The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-12-06
THE TRAIN DISPATCHER.
He Must Know . Great Many Things q
Do Them Well.

THE TRAIN DISPATCHER.
He Must Know q Great Many Things ana
Do Them Well.
The position of train dispatcher is
very responsible one. Indeed, it is
the most responsible one connected
with the transportation department.
They are required to be good telegraph
operators, have general knowledge
of rules governing the movement of
trains and have great deal of conf
dence in themselves. Train dispatch
ers as a rule are men who have served
on the road as operators and have
gained, by practical experience, a
knowledge of the different depart
ments of a railroad. Among the
numerous bits of knowledge a dis
patcher must possess are the follow
ing:
He must know all the grades, curves,
capacity of side-tracks and location of
all telegraph Offices on his division:
must know the hauling capacity of all
locomotives running on his division,
and the reputation of all engineers and
conductors for making time" His
duties consist of issuing Geographic
orders to trains to meet each other or
giving one train the right of track
against another. All railroads have
a schedule, on which all trains have a
given time to make a trip over
the division. The schedule also
shows the time each train is
due to pass all stations. Trains
are classified (varying on different
roads, as follows: First class, passen-
ger trains; second class, regular
freight trains; third GLASS, 'wild" or
extra" trains. The trains take pre-
cedence over each other in the order
named. Also north or east-bound
trains have the fright of way" against
trains moving south or west, provided,
however, that first-class trains moving
south or west having the right to use
the track against second or third-class
trains moving in the opposite direc-
ton. First and second-class trains
are shown ON the time card, while
third-class or irregular trains can not
leave terminal station without first
obtaining an order from a dispatcher
on duty. Train dispatchers work eight
hours per day each. The first trick
man reports at eight a. M, second
trick at four p. m. and third trick at
twelve midnight The chief dispatch
er's hours vary, he being required to
be present whenever his presence NAV
be necessary.
As each train arrives and leaves a
station the operator reports it by using
the signal os os os, which attracts the
dispatcher's attention and he carries
the time On a sheet called train
sheet. Thus he is enabled to keep
track of his trains, knowing just where
they are. If trains could only be on
schedule time his work would be light,
but as it is they are generally late,
especially freight trains. When train
having the right of way" becomes late
and another train having arrived
at the designated meeting point on
time, the dispatcher changes the
meeting point by issuing an order to
both trains to that effect These Or
ders are delivered to the conductors
and engineers and they, after reading
them, sign them. to signify their I'M
Outstanding. The operator then sends
the signatures by wire to the dis
patcher who. after indorsing them on
the order book, 20. K" the order.
giving the signal that it is correct.
There are other forms of orders is
sued, such as giving a train a given
time to make station against train
of superior class or having the right
of way against them; giving second
ckss train an order to run ahead of a
first-class train; giving a train orders
to carry signals for a second Sec
ton" of the train receiving the order,
ETC.. etc.
1t requires the greatest watchful-
ness and care on the part of the dis
patcher to keep the trains moving and
from trying to "pass on single
track" The duties are very hard and
a constant strain is kept upon the
mind, but by faithful devotion to duty
they in time are promoted to be train
masters. superintendent and so on up
the ladder. Omaha World-Herald.