ELECTRICITY AND RAILROADS

The thoroughgoing analysis of transportation problems, which has occupied so much attention for the past few years, established the fact that conditions in terminals and yards are the greatest stumbling block to the rapid and inexpensive movement of freight, which is so necessary to the economic operation of the railroads. As a result, much time, money, and ingenuity have been expended by the railroads to improve these conditions wherever possible, so as to increase the facilities for clearing freight.

One improvement that naturally suggested itself was that of lighting the yards by some method that would permit work to be carried on at night with the same speed and safety as during daylight hours. The modern floodlighting projector has made this possible, as shown on our cover.

The picture is from a painting made by Walter L. Greene for the General Electric Co., through whose courtesy it is reproduced.

"ELECTRIC STEAM" IN VATICAN LIBRARY

To preserve priceless manuscripts in the library of the Vatican, an electric steam generator is now being installed. This device emitting steam into the library will keep the ancient books and valuable manuscripts from cracking as a result of the excessively dry air experienced in Rome during the winter months. The steam will enter through a valve operated by a humidistat, thus making the installation completely automatic in operation. To guard against excessive humidity in the summer, seven General Electric air heating units are being used.

RADIO AND MAGNETIC STORM

Weak radio signals from European stations and stronger signals from nearer ones in America are the forecast of disturbances of the earth's magnetism, or magnetic storms. Stronger signals from distant stations follow such storms. This has been discovered at the Radio Laboratory of the U.S. Bureau of Standards, Miss I.J. Wymore reported to the meeting of the American Geophysical Union.

The research was concerned only with the long waves used for high-power transoceanic transmission. Several days before the maximum of the disturbance of magnetism, the signals were weak when received at Washington, but the American stations, those at Tuckerton and New Brunswick, N.J., and Rocky Point, L.I., were decidedly stronger 2 to 4 days before.

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