ordering trains around
morse code, train orders, & more
under construction
Al and Larry had a fun discussion on Facebook when the subject of Morse code came up. Asked if he knew Morse code, Al said, "I used Morse code when first hired out on CBQ RR in 1956, but I never got very proficient at it. Still know the code but not much use for it anymore."
Larry said, "Al, Remember this:
.--.
-..-
.. . .. .. ...-.?
Al responded, "Yeh, 19 train order copy 3."
Asked by the administrator to explain, Al did. "19 is the train order form, copy 3 means the train order operator makes 3 copies to distribute to the train crew."
Larry elaborated: There were two types of train orders, form 19 and form 31. One copy had to be delivered to each person in the address and one copy filed away. The train orders blanks were bound in pads of 100 with a double sided piece of carbon paper behind each sheet. A piece of tin the size of the train order was placed behind every third page to give something solid to write on and to keep from writing more than three copies. There were also pads set up to make five copies and sevencopies. Then there was a "copy all" pad set up to copy 12 or so orders. When the dspr said "19 copy 3" the operator would know which form pad to grab and also the one that would make three copies. Before the dispatcher could transmit the order the Opr would have to display the train order signal to stop for trains traveling either eastbound or westbound. He would the tell the dspr "SD east or SD west or NS. This would indicate that he had his Signal Displayed East or Signal Displayed West or was ready to copy the train order but had No Signal (NS). Which was the case at Table Rock. It was not uncommon to hand up 20 or more train orders to trains flying by at 50 miles an hour at night, in the rain. All the while being alert to objects thrown at you by tramps riding the train and inspecting the train for smoke and flames coming from the wheel axel indicating a "hot box." Sometimes the steel straps that were wrapped around loads of pipe would come loose and whip around the platform. If these weren't dodged they would slice you into or pull you under the train.
Larry: Remember when two trains met at Table Rock and we had to stick a train order hoop in a pipe for the engineer on the siding. One time I screwed up and ended up between the trains. I layed down between them and recited the Lord's Prayer.
Me: Didn't Joy talk about one night in a snow storm as a novice being sent out between two trains to hand up the orders? Joy Robison. Or am I remembering it wrong?
Joy: That happened to me in Seward in a blizzard. Harrowing experience & the dispatcher got his butt in trouble for demanding I do that, even against the Book of Rules! He was sentenced to ride the train to Ravenna & back to Lincoln to learn just how dangerous it was to be between two trains! I will never forget th
at night...I was literally frozen from snow & fright!
Sharla...I wasn't a novice...the dispatcher was but he threatened me that I had to break the rules so the trains could keep moving. Bad deal all the way around.
Larry: Seward was a terrible place to hand orders up. The trains would come around a curve. Rocking side to side going 60 miles per hour. I had to had up to a passenger train pulled by a steam engine. Had to hand up four sets of orders, not knowing where the brakemen were standing and hoping the mail bag hook didn't snag one set.
Me:
Joy: How well I remember! In the end, both trains got stopped because they hadn't received all their sets of orders that night. That's when you know what hit the fan when the Chief Dispatcher learned what went down. Ugly! And I was exonerated...whew! Wymore was busy. Ashland was a difficult job, couldn't wait to finish that location!
Larry: It was a division point. Had dispatchers and and crew change there. Line went to Denver and beyond. A lot of branch lines peeled off there. Also had main line to Lincoln and Table Rock.
Larry said, "Al, Remember this:
.--.
-..-
.. . .. .. ...-.?
Al responded, "Yeh, 19 train order copy 3."
Asked by the administrator to explain, Al did. "19 is the train order form, copy 3 means the train order operator makes 3 copies to distribute to the train crew."
Larry elaborated: There were two types of train orders, form 19 and form 31. One copy had to be delivered to each person in the address and one copy filed away. The train orders blanks were bound in pads of 100 with a double sided piece of carbon paper behind each sheet. A piece of tin the size of the train order was placed behind every third page to give something solid to write on and to keep from writing more than three copies. There were also pads set up to make five copies and sevencopies. Then there was a "copy all" pad set up to copy 12 or so orders. When the dspr said "19 copy 3" the operator would know which form pad to grab and also the one that would make three copies. Before the dispatcher could transmit the order the Opr would have to display the train order signal to stop for trains traveling either eastbound or westbound. He would the tell the dspr "SD east or SD west or NS. This would indicate that he had his Signal Displayed East or Signal Displayed West or was ready to copy the train order but had No Signal (NS). Which was the case at Table Rock. It was not uncommon to hand up 20 or more train orders to trains flying by at 50 miles an hour at night, in the rain. All the while being alert to objects thrown at you by tramps riding the train and inspecting the train for smoke and flames coming from the wheel axel indicating a "hot box." Sometimes the steel straps that were wrapped around loads of pipe would come loose and whip around the platform. If these weren't dodged they would slice you into or pull you under the train.
Larry: Remember when two trains met at Table Rock and we had to stick a train order hoop in a pipe for the engineer on the siding. One time I screwed up and ended up between the trains. I layed down between them and recited the Lord's Prayer.
Me: Didn't Joy talk about one night in a snow storm as a novice being sent out between two trains to hand up the orders? Joy Robison. Or am I remembering it wrong?
Joy: That happened to me in Seward in a blizzard. Harrowing experience & the dispatcher got his butt in trouble for demanding I do that, even against the Book of Rules! He was sentenced to ride the train to Ravenna & back to Lincoln to learn just how dangerous it was to be between two trains! I will never forget th
at night...I was literally frozen from snow & fright!
Sharla...I wasn't a novice...the dispatcher was but he threatened me that I had to break the rules so the trains could keep moving. Bad deal all the way around.
Larry: Seward was a terrible place to hand orders up. The trains would come around a curve. Rocking side to side going 60 miles per hour. I had to had up to a passenger train pulled by a steam engine. Had to hand up four sets of orders, not knowing where the brakemen were standing and hoping the mail bag hook didn't snag one set.
Me:
Joy: How well I remember! In the end, both trains got stopped because they hadn't received all their sets of orders that night. That's when you know what hit the fan when the Chief Dispatcher learned what went down. Ugly! And I was exonerated...whew! Wymore was busy. Ashland was a difficult job, couldn't wait to finish that location!
Larry: It was a division point. Had dispatchers and and crew change there. Line went to Denver and beyond. A lot of branch lines peeled off there. Also had main line to Lincoln and Table Rock.