HANDING ON

BNSF Locomotive Engineer Al Krug has written a vivid description of the engineer's point of view of picking up orders on the fly:

(http://www.vcn.com/~alkrug/home.html go to RR Photo Essays then Train Orders). Here is the view from the other end of the hoop.

The railroad will be the same Generic railroad used to illustrate "Just What is a Train Dispatcher" (http://www.halcyon.com/tawhite/just/justnx.htm) but as a train order railroad instead of the CTC railroad described in the example. The example assumes that the train order signal is normally in the "no orders" (green) position. On some railroads, the train order signal was normally at "stop" unless the operator had no orders for a closely approaching train.


The hoop stand allowed the operator to stand back in a safer place, but sometimes required the engine crew to lean farther out of the cab to reach the orders. On units with small side windows, it was sometimes easier to get the orders from the door instead.

Many stations had "hoop stands" or "high speed train order transmitters" in which the forks with the orders were placed to allow the operator to be well away from the track as the train passed. The following description is of the stations without hoop stands. There were many. Some didn't even have lights outside where the operator stood to deliver the orders.

It's the middle of the night in the station at Detroit. It's dark outside, really dark outside as well as cold and snowing. You are the 3rd trick operator, the only person awake for miles except for maybe the town cop. The dispatcher's phone, a party line used by all of the operators to work with the train dispatcher is telling the story of a merchandise train moving the opposite direction of [known as moving against] a hot perishables train. The merchandise train has just passed Eugene. It will be here in 10 minutes. It sounds from the conversations like the merchandise train will probably meet the perishable at Chicago, but there's an outside chance it might make Boston.

An indicator in the station, a miniature semaphore, will tell you when the merchandise train is 5 minutes away. At that time, you will notify the dispatcher of the approaching train. The dispatcher will make a quick calculation of speed and time based on the report at Eugene and the time at the Detroit approach indicator and will decide if the approaching train requires more orders because the situation has changed.

The indicator changes from vertical to horizontal. You have been listening to the dispatcher's phone on a loudspeaker [or may have been listening on a headphone if the station was not equipped with a loudspeaker]. You step on the push to talk pedal on the floor and announce into the microphone "DETROIT COMING EAST".

The dispatcher answers "854, HE'S JUST GOT TIME TO MAKE BOSTON FOR 301, 19 EAST COPY THREE, ALBANY." Albany answers and the dispatcher instructs Albany 19 West copy three. "19 East" is the signal to display the eastward train order signal in the "receive orders" (yellow) position. The dispatcher may not begin transmitting the order until each operator has responded that the train order signal is displayed. You get out of the chair, walk over to the train order signal levers on the wall, lower the eastward semaphore to the "19" position, return to the table and respond "19 EAST DETROIT". Copy three means a train order with three copies: one for the engineer, one for the conductor and one for the station record. The train order form is made of thin tissue-like paper. Special double-sided carbon paper is used to make the copies. If you are using a typewriter, there will be 2 sheets of train order form, a double sided carbon, and another train order form. If you are writing by hand, there will be a train order form, a double-sided carbon, two more train order forms, another double sided carbon, and another [in this case extra] train order form. A sheet of metal the size of a train order form is placed in the pad of forms behind the last copy to provide a hard writing surface. An operator writing by hand will use a stylus, a blunt-ended writing stick that looks like a pen or pencil but has no ink or lead. The double side carbon paper behind the top copy makes the marks on the paper.

The dispatcher starts transmitting the order. He is not reading it. He is writing his original copy in the train order book as he speaks. He spells place names and numbers because there is absolutely no room for error, and ends with the initials of the Chief Dispatcher [or the Superintendent or even his own initials, depending upon the railroad]. "ORDER NUMBER TWO HUNDRED SEVEN, T-W-O-N-A-U-G-H-T-S-E-V-E-N ALBANY TO C&E NUMBER THREE HUNDRED ONE T-H-R-E-E-N-A-U-G-H-T-O-N-E, DETROIT TO C&E EXTRA SEVENTY EIGHT HUNDRED S-E-V-E-N-E-I-G-H-T-N-A-U-G-H-T-N-A-U-G-H-T EAST E-A-S-T PERIOD, NUMBER THREE HUNDRED ONE T-H-R-E-E-N-A-U-G-H-T-O-N-E WAIT AT BOSTON B-O-S-T-O-N UNTIL THREE FORTY FIVE T-H-R-E-E-F-O-U-R-F-I-V-E AM FOR EXTRA SEVENTY EIGHT HUNDRED S-E-V-E-N-E-I-G-H-T-N-A-U-G-H-T-N-A-U-G-H-T EAST C-H-F"

The dispatcher has waited until the last minute, monitoring the progress of 301, to make sure every available minute is given to 854. The dispatcher thinks 854 can be clear of the main track in the siding at Boston by 3:40 am. The order allows them to do that if they can, otherwise 854 will head into the siding at Chicago to meet 301. The dispatcher also thinks 301 may show up at Boston a bit before 3:45am. The part of the order "for extra 7800 East" allows 301 to keep on going before 3:45am if they see Extra 7800 East in the siding. This will be close.

