The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-09-13

OF the accident season, Wnen the
- train came 10 a sudden stop with
an awful wrenching and lurching
and screeching Of air brakes. and won
der. as you gazed apprehensively through
the dripping windows, why you were thus
detained miles and miles from nowhere,
and why the brakeman you had seen pass
ing and repassing through the car with
lighted lantern under his arm was stand
ing out IN the rain swinging 1t in all sorts
OF fancy genuhections. instead of taking
that empty seat at the back of the car and
making himself comfortable. as every one
else was doing?
And when IN answer TO those self-same
lantern calisthenics the train began TO be-
have Outrageously. did you ever try TO
puzzle out the meaning of it all? For Of
course there is a meaning. and very def
mite meaning at that In fact, your very
life depends upon the precise and proper
dip curve Of that funny little pot-bel-
lied lantern, for its slightest FLIP is regu-
lated by a code of rules, a code so strict
that none may deyiate in even the slight
est degree frcm the letter and law OF
them, and Withal a code that means vol
umes TO those who understand it, This
code is the easiest thing in the world TO
master when once you are given the key
70 IT, Every railroad emplOye is obliged
TO know il thoroughly. but except for
these the railroad magnates sedulously
guard the signals from the great public
at large, THAI this page is OF special
value. not alone because il gives you the
very latest information regarding the OPP
Grafton Of a train, but because II is infOr-
-lation not easily gained.
OF course every one who travels gets
fair sma Itering Of the rules and regula-
lions that govern great railroad, but
with a slight study on the subject they
can become cOnversant with every signal
that the conductor gives with his lantern
or with every jerk he gives on the bell
cord The shrill whistle Of the locomotive
is now only sounded in strict accordance
with a code Of signals and when a train
is racing along across the continent IL is
IL this way that the conductor and the
engineer keep in touch with each other
in fact in this way they frequently carry
on abbreviated converse tons
With the exception Of a few trunk lines
operating between Chicago and New York
all railroads in the United States have
identically the same code Of signals. They
are issued in book form and every en-
ploye connected with the operative de-
partment Is given a revised edition once
q year
In reference 70 engine whistles the en-
gineer has to be most careful that he
duration proportiOnate 10 the distance
that the signal is conveyed. Like the
Morse telegraph code the signals are con-
veyed with long and short dots and
dashes
FOR instance. 80" stands for short
sounds and 49, for longer sounds. When
an engineer gives short blast. o." thus,
Il means stop. The brakeman knows he
must Immediately apply the brakes.
Two long blasts, - =" thus. means
release brakes"
One long blast. -" and then three
short ones mean ''haguan. go back and
protect rear end OF train This signal is
generally given the moment the train
pulls I'D at some point not down on the
schedule.
The code Of hand. flag and lamp sig
When a conductor swings his lantern
across ike in figure (a) At is a signal TO
stop
Raised and lowered as in figure Cb) It
means proceed.
Swung vertically IN a circle across the
track when the train Is standing as in
figure (c) the signal means back.
Swung vertically IN a circle at arms
length across the track when the train
is running as IN figure I'D the train has
parted
noted in figure Ce) means apply air
brakes.
A lantern held at arms length above
the head when the train is standing as IN
figure % means release air brakes
An every one knows flags are used in
the daytime and lanterns at night, red
means stop, green proceed. yellow pro-
coed with caution, green and white flag
stop. blue flag by day or a blue light
by night means to an engineer that
vorkmen are about and to be cautious.
Watches OF train crews are examined
By inspectors every night, for which they
receive a certificate, which is filed with
the superintendent Of the division. Be
fore a train pulls out the conductor of
the train and the engineer must compare
time by their watches
Possibly you have noticed flags placed
on the front part OF a locomotive; you
have seen them there, but do not know
what they mean Two white flags placed
in front OF an engine means that II is an
extra train. Besides the two white flags
two white lanterns are placed on the en-
Rfne at night. This is : @wn In figures
I and ?.
Two green flags on the engine running
forward by day means that there is an
other section following behind and to
look out for II.
At night two green lanterns are also
placed on the engine. This is shown In
designs herewith.
Two green flags on the upper part Of
the structure Of the engine and two down
below near the cowcatcher, when an en-
ffne is running backward without cars.
or at the rear OF a train pushing cars,
mean there is another section Following.
At night the same meaning Is signaled
by two green lights on top and two red
lights below.
The two green flags you see at the rear
end Of a coach are there simply TO show
the end OF the base Of the train
At night two green lanterns are hung
out when the train lie running, and two
red lights when the train is standing still,
as ia figures herewith.
TIE headlight OF an engine Is displayed
10 the front OF the train by night, but is
always concealed by the engineer draw
ing a shade over II when a train turns
out to meet another and has stopped
clear OF the main track or is standing to
meet trains at the end OF a double track
or at junction.
The average trainman Of any expert
ence whether conductor or brakeman,
can tell the speed Of the train by the
click Of the wheels on the rails, or, in