THE DISPATCHER.
The Train Dispatcher holds a most important position as respects safety
of life and property. He may perhaps do more than any other official to
secure it by care or endanger it by lack of vigilance. His relations to
economy, too, are important. As the time of engines, cars, and employés,
and of the persons and things carried, is of value, delay avoided is
money saved.
It cannot be too strongly insisted upon that the man who issues train
orders should make it his especial business, and should have no
interference from others. None but a very limited business will warrant
the performance of this duty by the superintendent in person, or by any
one engaged in other work. If it is such as to call for any approach
to continuous attention, persons must be specially assigned to it. The
hours of duty and the question of other occupation must depend upon the
frequency and constancy of the demands of the work specially in hand.
Upon a busy road where the trains are run much on orders, safety as well
as efficiency will be best promoted by excluding other occupation and
anything which may distract the attention of the "Train Runner," and
under these circumstances a period of duty of eight hours is as long as
can prudently be assigned. This conveniently divides the twenty-four
hours between three men, and does not overtax them. With lighter duties
a longer time may be admissible. With very heavy work, six hours may be
long enough.
The importance of confining the work of dispatching, for the time being,
to the individual charged with this duty, has already been referred to,
and cannot be too strongly urged. The office where this work is done
should be separate from others, and should not be subjected to the visits
and conversation of outsiders or of employés whose business does not
call them there. The Dispatcher should be a proficient operator. He may
not himself transmit his orders, but he should be able to read all that
passes on the wire, in order to have an intelligent understanding of what
is going on. He should be thoroughly acquainted with the location and
length of the various sidings, the grades and curves, the capacity of the
engines, and other matters which may affect the movements of the trains
he has in hand, and some experience as conductor will be of value. He
should be a man of more than average ability, of good judgment, clear
head, and strictly temperate habits. In many cases the chief Dispatcher
is the right-hand man of the superintendent in all matters associated
with the management of the trains; and a suitable recognition of the
importance of the position will have a valuable effect in elevating the
character of this service and in promoting its efficiency.