Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-12-18
The Use OF the Telegraph in Running
Railroad Trains.

.NtIJ ltW nave I'll iutd W WuhJ
they owe their safety while travelling by
rail, or of the real cause Of collisions of
trains on a railroad. 1t Is not the object
of this article TO either "puff" or censure
any one, but to give the public, or that
portion of them who feel an interest in
the matter, brief outline of how railroad
trains are managed throughout the coun-
try, and TO what they are indebted for
safety while travelling from one place to
another in railroad car. The informa-
tion is brief, and is contained, in the main,
in three words The electric telegraph.
The minutig of managing the telegraph
In its application to trains is, however, the
point to understand and 1t is this we pro-
pose to give. There are, as all are aware,
two kinds of trains on all roads, passenger
and freight Each are supposed to run by
time card, made out by the officers of
the road, which Is generally the guide for
the engineers and conductors; but steam,
like most other things terrestrial, is not
always infallible, and very frequently it
happens train gets behind time or is
compelled to lay by from an accident to
some OF the coaches or the engine, Again,
an accumulation of freight at some par
ticular point along the route, or an excur-
sion party, makes 1t necessary to put on
an extra freight or passenger train, and
as there is no provision in the time card
for them, they run wild, or in the parance
of railroad men, they are "wild cat
trains" II is at such times as these that
the telegraph wires, which stretch along
the road, are brought into special use,
though the progress of every train from
one station to another is always marked,
and record of 1t kept. AT every station
there is telegraph office, which is kept
open day and night, two sets of operators
being required for that purpose, the whole
being under the immediate control and
supervision of the head office, which is
generally located at one of the termini of
the road. Connected with all roads, and
at either end of them, Is an official called
train dispatcher who is, bv no means
an unimportant functionary. He it is
who orders the starting of all trains, and
he 1t is who is sometimes responsible for
the trightful collisions, resulting in the
loss of life, which once in while startle
the community, and, to some, give an
idea that it Is at no time safe to travel by
rail- Not unfrequcntly it is to this per-
sonage alone that travellers owe their
safety. His judgment must always he
correct his memory clear, and his know
ledge Of his business perfect. To him the
telegraph is an Indispensable auxiliary,
and upon 1t he relies with unwaverng
fidelity. But to the part electricity plays
in managing trains; and to illustrate, we
will take the head office of the Lake
Shore Line, located on Water street in this
city.
There are, between this city and Erie,
sixteen stations, and, consequently, six
teen telegraph offices, all under the head
office, at this point Two trains start, one
from Erie for Cleveland and one from
Cleveland for Eric, at the same time, both
upon the same track. Immediately they
leave their respective starting points, the
head office is at once notified, and the in
formation transferred, together with the
time, to time register, which is always at
hand. The progress of each train, the
time of arrival and departure from sta
tions is sent by the sub.oftlces to head
quarters, and this is also transferred to
the register. AsI the trains approach
each other, If not running on regular, OF
time-card time, they call for an order as
to where they shall pass. The train des-
patcher OF the division upon which they
are running, in the case in point located
here, after looking at the rate they are
proceeding calculated from the reports
sent in from the different stations, sends
an order to each engineer and each con-
ductor, telling them at what station their
trains meet. This order is the authority
upon which each conductor goes, and, in
case ofacCident relieves him of all respon.
sibhity. Tho management of trains is,
however, not so simple as the above
would seem to make It. Almost always
several freight trains are sandwiched in
between the first two, and it is necessary
to keep them out of their and each Others
way. Consequently, when the conductor
reaches station where the train stops, he
goes to tho telegraph office to see ifthere
are any orders for him. If not, he
starts his train on regular time,
and runs to the next stopping
place, where he again seeks for orders. II
there is one, ne Immediately obeys il,
whether 1t tells him to lay over until an,
other train passes him, or to 90 on. The
order to the conductor is always dupli-
Gated to the engineer, so that both may
work in harmony and each understand
just what to do. In order, however, that
there may be no possible mistake, the
conductor and engineer repeat back To the
head office the order with the question,
"ls'this rightF" IT. upon examination, It
is found To have been received correct, the
letters o, X, are clicked over the line, and
upon their receipt the conductor prepares
to obey. For better understanding of il
We give below copy Of an order and the
answer, the words in italics being our own
TO fill out the blanks and make a supposa-
BILE case:
The following special order vAs received
by telegraph At one o'clock and ten min.
utes p, m. ffom UerddRd, Noe. ~, 1868;
To Conductor and Engineer Of the dty crprsSs
bound eqst, at ASAtGSRl station;
You will run 70 Glrdrd Station, oAere
sou 1'tt take Tie side sisitcA and ndit for
hs Rlatt, bound teeSt, You toiH make Girdrd
sfddoR tn tteeHty (20) miaUteS Answer
how You understand, and get my order
before starting.
(Signed,) HENRY JoNEs,
Received by James Smith, Operator.
Upon one end Of the order is the fol.
lowing;
Conductors must not leave a station
when directed to run by special order,
without having the same la writing in
their possession, which must always be
read by the Engineer before starung.p
Upon the back Of il is endorsed
THE within order has been repeated
back to me, and is correct
(Signed,) HRNRT JOINS,
Train Desps,cheT."
On the receipt OF the order the conduct.
or sends back the following;
AsHrAyuLA, Nov, 81, 1853.
To Henry JSnes, Train Dispatcher, Cleveland:
understand am TO repeating the
above order). Is this rightS
(Signed) joan SMITH, Conductor.
HENRY SIMNfs, Engineer.
As soon AS the letters o. X. are re-
eeiYed by the conductor, he hands the en-.
Sineer OF the train the duplicate Of his or.
ner and gives the signal 10 so ahead. The