The Young Train Dispatcher

legraphy. Here was something worth while, something vital, something with which great things might b

es and cars worth a hundred thousand dollars. Damage suits, destroyed freight, the interruption of traffic, the cost of repairing the righ

oad’s most sacred trust. In his behalf, the road exacts eternal ? 68 ? vigilance from every man in its employ. His safety comes first of all. For it, no railroad man must hesitate to risk his

current for the line was furnished by the company’s batteries, and was stronger and more constant than their own little battery had been able to give them. Nor was that all the help they had, for

d they could try their hands at transcribing them. Needless to say, they progressed rapidly under this tuition, which was the very best they could have

to sleep. The muscles which control the heart keep on working of themselves from birth to death. Thus, too, while the baby must distinctly will every step it takes, the child soon learns to walk or run automatically, without thinking about it at all, the muscles moving of themselves at the proper instant. So the fingers of

and some second-self there rouses the sleeper and tells him he is wanted. Operators are not supposed ? 70 ? to go to sleep on duty; to be caught asleep means a “lay-off,” if not dismissal. Yet they do go to sleep, for the long hours of the night pass slowly, and there are times when the weary eyes refuse to remain open. If it were not for the little monitor within which stays awake, on guard, listening for its call, accidents on the rail would be of m

e office. He knew what they were saying, without having to stop all other work to listen; nay, without consciously listening at al

ng as a man does his work well, his position is his; and he stands in regular line for promotion. Incompetency ? 71 ? brings its punishme

lest thing he does after that does matter, as he finds out, in course of time, to his amazement and chagrin. The trainmaster keeps, in a drawer of his desk, a little book bound in red leather, wherein entries are mad

ove and aptitude for machinery, and he finally determined to remain in the branch of the service where he was, and seek promotion where he would probably deserve it most. But Allan’s mind was made up, and he lost no opportunity to perfect himself. Often, after supper, he woul

eparatory to going home to supper, when the instrument on the chief-dispatc

Junction reported si

” and closed the key. Then he wheeled abo

r you,” he said,

oed Allan. “I

l it,” the chief added. “The

best,” All

moment longer, then nodded qui

e only got thirty minutes. You’l

it,” said Allan, and he went

getting supper when Allan raced up the ? 73 ? steps l

Mary. “What a

r and danced around with her in his a

e loosened hairpins back into place, “that ain’t so wonderful. You’d ought

got to catch Number Sixteen—and I wonder if there’s a crus

t the clock. “You’ll have your supper. Go an’ git

ut I warn you I’ll be back

upper was almost ready—an egg fried to a turn, with a bit of broiled ham beside it, bread and butter, blackberry

jewel!” and he stopped to

74

and affected to push him away, as s

y French confections, requiring no stimulus but that which work honestly done gave it. He ate with one eye on the clock, for he was not

f those luscious doughnuts of yours, or a piece of

been doin’ all this toime! Here’s your lunch,” and she set

g at this new proof of h

,” he

ong or you’ll miss your train. Good-bye.

hed up hat

aid. “I’m certai

or watching him as

75

ing back into the house as he passed

et Allan as he stepped u

he said, and held o

the boy, taking the

w did ye expect t’

my pass. Yes; thank you,” and he swung aboa

ed all employees of the road to “pass the bearer, Allan West, on all trains, over main line and branches

vertime, and was in no very genial humour in consequence, for if there is one point of honour upon which all operators agree, it is that they shall relieve each other promptly. ? 76 ? So the day operator, whose name was Ne

le room. The instrument was calling, but not for him, so he had leisure to examine the orders which fluttered from a hook on the wall near b

eaving the lantern showing a white light past which the engineer would run, thinking everything all right. So green was substituted for white, and now white means danger just as much as red does. The only light past which an

as far as they go; but a caution signal is badly needed—one which will not absolutely stop a train, but which will warn the engineer to get it under control and proceed

