--- In BRHSlist@y..., "Florian Griessenboeck" <florian@v...> wrote:
> Where can I find basic information about how the Railroad was
operated in
> the pre CTC era? There are a lot of things I don't understand. How
was the
> dispaching done, did every tower exactly know which train would
came in next
> and what had the train crews to decide by themselves, ect. Is there
any
> standard reading to teach a greenhorn like me?
> Have a merry Christmas!
> Florian Griessenboeck
herr griessenboeck, grossgot,
will briefly answer you question on dispatching. am sure there are
many list members who will answer in greater detail.
must assume you are asking about 'older railroading' by refering to
pre ctc operations. dispatching was done on a division basis. each
division had a chief dispatcher and shift dispatchers who were
responsable for their part of territory within the division. the
chief dispatcher would issue lineups, lists of trains that were going
to run over his division. these were issued several times a day,
morning lineup, afternoon lineup and evening lineup. this is how the
railroad knew what trains were going to run, what engine number of
the train, so it could be identified and approximately what time it
would run. anyone who was involved with the railroad that was going
to be on or around the track needed to know this. the foremen of
track workers, signalmen, etc., would continually check with the
dispatchers or the operators, the men who worked in the towers and
stations, as to the location of the trains on the lineup.
as to what decisions the enginemen/trainmen made, think there was
only one decision to be made, operate the train according to the
"book", the 'burlington lines rules of the operating department.' if
you errored and you were fired, you were fired for violating one of
these rules listed in this book.
can not recommend any books, only one can think of is "the railroad,
what it is and what it does" or a title similar to this. am sure that
many list members will be able to recommend something for you.
hope this will answer, briefly, some of your questions until those
with more knowledge will respond to your inquiry.
warren
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