When I was training to be an agent/operator (1950) by the agent at Chapin, Il
(Beardstown-St.Louis subdivision of the CB&Q) the only use of the telegraph was
to send/receive Western Union telegrams and to request/receive freight rates
from the tariff office. All train orders were done via telephone. The only
exception was when the telephones were down (usually during winter freezing
rain storms). Of couse, when I hired on the end of March 1951, my first job
was at Alsey, Il and we had a storm that brought done the lines to Beardstown.
The first communication lines that the signalmen restored was the telegraph
which required me to use the key for train orders and clearances. The
telegraph speed requirements at that time were 5 words/minute which I just
barely passed. It was a tough first week for my initiation on the Q.
Bob
From: drale99@aol.com
Subject: Re: [CBQ] New member, Old Telgrapher
...[snip]...
Question: When did they stop using the telegraph on the railroad? I was
always very impressed by those old telegraphers. They were fast. I hope we
scare up a few more who know what telegraphy was. Railway telegraphy has
really
become a thing of the past. Very few people have any idea what it was. I
have
my dad's old bug, and a couple of keys and a sounder set up in my basement.
I like to work the keys just to hear those old sounds. Whenever I
demonstrate
the telegraph, I find that I'm making sounds that people generally have never
heard.
Nice to reminisce. Dale
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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