'll drop, causing the light to turn to red."

"So by that principle, the driver of the train behind would know that there is a train ahead of him by just looking at those blocks? And by knowing that, he can either reduce the speed or go to a complete stop? Is that what this system is all about?" Timothy raised his hand as he asked.

"That's right," Poul confirmed. "But remember, those blocks are just models. In reality, it would look like a pole with three lights that a driver can see from a distance. Here it's just like a box glued to the floor. The drivers won't see it."

"Normally, the railroad companies would hire a person to inform drivers by waving a signal once they pass a certain distance," Walter added. "I think I'm understanding it now. Just like the air brake, you removed the brakeman in exchange for an automatic braking system. Here it's just a signal."

"Yeah, but this new system of ours operates on a wide scale near the junction. Basically a building with sets of levers that can be pushed or pulled depending on the traffic. Speaking of which, let's go and discuss it. Walter, please stop the locomotives and grab one of them and place it there," Poul pointed at another set of railway tracks.

Walter promptly picked up the two trains and moved them on another rail.

"Okay done," Walter said.

"Good, I want you to take this train. This one has a built-in signaling system with metal brushes underneath."

"Understood," Walter did as he was instructed and placed the modified steam locomotive on the track. "Should I start it?"

"Yes," Poul confirmed.

Walter turned on the steam locomotive and started moving.

"In this scenario, two steam locomotives are on the same tracks. The driver of the moving train doesn't have any idea that there is a train ahead of him. Let's assume that he's facing an issue like there is a heavy fog, making him not able to see the light signals. Don't worry, in the central control station, the people are aware. With a flick of a switch, a metal strip in the middle of the track is electrified. The moment the moving locomotive passes along it, the metal brushes underneath will get a pulse of electricity, activating the onboard alarm."

After explaining it to the engineers, they waited for the train to pass, watching closely at the track with a metal strip in the center.

Two seconds later, it passes, and a sudden burst of steam escapes from a narrow muzzle, producing an ear-piercing whistle that reflexively causes everyone inside to cover their ears.

"Ah, shit…I didn't check the resistance," Poul chuckled and ordered Walter to stop the moving train.

Walter quickly picked it off the track.

"There's no way that a driver would miss that sound," Poul chuckled.

"So if the driver hears the sound, he would activate the air brake system," Timothy said.

"That's it."

"And thus prevent a collision," Walter added. "What an ingenious solution. And what's the last one here? Trains that have diverging and converging tracks."

"Oh, this is where the control panel comes into play. You can see, if I push this lever, electricity travels along the rails and shunts the tracks to move it to the left or right side," Poul said and continued. "Walter, please place two steam locomotives on this track. Have them face each other to simulate a collision again."

Walter did what he was told and then activated the two steam locomotives.

They started gaining speed and were on the path of collision. Poul waited for a second before pulling a small lever on the control panel, shunting the tracks to the right. At the last second, the locomotive turned to the right, avoiding the collision.

Everyone clapped joyously. Poul made a new feat of changing tracks automatically.

While they were celebrating, Jonathan entered the office.

"Oh, I see that you made quite an achievement here?" Jonathan commented.

"We just finished," Poul said. "So, what's the matter?"

"You're going to love this. The dynamo has arrived," Jonathan announced.