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Show Big Risk Taken By Engine Crews elbow attached to the top of the locomotive loco-motive stack, for throwing the smoke back over the top of the cab were found very effective in reducing the temperature and improving the atmospheric atmos-pheric conditions in the cab. Men Who Pilot Trains Through Tunnels Literally Take Lives in Their Hands. Washington. The engine crews who drive the modern monster types of locomotives lo-comotives through the longer tunnels of American railways are frequently exposed to the presence of deadly carbon car-bon monoxide gas and to withering temperatures ranging up to 136 degrees de-grees Fahrenheit, states the Department Depart-ment of the Interior, as the result of an investigation conducted by the bureau bu-reau of mines in Utah and Wyoming. Hot exhaust gases are the source of danger from exposure to tunnel atmospheres. at-mospheres. Many serious accidents have occurred iu these tunnels due to asphyxiation or exhaustion of the locomotive lo-comotive crews, caused by exposure to atmospheres containing carbon monoxide, monox-ide, or to atmospheres of a high temperature tem-perature and saturated with moisture. These hazards are accentuated by a group of less importance consisting of sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, soot and steam, accompanied by the decreased oxygen content of the air. Suggested Remedy. The Interior department recommends recom-mends the use of smoke deflectors on locomotives operating in tunnel districts dis-tricts as a means of reducing the hazard haz-ard due to high temperatures, and the use of the train air-brake line as a source of air for breathing purposes for members of engine crews. The object of the Interior depart ment's Investigation, conducted by the bureau of mines In co-operation with the Union Pacific railroad, was to determine de-termine the cause of gassing accidents by examining into composition of the air in locomotive cabs while passing through railroad tunnels; to learn the effect of these conditions on the engine en-gine crews, and to provide a means of protection for the men so exposed. Gas samples and temperature read ings taken in the cabs of locomotives were used in studying the atmospheric conditions to which the locomotive crews were exposed. The symptoms and the physiological effects produced in men exposed to the atmospheres encountered en-countered were studied. The pulse rates and body temperatures were taken and determinations of the carbon car-bon monoxide content of the blood were made. Various methods for the prevention of gassing and for the pro tectlon of men therefrom wore considered con-sidered and tested, among which were the use of mechanical devices for deflecting de-flecting the smoke away from the engine en-gine cab and the use of various types of pas masks and breathing apparatus. Of forty trips conducted In cabs of locomotives while the trains were passing pass-ing through tunnels, rnrbou monoxide was found to be present on thirty-four thirty-four trips. Extreme Temperature. The operation of 24 trains of approximately approx-imately 2,000 tons each, In n normal running time of six minutes through the Aspen tunnel in Wyoming showed cab temperatures of 114 degrees Fahrenheit Fah-renheit (dry bulb), 111 degrees (wet bulb) and a relative humidity of !KI per cent. The maximum dry-bulb temperature tem-perature recorded on any of the forty tests conducted was l.'iO degrees, while the maximum wet-bulb temperature was 124 degrees. The time consumed In the passage of the trains varied from 4V2 minutes to 25 minutes. Results of physiological tests over periods of ten minutes showed that the conditions In the cabs might be .severe enough to cause asphyxiation or exhaustion in periods of 20 minutes, especially in cases where the engine Is stalled. Pocket respirator and other types of gas masks, packed with soda-lime charcoal mixtures, afforded protection against smoke and sulphurous gases. Carbon monoxide masks afforded protection pro-tection against all of the gases encountered. en-countered. Some discomfort was experienced ex-perienced In wearing gas masks In atmospheres at-mospheres of high temperature and humidify, hu-midify, however. Mechanical methods for defied Ing the smoke, by using the force of the exhaust In conjunction with a hood or |