Albany must repeat the order first because 301is the train being restricted. 854 will be showing up in less than 3 minutes. Albany finishes repeating and the dispatcher gives a complete time. It is now a safe movement. You listen to every word the operator at Albany has been saying, a last safety check, follow along on your copy of the order and simultaneously make out a clearance form, which will tell the train crew which orders must be obtained. This is another safety check to ensure that one or more orders have not been misplaced or lost. At seemingly lightning speed, you begin "DETROIT TWO HUNDRED SEVEN, T-W-O-N-A-U-G-H-T-S-E-V-E-N C&E EXTRA SEVENTY EIGHT HUNDRED S-E-V-E-N-E-I-G-H-T-N-A-U-G-H-T-N-A-U-G-H-T EAST E-A-S-T PERIOD, NUMBER THREE HUNDRED ONE T-H-R-E-E-N-A-U-G-H-T-O-N-E WAIT AT BOSTON B-O-S-T-O-N UNTIL THREE FORTY FIVE T-H-R-E-E-F-O-U-R-F-I-V-E AM FOR EXTRA SEVENTY EIGHT HUNDRED S-E-V-E-N-E-I-G-H-T-N-A-U-G-H-T-N-A-U-G-H-T EAST C-H-F. The dispatcher not only hears and understands every word and letter but is underlining each in his copy as you speak, again as a safety check. The dispatcher immediately responds "COMPLETE AT THREE OH SIX AM NO MORE". "No more" means this is the last order for this train. You immediately begin "DETROIT CLEAR EXTRA SEVENTY EIGHT HUNDRED EAST ON ONE ORDER NUMBER TWO NAUGHT SEVEN." The dispatcher responds "OK AT THREE OH SIX AM C-H-F OK OUT". The operator must have the dispatcher's permission to leave the office, even to go out with the orders, hence "OK OUT." You immediately break apart the copies and make three sets of order with a clearance on top aligned with the top left corner. There's a glow on the horizon; headlight! Just over a minute now until 854 shows up at 50 mph if you do it right. If not, 854 will slow or stop and the dispatcher's plan will be ruined.

Operators keep cut and tied strings for the train order hoops ready to go at all times. Several train order pads and clearance pads are kept ready, stuffed with carbon paper in the appropriate way. The preparations are made for moments like this that occur many times per day. About a minute now. Fold the two sets of orders for the train crew, place each set in a loop in the string and stretch each string on a train order hoop. Lantern and hoops in hand, a couple of red fusees in the back pocket and out the door onto the platform. The light is getting bright; just in time.

You walk out to the edge of the track, hold the train order fork at the end of the stick and touch the forked end to the ballast near the end of the ties. Make sure the engineer of the approaching train can see your light so he knows you are ready and he doesn't need to slow or stop. Some places have so much snow the edge of the track might not be visible, so one end of a rope has been tied to the station. Hold the other end of the rope and walk until it is tight. That's the right place. That same angle up instead of down should be just right. Maybe 15 seconds now. There isn't a light on the platform. You hold up the fork to the right position and with the lantern in the other hand shine the light on the string with the orders. Without that, once the headlight passes, the engineer will no longer be able to see the fork.

Five seconds now. Check the engine number. Is this the right train for sure? If something is wrong and this isn't the correct train, you have maybe two seconds to step back and pull the fork out of reach. If you do, the engineer will stop the train. A train cannot pass your station with the train order signal showing "receive orders" without receiving at least a clearance form. Check the classification signals - white? Both on ok? Right behind the front of the locomotive will be a big cloud of blowing snow and ice. Just as when you are in a high place you should not look down, the operator handing on does not look up, but rather at what might be coming in the darkness right behind the locomotives. Always step back as soon as you feel the tug on the string. As the locomotive approaches, listen closely for the "ping" of a bouncing tiedown chain or the BRRRRRR of loose steel banding flying in the breeze or the clank of a loose brakeshoe. In that case, don't step back - DIVE back from the train.

Fifty percent success. The engineer got his copy. Now stand there inspecting the train for the next minute and ten or so seconds. Watch and listen for any mechanical problems that might be dangerous. Fire flying where there shouldn't be, loud banging that might be a broken wheel, the smell of a hotbox [overheated bearing] or maybe smoke? Grab one of the red fusees from your pocket, light it and throw it on the ground where you were just standing to hand on to the engine. Use the other red fusee or your lantern to give a stop signal to the crew on the caboose when you see it.

Then you watch for the caboose. In the days of lighted markers it was a bit easier, you could see the rear end for quite a distance even in the cloud of blowing snow. Lighted markers gave way to reflective paddles. You can't see them in the dark unless you shine a light on them, so you move up close and shine your light along the train, into the cloud of blowing snow, looking for the reflection of the marker, all the time listening for the telltale sounds of loose things that might fall off of the train. They won't all make a noise, but at least some will. There's the faint green flash of your light on the marker. Five seconds or so. There's the rear brakeman's lantern. Hold the other hoop up just above head height parallel to the ground and back about a foot from the cars flashing by in the night. Hold your lantern so the light shines on the orders and keep it steady. Two seconds now.

There's the blur of something dropping from the brakeman's hand and you feel the tug on the string. Turn quick to check for both markers then look on the ground for airmail. There it is, a sheet of paper rolled into a cone with a piece of lead from a torpedo wrapped around the end to weight it. The conductor has information for the dispatcher.

Walk back into the station and directly to the chair at the desk. Listen for a couple of seconds to make sure the dispatcher isn't talking with someone then "DETROIT EXTRA SEVENTY EIGHT HUNDRED EAST, WHITE, BY AT THREE OH NINE." The dispatcher responds "AWWWWWLRIGHT" and you immediately begin "HE SAYS HIS LIST IS WRONG AND THERE ARE TWO THROUGHS IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS ALBANYS." Another problem for the dispatcher to handle, but he merely says "AWWWWWLRIGHT."

Now it is quiet again for a while.

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