The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-03-08
PA.F 8.

on which IL rests. A signalrnan then
Is a man on whom vast deal of re-
sponsibility lies. He must have a
clear head and a good memory, a cool
nerve and a steady hand This
is his ordinary duty: he must look TO
open signals the moment any train is
telegraphed to him and enter the same
with exact time in the proper column
of a book. Then he must set his
points, when this IS necessary, and
when the train has passed, he must
telegraph on TO next station, enter the
time and fact in another column OF his
book, and then relieve his points again
to be ready for the next train. Every
one knows the semaphore formula,
''up arm for danger; down arm for
clear line-'' And it should be borne
in mind that this Is not only the pro-
cedure for passenger trains; but for all
trains whatever, nay, even for light
engines, or for pilot engines, and bal
last engines, and engines passing for
purposes OF relief or for hundred
other reasons; all are telegraphed, sig
nailed and entered without respect Of
persons, because TO the signalman
the returning coal or ballast engine is
just OF As much Importance as an ex-
press train-it may wreck an express
train If by any oversight It were get
ting wrong or run on the wrong met
els. The signalman's book is there
fore a complete record Of every thing
that goes on by the metals past his
box, and his primary duty is to keep
his section cloar, or, If blocked, TO let
all concerned clearly know it.
In some cases, ss IA that of the big
towns and extensive functions, the
Work goes On sc ceaselessly by night
as by day. Then the good trains roll
along, then the empty trucks come
back, then the extra engines como in
All hsvo 20 be dealt with in the way
we have described and entered in our
signalman's book, which is an ex-
tended index of all the traffic of tho
company at tho point with which 1t
deals There is no end of extra or
special things to which tho signalman
must attend aud have always in readi-
ness. One of them Is the fog signal,
which Is most important In the
depth Of winter or in thick fogs the
signalmsn then has 70 trust almost
wholly to his ears. Immediately that
he has cleared one train and got his
points straight, out he goes little
distance up or down the line, az the
case may be, for the next up or down
train, and there he attaches by a sort
of wire fixture TO the metals kind of
slightly raised band containing an ex-
plosive material This Is tho fog sig
nal, which stands TO him In the place
of an engine-indicator IN the daylight
When the first wheels Of the engine
pass over It It explodes and gives the
signal. -. 49, -
Every signalman must be fair teleg-
raphist; for, though In many cases
telegraph boys are kept, he must SUI
pervise and watoh them. ''It is i'm
perativo that every signalman be able
10 work the needle instrument ex-
peditiously," and ''signalmen are held
responsible for tho telegraph boys at
tention to duty" In cases where
there Is no telegraph boy, which, OF
course, happens at what are deemed
the less important stations, the sig
mailman is also the teIegraphist; and
he IS thus directed: Messages 10
signRl-boxes whore there are no bows
must be telographod very slowly and
distinctly TO enable the signaImen to
read them"
But the signalman's judgment has
of necessity a good deal left TO it, and
that in circumstances that may be most
trying. Now and then we como on
directions Z" not to use tho wire
save when necessary" And 10 give
some idea OF the work that in special
cases, and in cases of danger, may rise
the following may DO cited:
IN tho event OF a line being blocked near
a telegraph box, information must be sent
along tho circuit AZ once stating the time the
line IS iLloly 10 pe blocked, euc the stations
on the circuit must be advised when the line Is
s4sth clear
There may be some differences In
detail in the working OF different
lines, but in the broad the same prin-
ciples hold for all. The signalman
IN all cases have not only 10 receive
the signal, clear and telegraph, but
TO keep exact and faithful record.
The least slip on his part might at
any moment be fatal In some cases
there are, In a single box, rs many
as forty or fifty shafts, which have to
be constantly in use. The putting of
the hand on one instead of on
another, separated only by a few
inches, might be the cause Of a col
lision, with death, and injury, and
miserable torture 90 hundreds OF men.
women and children.
Notwithstanding all the care that
can be takon, unexpected things will
occur, which, even In the case of the
Queens train, throw the whole On,es
on the driver and signalman. On one
of the Queens journeys from Balmoral
TO Windsor in the summer OF last
year, for instance, a stranger and per-
haps unexampled thing happened. We
take the account of IL from the West
moreland Gazette:
Tho signalman at Hiucaster Junction.
about five miles south Of Kendall had mis-
lamps II, and AL appeared right until few
minutes before the approach Of The royal train.
As .he train got near the junction the down
distant signal, which was 20 guide the
dr.vo- OF the rOy Al train, was in darkness, and
FOR the purpose Of irsuriug safety the train
was brought 70 a staudsJll On making an iu-
spection OF the signal lamp it was found 10
contain grand swarm OF bees, the great num-
Der having had the effect OF putting out me
lamp, which the signalman was uua9lesSo
light again The bees had evidently Beenr at
tractcd by the light Dewhurst Cthc signal
nam regrets that time would not allow OF the
swarm being secured In box and sent Tor
ward with the royal train. '-Alexander ".
Ja2p, LID, in Good Words.