Vielen Dank, Warren!
Your answer is indeed very helpful. Fortunately, I already purchased a
Burlington rulebook from 1929 via ebay. It should be already in the mail. I
am sure this will make clear a lot of things. Just one more question - was
there still any telegraphing done in the 40s or was it already a phone
everywhere?
Thank you once again!
Florian Griessenboeck, now snowcovered Austria
> 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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