RUNNING TRAINS BY TELEGRAPH--HOW IT IS DONE
The despatcher's office of a big railroad line is one of the most
interesting places a man can get into, especially if he is interested in
the workings of our great railway systems. It is located at the division
headquarters, or any other point, such as will make the despatching of
trains and attendant orders of easy accomplishment. In riding over a
road, many people are prone to give the credit of a good swift run to
the engineer and train crew. Pick up a paper any day that the President
or some big functionary is out on a trip, and you will probably read
how, at the end of the run, he stopped beside the panting engine, and
reaching up to shake the hand of the faithful, grimy engineer, would
say:
"Thank you so much for giving us such a good run. I don't know when I
have ridden so fast before," or words to that effect. He never thinks
that the engineer and crew are but the mechanical agents, they are but
small cogs in a huge machine. They do their part and do it well, but the
brains of the machine are up in the little office and are all
incorporated in the despatcher on duty. Flying over the country
regardless of time or space, one is apt to forget where the real credit
belongs. The swift run could not be made, and the train kept running
without a stop, if it were not for the fact that the despatcher puts
trains on the sidetrack so that the special need not be delayed, and he
does it in such a manner that the regular business of the road shall not
be interfered with.
The interior of the despatcher's office is not, as a rule, very
sumptuous. There is the big counter at one side of the room, on which
are the train registers, car record books, message blanks, and forms for
the various reports. Against the wall on one of the other sides is a big
black board known as the "call board." On it is recorded the probable
arrival and departure of trains, and the names of their crews, also the
time certain crews are to be called. As soon as the train men have
completed the work of turning their train over to the yard crew at the
end of their run, they are registered in the despatcher's office, and
are liable thereafter for duty in their turn. The rule "first in,
first, out," is supposed to be strictly adhered to in the running of
trains. About the middle of the room, or in the recess of the bay
window, is the despatcher's table. On it in front of the man on duty, is
the train sheet, containing information, exact and absolute in its
nature, of each train on the division. On this sheet there is also a
space set apart for the expected arrival of trains on his district from
the other end, and one for delays. Loads, empties, everything, is there
that is necessary for him to know to properly run the trains on time and
with safety. At any minute the despatcher on duty can tell you the
precise location of any train, what she is doing, how her engine is
working, how much work she has to do along the road, and all about her
engineer and conductor. Generally, there are two sets of instruments on
the table, one for use of what is known as the despatcher's wire, over
which his sway is absolute, and the other for a wire that is used for
messages, reports, and the like, and in case of emergency, by the
despatcher. Mounted on a roll in front of him is the current official
time card of the division. From the information contained thereon, the
despatcher makes all his calculations for time orders, meeting points,
work trains, etc. Across the table from the despatcher sits the "copy
operator," whose duty it is to copy everything that comes along, thus
relieving the despatcher of anything that would tend to disturb him in
his work. The copy operator is generally the man next for promotion to a
despatcher's trick, and his relations with his chief must be entirely
harmonious.
The working force in a well regulated despatcher's office consists of
the chief despatcher, three trick despatchers, and two copy operators,
with the various call boys and messengers. The chief despatcher is next
to the division superintendent, and has full charge of the office. He
has the supervision of the yard and train reports, and the ordering out
of the trains and crews. He has charge of all the operators on the
division, their hiring and dismissal, and has general supervision of the
telegraph service. In fact, he is a little tin god on wheels. His office
hours? He hasn't any. Most of the chiefs are in their offices from early
morn until late at night, and there is no harder worked man in the world
than the chief despatcher.
Each day is divided into three periods of eight hours each, known as
"tricks," and a despatcher assigned to each. The first trick is from
eight A. M. until four P. M.; the second from four P. M. until twelve
midnight; and the third from twelve midnight until eight A. M.
At eight o'clock in the morning, the first trick despatcher comes on
duty, and his first work is to verify the train sheet and order book.
The man going off duty checks off all orders issued by him that have
been carried out, and his successor signs his initials to all orders yet
to be obeyed. This signifies that he has read them over very carefully
and thoroughly understands their purport. As soon as he has receipted
for them he becomes as responsible as if he had first issued them. He
glances carefully over his train sheet, assures himself that everything
is correct and then assumes his duties for the day. Anything that is not
clear to him must be thoroughly explained before his predecessor leaves,
and he must signify that he understands everything. The value of that
old time card rule, so familiar to all railroaders, "In case of doubt
always take the safe side," is exemplified many times every day in the
running of trains by telegraph, and the attendant orders. After a
despatcher has assumed charge of the trick he is the master of the
situation; he is responsible for everything, and his attentiveness,
ability and judgment are the powers that keep the trains moving and on
time.
