Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-02-19
SIGNALS ON TRAINS.
WHAT WHISTLES AND WAVING ARMS
AND LANTERNS MEAN.

An Interesting Subject for the Observa-
ton of Travelers-Language That Is
Easily Comprehnvded After Careful
Study-The Human Semaphore.
At the scene of a freight wreck in the
upper part of the state recently an express
train was stopped and "A party Of half II
dozen men jumped to the ground to take
advantage of the delay by walking around
Finally they gathered close to the rear car
and were very much absorbed in II story
being told by one of their number when the
whistle on the locomotive sounded three
blasts
Look outv cried one of the men, Jump
ing away from the car and dragging two
of his companions with him, shes going to
back up"
The others sprang aside ut the warning
but none too soon. for ut that moment the
rear car lurched backward and the train
rolled by them and into switch to let the
wrecking car pass.
The men crowded around the man who
gave the warning, claiming they owed their
escape from injury and probably their
the train was going to back up.
"Three whistles mean that the engineer
is about to reverse his lever" said the man
quietly. when | first began to travel
learned all the signals just for fun
Every sensible man, woman and child in
this country would do well to follow this
example Not that it will necessarily save
them some time in collision tand it may
for all that, but it adds new zest to trav
cling to be able to decipher every sound
and signal heard and seen and the man
who possesses such knowledge is ofttimes
enabled to turn it to great advantage.
The average American traveller takes his
seat in the Pullman car and considers him
self safe, relying upon the trainmen and
conductor to avoid all accidents, bestowing
no thought whatever upon the various and
ofttimes intricate signals that must he
given and received in order that his safety
may be assured
He may know that the ringing of the
bell denotes the starting of the engine or
the passage of the train over streets and
crossings, but the actions of the trainmen
the many waving lanterns and the vari
colored lights are to him riddles.
THE AIR SIGNAL.
The signals which come most frequently
u lHc dIlcUllOn Oh llle passenger are tUOSp
made by the air signal, which is one of the
best and latest acquisitions in railroad
maneuvers 1t has entirely ousted the bell
rope, which used to run the entire length
of the train.
The rope with which this signal is op
Grated hangs in each car near the roof and
every car now has its separate length OF
rope, which is connected at each end to the
air valves. The good qualities of the ali
signal are numerous. In the first place it
saves Il great deal of time and labor. for
with it the trHinman does not have to &c
through the train connecting the bell
ropes and arranging the coil of surplus
rope to the rear platform of the last car
As soon as the air brakes are connect ed
the signal is ready to he used. When the
conductor wants to signal the engineer ne
has merely to touch the thin rope hanging
above him and small steam whistle III
the cab is blown. With the bell rope he
had to lay his whole weight on the rope
and in long train the signals often went
wrong.
If train breaks in two the whistle will
be started nj once and cannot he stopped
until the tardy cars have been joined. The
engineer can therefore be instantly in
formed when car breaks away and con
sequently can take the necessary actor
Immediately, thus saving considerable
time, to say nothing of any number of live,
should the train happen to be on II dowr
grade.
One pull of the signal rope starts tn,
train and when it is in motion one pul
calls for an immediate stop Two pull,
inform the engineer that he must stop al
the next station, and three pulls is the test
signal.
LOCOMOTIVE WHISTLES.
The whistle on the locomotive is sigma
frequently observed by passengers and alsc
greatly misunderstood by them, Who ha'
not seen dozen or more heads pop out o
windows at the whistling of the engine
when there was really no cause of DANCE
or even interest. In this system there arr
eight signals used
FIRST is the long single blast used whel
approaching stations Then comes tn,
short single whistle which is general,
the sign of danger and calls for the appli
cation of the brakes In the old hanc
brake days this signal falling on the ear
of the brakemen caused them to Jump t,
the platforms and exert their utmost ef
forts III setting up" the brakes as Tight,
as human muscles could do it, The nj
brakes render this signal of small momen
now, and it is only used on freight trains
Two short, sharp whistles mean to le
OIL brakes, while three blasts signify tina
the engineer is about to reverse the leve
and back the train. One long blast an,
two short ones are the crossing signal AM
the rules are very strict in regard to thei
invariable use night and day.
Four moderately long whistles are tn
signal for calling in the flag" Wheneve
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