Ed and list
The primary situation that comes to mind is where an extra train is given
right over an opposing extra or even a scheduled train.
When said opposing extra or scheduled train arrived at the register point it
would be necessary to determine whether the extra which had been given right
over their train had arrived to determine whether they could proceed beyond
the register point.
Here's an example: You may need to get out your Q map for this one if
you're not familiar with the territory. On the Wymore Division in the
1950's a local was run from Wymore to Fairmont via Beatrice, DeWitt and then
west on the "High Line" to West Strang Jct. thence north from West Strang
Jct. to Fairmont. This local ran on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
On Monday, Wednesday and Friday a local ran from Fairmont to Hildreth via
West Strang Jct.
Regular procedure was to give the Fairmont-Hildreth local right over the
Wymore Fairmont local from Fairmont to West Strang Jct. The order would read
like this.
Engine 408 run extra Fairmont to Hildreth via West Strang Jct. and has right
over Extra 406 North Fairmont to West Strang Jct.
I worked the Fairmont-Hildreth job for three months summer 1958 so I'm quite
familiar with the arrangement.
If we were early enough on the Fairmont Hildreth job we would have arrived
and left West Strang Jct., before the Wymore -Fairmont job got there.
Problem...how does extra 406 north know that Extra 408 south has arrived at
West Strang Jct.
Voila....the train register. If you will note your Wymore Division TT for
that era you will see that "train register is located at North Switch west
Strang Jct." ...only westward trains will register.
The regular thing that happened was that we were quite late out of Fairmont
headed for Hildreth and the other guys would be sitting on the east leg of
the wye at West Strang jct., clear of the north switch waiting for us to go
by, but on the rare occasion when we would have gone west before the other
guy arrived the only way that he would know would be to check the register
which was put there for that purpose. I would assume that Extra 406 North
would have been given an order reading something like. Extra 406 north may
check train register against Extra 408 south at West Strang Jct.
Sometimes the dispatcher would give us the usual right over order, but would
give us a straight meet with the other local at West Strang Jct.
Going west on the Hildreth job during the grain harvest we could have 75-80
boxcars stretched around the west leg of the wye. It took a bit of doing for
the head brakeman (namely me) to get out on top to see signs across the west
leg of the wye since it was necessary for the conductor to get off, open up
the register box, do the writing and get back on. This was before the days
of radios and the branch was still dispatched by Telegraph at that time. To
boot there were no operators on duty after 5:00pm...it was usually 8-9pm when
we made this maneuver.
Pete
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