When all trains are running on time, and there are no extras or specials
out, the despatcher's duty is easy, and consists largely in taking and
recording "O. S. reports," and "Consists." The "O. S. report" is the
report sent in by the various operators as the trains arrive and depart
from the several stations. A "consist" is a message sent by the
conductor of a train to the division superintendent, giving the exact
composition and destination of every car in his train. When trains are
late, however, or many extras are running or the track washed out, the
despatcher's work becomes very arduous. Orders of all kinds have to be
made, engines and crews kept working together and trains moving.
Down the centre of the train sheet, which varies in size according to
the length of the division, are printed the names of all the telegraph
stations on the division and the distances between them. On either side
of this main column are ruled smaller columns, each one of which
represents a train. The number of each train is at the head of the
appropriate column, and under it are the number of the engine, the names
of the conductor and engineer, and the number of loads and empties in
the train. All trains on the division are arranged in three classes, and
each class has certain rights. Trains of the first class are always
passengers; the through freight, and the combination freight and
passenger trains compose the second class. All other trains, such as
local freights, work trains and construction trains belong to the third
class. It is an invariable rule on all railroads that trains running one
way have _exclusive rights_ over trains of their own and of inferior
classes running in the opposite direction.
What is called the "double order system," is used almost exclusively on
all single track roads, and if the rules and regulations governing it
were strictly adhered to and carried out, accidents for which human
agency is responsible, would be impossible. It consists simply in giving
an order to all the trains concerned _at the same time_. That is to say,
if the despatcher desires to make a meeting point for two trains, he
will send the same order simultaneously to both of them. If a train is
leaving his end of the division and he desires to make a meeting point
with a train coming in, before giving his order to his conductor and
engineer, he would telegraph it to a station at which the incoming train
was soon to arrive, and from whence the operator would repeat it back
word for word, and would give a signal signifying that his red board was
turned. By this means both trains would receive the same order, and
there would be no doubt about the point at which they were to meet.
To illustrate this method, let us suppose a case of two sections of No.
13 running east and one section of No. 14 running west. Both trains are
of the second class, and as the east bound trains have the right of way,
No. 14 _must_ keep out of the way of the two 13's. A certain point, call
it Smithville, is, according to the time card, the meeting point for
these two trains. But No. 14 finds out she has a lot of work to do at
Jonesboro; or a hot driving box or a draw head pulling out delays her,
and thus she cannot possibly reach Smithville for No. 13. She is at
Jason, and unless she can get orders to run farther on No. 13's time,
she will have to tie up there and be further delayed an hour. The
conductor tells the operator at Jason to ask "DS" if he can help them
out any. "DS" glances over his train sheet, and finds that he cannot let
them run to Smithville, because No. 13 is nearly on time; but there is a
siding at Burkes, between Jason and Smithville, and he concludes to let
14 go there. So he tells the operator at Jason to "copy 3," and then he
calls Smithville and tells him to "copy 5." Both the engineer and
conductor get a copy of all orders pertaining to their trains, and the
operators retain one for their records and for reference in case of
accident. Both operators turn their red boards _the first thing_, and so
long as the signal remains red, no train can pass the station, without
first receiving an order or a clearance card. In the case supposed the
order would be as follows:
"DS Despatcher's Office, 12, 8, '98
"Orders No. 31.
To C. & E. 1st and 2nd 13, SM.
To C. & E. No. 14, JN.
First and second sections No. 13, and No. 14 will meet at Burkes.
12. (Answer how you understand).
"H. G. C."
The despatcher's operator, sitting opposite to him, copies every word of
this order as the despatcher sends it, and when the operators at
Smithville and Jason repeat it back, he underlines each word, great care
being taken to correct any mistakes made by the operators. After an
operator has repeated an order back he signs his name, and the
despatcher then says:
"Order No. 31, O. K.," giving the time and signing the division
superintendent's initials thereto. The order is next handed to the
conductor and engineer of each train when they come to the office; both
read it carefully, and then signify that they understand it fully by
signing their names. The operator then says to the despatcher, "Order
31, sig. Jones and Smith," and the despatcher gives the "complete" and
the exact time. Then a copy is given to the conductor and one to the
engineer and they leave. On the majority of roads the conductor must
read the order aloud to the engineer before leaving the office.
