The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-13

The Train Dispatcher Has More to Do
with 1t than the Engineer.

st. Nicholas.
The eyes of the engineer are on the clock
and time table before him, and he keeps
a sharp lookout ahead. For various reasons
he may fall a few minutes behindhand at
one point but he manages to make up the
loss at another He has certain stops to
make. and he makes all speed possible be-
tween them. But he is not master of the
road. At any moment a danger signal along
the line may confront him. He may be
ordered to bring his train to a standstill
at small way station, and there receive
asks no questions, but obeyS orders. Five
minutes later a special may rush past
him. and then the signals are set again,
warning the engineer of the express that
he must make up for lost time.
To understand this delay, and the sudden
changes made in the time table, it will be
necessary to go back to headquarters and
to watch the general superintendent and
the train dispatcher. Although many trains
running on the line are hundreds of miles
away, the exact position of every one, ev-
cry second in the hour, is known and re-
corded. A telegraph operator is working in
dustr1ously in the office of the train dis
patcher, receiving and sending orders. The
running orders of all the trains are directed
from this office. Each engineer has orders
to make a certain run according to the time
table. unless other orders from heaGquar-
tiers interfere
If an accident happens on the road. the
train dispatcher knows it almost as soon
as the passengers. A breakdown of some
local train the main line may upset all
the calculations of the day. Immediately
the express running on tnaJ line must. be
stopped before a collision occurs. A snow
storm may blockade a train on the north
ern branch of the road. and thereby make
necessary change in the regular schedule.
A train from the West is half an hour be-
hind, perhaps, and this interferes with the
regular running of the other trains. Ar
rangements must be made to let trains pass
without accident. The express trains near
ly always have the right of way. A West
ern express may be behind time, and start
out five minutes ahead of some special ex-
press. In this instance she must give the
special the right of way, and she is forced
upon some siding. The special express
passes without losing minute.
There are fifty trains coming and going,
one behind time, another ahead, probably,
and each crowding out another. The train
dispatcher has to regulate this tangle end
keep things running smoothly. Thus it is
that the engineer of a flyer may suddenly
find himself side-tracked.
Should the train dispatcher make a mis-
take or fail to make arrangements for two
fast-moving trains the block-signal system
would probably prevent an accident. The
block towers are connected by telegraph
lines, and a bell code enables the men to
communicate directly with each other. They
can stop a train at any moment by means
Of their signals, independent of orders from
headquarters. Thus the engineer depends
entirely upon others to keep the track clear,
and he merely runs his train as near sched-
ule time as possible, and keeps his iron
steed in perfect condition.