Wadsworth semi-weekly dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1900-07-04
! Transportation Department /

~
Aas....4
One Of the busiest places in Wads-
yorth will be found on the second floor
# the building known as the depot.
There are located the office of the
Train Master and the Train Dispatch
ays office. 1t is from this point that
the movement of all trains between
Truckee and Carlin are directed, a dis
lance Of 327 miles. Mr.. T. F! Done
lin. as chief dispatcher is In full charge
here not only Of the office force but Of
al train crews as we'll, and all the
other details all too numerous in a bust
ness Of this size and completely. That
his work is we'll done is too we'll known
to need any especial comment here.
AS the representative Of the company
here. he stands between it and the en-
oloyees and the public. BY his ability
and courtesy he so manages the affairs
Of his difficult office, that he fully Just
flies the confidence placed in him by
his superlors.
The busiest room in this busy build
ing is the di~spatchers' office. If you
step in there day or night, winter or
summer, you will be greeted by the
rattle Of many Geographic instruments,
and see many Ter seated around a
large table hard at work. These men
are the train dispatchers and his assist
ants. Their duties are to get the
trains over the road quickly and safely,
upon their Intelligence and watchfulness
depend thousands of dollars Of valuable
property AND the lives Of many. en-
ployes and OF the travelling public.
When ever a" mistake occurs in this
office or in the orders sent out from
here are not obeyed.. a wreck with its
loss Of life and property is the usual re-
suit. Train dispatohing on : q single
track road doing the business Of the
Southern Pacific IS no 'sinecure, eter-
nal vigilance is the price of success
The movemehtsfo of trains are direct
edfrom this office by means of orders.
These are Geographic instructions sent
out by the dispatcher to the various
offices along the road. and are deliver
ed to the train crews lat the proper
points. These ofdess tell those in
charge Of the train. where to expect to
meet certain trains. when to go in on a
side track and so onah other ways to
control and direct their movements.
This necessitates the dispatcher having
in mind all the trains thar are on. the
road and their exactI location He
uses for this purpose 4 train sheet. On
this are printed, the names of all the
stations, east and west Of Wadsworth,
or his division. AS trains leave Truckee
and Carlin they are entered on the
81
train sheet, and as they pass each sta
ton this fact is at once reported TO him
by telegraph. In this wayne knows at
all times where every train is and when
II should arrive at the next station.
With this knowledge he is able to issue
MS orders, This is done by calling up
ne office or offices from which he
wishes to deliver his orders. He then
lelegraphs his instructions; as he does
So, a mar at the table by his side
writes down the order; when the order
lSiully sent, it is telegraphed back from
me receiving office and checked off
s0rd BY word. This does away with
possibility Of mistake. AS the train
l0f which the order has been issued
comes into the station, # is stopped BY
signal and the orders delivered. The
'sln men are required TO. sign for the
O'aer' thus showing thatsit has been
received and understood. This done,
'e dispatcher is relieved Of responsi-
ollty, and il este with the engineer