Thus No. 14 having received her orders, pulls out, and when she reaches
Burkes, she goes on the side track and waits there for both 13's,
because 13, being an east bound train of the same class, has the
right-of-track over her. The same _modus operandi_ is gone through with
for No. 13, and when the trains have departed the operators pull in
their red boards. When the meeting has been made and both trains are
safely by Burkes, the despatcher draws a blue pencil or makes a check
mark on his order book copy and signs his initials, which signifies that
the provisions of the order have been carried out. Should its details
not have been completed when the despatcher is relieved, his successor
signs his initials thereto showing that he has received it. This is the
method of sending train orders, exact and simple, on single track
railroads. On double track lines the work is greatly simplified because
trains running in each direction have separate tracks. Does it not seem
simple? And how impossible are mistakes when its rules are adhered to.
It really seems as if any one gifted with a reasonable amount of common
sense, and having a knowledge of the rudiments of mathematics, could do
the work, but underneath all the simplicity explained, there runs a deep
current of complications that only long time and a cool head can master.
I have worked in offices and been figuring on orders for a train soon to
start out from my end of the division, when all of a sudden some train
out on the road that has been running all night, will bob up with a hot
box, or a broken draw head, and then all the calculations for the new
train will be knocked into a cocked hat.
The simple meeting order has been given above. The following examples
will illustrate some of the other many forms of orders, and are
self-explanatory.
TIME ORDER
No. 14 has a right to use ten minutes of the time of No. 13 between
Jason and Jonesboro.
SLOW ORDER
All trains will run carefully over track from one-half mile east of
Salt Water to Big River Bridge, track soft.
EXTRA ORDER
Engine 341 will run extra from DeLeon to Valdosta.
ANNULMENT ORDER
No. 15 of January 6th is annulled between Santiago and Rio.
WORK ORDER
Engine 228 will work between Posey and Patterson, keeping out of the way
of all regular trains. Clear track for extra west, engine 327 at 10:30
A. M.
When an operator has once turned his red board to the track for an
order, under no circumstances must he pull it in until he has delivered
the order for the train for which it is intended. In the meantime should
another train come in for which he has no orders, he will give it a
clearance card as follows:
To C. & E., No. 27
There are no orders for you, signal is set for No. 18.
H. G. CLARKE, Operator.
At stated times during the day, the despatchers on duty on each division
send full reports of all their trains to the divisions adjoining them
on either side. This train report is very complete, giving the
composition of each and every train on the road, and the destination of
every car. A form of the message will readily illustrate this:
SAN ANGELO, 5 | 16, 18--.
W. H. C. DS
No 17 will arrive at DS, at 10:20 A. M., with the following:
1 HH goods Chgo.
2 Livestock Kansas City.
3 Mdse "
1 Emgt. outfit St. Louis.
6 Coal Houston.
6 Wheat Chgo.
7 Empty sys. flats Flat Rock.
--
Total 26
H. G. B.
All work is done over the initials of the division superintendent and in
his name. These reports keep the despatchers fully informed as to what
may be expected, and arrangements can be made to keep the trains moving
without delay. Of course the report illustrated above is for but one
train, necessarily it must be much longer when many trains are running.
At some regular time during the day all the agents on the division send
in a car report. This is copied by the despatcher's operator and shows
how many and what kind of cars are on the side tracks; the number of
loads ready to go out; the number and kind of cars wanted during the
ensuing twenty-four hours; and if the station is a water station, how
many feet of water are in the tank; or if a coaling station, how many
cars of coal there are on hand; and lastly, what is the character of the
weather. On some roads weather reports are sent in every hour.
In view of all this, I think it is not too much to say, that the eyes of
the despatcher see everything on the road. There are a thousand and one
small details, in addition to the momentous matters of which he has
charge, and the man who can keep his division clear, with all trains
moving smoothly and on time, must indeed possess both excellent method
and application, and must have the ability and nerve to master numerous
unexpected situations the moment they arise. He is not an artisan or a
mechanic, _he is a genius_.