light by night, displayed at one or both ends of an engine, car, or train, indicates that workmen are under or about it. When thus protected, it must not be coupled to or moved,

smoke may obscure them, and the engineer rushes by, trusting that all is well. If he obeyed the rules, he would stop and make sure; but that would delay the train, perhaps needlessly, and trains must be run

n a perpendicular position and showed green, which meant proceed; but when the operator wanted an approaching train to stop, he pulled the lever, raising the arm to a horizontal position. At night, of course, it would not be possible for an engineer to see the position of this arm, so at the inner en

ying the signals one above the other, it indicated that P. & O. trains could pass; when ? 79 ? the arm was thrown to a horizontal position, displaying the signals one beside the other, it cleared the track for the connecting road. A ladder on the side of the pole en

shanty to assure himself that the train-signal was raised and showing red and that the lanterns on the semaphore were burning properly, so that the train which was almost

eaking, but there are times when more is expected of a man than his mere duty. It might not have really mattered, of course; the absence of any signal would bring the train to a stop, if the engineer obeyed the rules; but at

flame flared up, hoisted the signal into place. Then, with a single glance, he assured himself that the semaphore lanterns were not in the shanty. Evidently the day man had not taken the trouble to bring them down an

s agony, got it lighted. Then he grabbed for the other. It swung for a moment beyond his reach, and the effort nearly overbalanced him; but he caught himself, got it at last, drew it to him, lighted it, and snapped it

been—asleep?” ca

nterns on the semaph

ninety-seven r

llan answered, and at that moment th

ninety-seven?”

the newcomer.

hat all was well, and notified the dispatcher th

For instance, if, toward the middle of the afternoon, there has accumulated in the yards at Wadsworth only enough west-bound freight for a single train, the cars are made up, and at seven o’

g. Ten minutes later, the second section is sent out, displaying no signals. Theoretically, both sections constitute one train, and the track cannot be used by any other train until both get by; but this is a theory which is constantly broken in practice. Someti

st-bound flyer, pulls into the yards at Wadsworth, an extra west-bound freight will be started out, with orders to run extra to the end of the division. The conductor is armed with the time-card, and must keep out of the way of all trains which appear on it. He is also provided with meeting orders for all the other extras which happen to be going over the road at the same time, an

ere meeting-points must be provided for all freight-trains, without delaying them unduly, and where the passenger-trains must have always a clear track and opportunity to make up as much time as possi

e and alert for any orders the dispatcher may wish to send him; he must note the passage of every train and report to the dispatcher the exact moment at which it passed; and he must be sure that the station signals are properly displayed, and that all

passed the time listening to the orders sent the other operators and studying the time-card and book of rules with which all operators are provided. But at last his sou

east, eng.

copy, and a moment later, “Com 3.

must be made of every such order, one for the conductor, one for the engineer, and the other for preservation by the operator. This is done by using tissue-paper for the orders—which are usually called “flimsies” for that reason—betw

er, the extra east pulled in, and the condu

ders?”

or Higgins to read the order aloud to him, as required by the rules. But instead, the conductor

ing to read it

ead it!” answered

o me,” Allan

nded Higgins, turning upon him fiercely.

Higgins had been drinking and was in a very ugly mood, “that

din’ me here fer an hour, when I could git into Hamden easy as pie afore Number Ten was due!

? 86 ? you think best, of course. But if you do

s sprang around agai

whipper-snapper, I’ll spoil that putty

lan glanced past the irate conductor to see the engineer standing in the

don’t read this here order to

ced sharply from

ou were going to fight about a

!” growled Bill, but he

he order,” advised

tant, then smoothed o

at Byers,’” he snapped out, a

e 632, at Byers,’” repea

ce. The engineer followed him with his ? 87 ? eyes until he

eported him?” he asked,

, slowly. “I think I

aw, and three kids that worship him; so he can’t be wholly bad. What would become of them if he’d lose his job? Of course,

t the superintendent never heard of that encoun