Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-10-26
Misfellanu.
From the New York Evening Post.
Chapter on Railroad Signals.

Chapter on Railroad Signals.
WHISTLES, FLAGS, FINGERS AND ELECTRI,
BATTERIES.
To at least two-thirds of the genera
travelling public the diabolical wells O
the steam whistle on the engine, the mys
ferrous waving of flags and the pantomim
&c gestures of the hands by those employ
ed on trains, are but a sealed book. A.
knowledge of these signals may some.
times avert or at least mitigate accidents
it may be well to explain some of them t.
the uninitiated.
Upon nearly all roads in this country
the number of sounds of the steam whistle
represent the same orders or warnings
but on the Erie Railway in one or two in
stances the rules is exactly reversed. Thus
upon that road oae clear sharp whistle
means danger, and repeated quickly sig.
mites that the danger is imminent, while
upon other roads it is simply note of &C
ahead or of warning when approaching a
crossing or station. Those accustomed to
travelling upon the Erie Road, and who
understand the whistles as there used, fire.
quently, therefore, make ludicrous mis-
takes, when upon other lines. Others
however, when upon the Erie are in con.
slant dread of their lives, hearing often
the two quick whistles, which upon their
own lines means danger, but which. as
as there, means all right.
Promising, therefore, that these whis-
ties, namely, one and two notes, are revers-
ed upon the Erie, we will proceed. One
whistle may be in most cases set down as
the signal for going ahead, releasing the
brakes by the brakeman, and of warning
when approaching depot or crossing.
Two sharp and decisive whistles mean
danger, and when repeated in pairs, signi-
fly that the same is close at hand. The
passengers should then avoid, above ev.
erything the evil habit of sticking his head
out of the window of his car, dangerous
at any time, but doubly so then. Three
whistles are the signal that the train is
about to back or retrace its steps, but are
seldom heard by ordinary passengers, the
signal being more often used in drilling
trains in the yards.
Whenever stoppage of a train takes
place upon the track a Waterman is at
once sent to the rear with flag or lantern
to notify and stop following trains. 1t is
to recall him to his train that the next
signal of four long whistles is used. An
engine nearing certain stations will some
times herald its approach with a number
of sharp qnick whistles, which have the eff
feet of setting dozen men around that
station running to a given point. The
call is for wood, and, like the supposed
use of wood by some birds, may be said to
be exactly as if the engine said Wood,
wood, wood and repeated it ad infni it.
nm. Certain roads and the engineers
thereof arrange codes of whistles to suit
themselves, differing in the number of
sounds and the time between them all of
which are as general rule, of little inter
est to anybody but themselves, and refer
principally to greetings, ETC., and NAV
rightly be designated as gossip of the
road.
Flags IN this country are of three col
ors, red, white, and green, and refer to
danger. safety and precaution. 1t is a
much debated question as to what color is
best adapted for distant railroad signal,
but all authorities agree upon the fact
that red is less easily distinguishable than
many other colors. Violet is said to be
the color that can be seen at the greatest
distance, and the one which does not blend
itself into the colors of the general land
scape, foliage of trees, etc. Red, however
is the old stand by, and preserves its post,
as signal of extreme danger. No train
may pass red flag, no matter in whose
hands it may be, and the smallest child
has the power to stop an express train :;
but of course not the power to prevent get
ting into trouble for the time afterwards.
A red lantern at night serves a similar
purpose, but as occasionally the light and
bearer may not be noticed by a careless
engineer, the fagman has the privilege of
throwing his lantern at the glass windows
of the cab of the engine, which will neces-
sarily call attention to the fact of some
thing being wrong. Torpedoes, small af-
fairs which are fastened by wire to the
track, but which when passed over by the
engine explode with wonderful amount
of noise, are furnished all brakesmen by
the railroad authorities and are freely
used at night. The white flag is, all over
the world, symbol of peace and security,
and is used upon railroads to signify that
trains may proceed in safety. The green
flag is on many roads used as signal of
precaution to trains to run slowly when
passing over unsafe pieces of track, or
when possible danger may result from the
usual high rate of speed.
Upon other roads however, the same
signal is given by waving both red and
white flag together. The green flag at
talns celebrity at least one day in
month which is not accorded to that of
any other color. If an engine is seen car
Irying green flags, the signal is understood
oy all employed on the railroad that the
Paymaster Will come by the next day to
distribute his funds.
Passengers upon trains may often have
seen engineers and others employed on the
road, saluting each other By motions of the |
mar and displays of certain figures. |
" nile there is no regular rule for these
signals they have become so generally un