The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1913-11-21
RAILROAD COMEDY
Methods of Operation In 1852
Seem LaughabIe Today.
QUAINT RIGHT OF WAY RULES.

On the western and Atlantic when
Trains Met Between Stations and a
Dispute Arose the Conductors Decid-
ed Which Train Had to Back Down.
most interesting exhibit of the
early days OF rairoading in this coun-
Dry has been found by the Railroad
Age Gazette. 1t is a schedule for pas
senger trains and rules for the conduct
of enginemen and conductors on the
Western and Atlantic, which was at
the time and still is owned by the
state of Georgia. The table is dated
March l, 1852, and was issued by Will
liam NJ. Wadley. superintendent, fa-
ther of George ID. Wadley, the latter
for many years manager of the Cen
tral Railroad of Georgia.
The schedule shows a picture of an
engine and cars at the top. Under it
the numbers and names of the sta
tions, the times for arrival. the times
for departure and the time taken to
run between stations as well as re.
marks about passing sidetracked
freights are all carefully tabulated.
In the rules for enginemen and con-
ductors are many which seem quaint
in this age of colossal railroading. OF
course the road had only one track.
and rule IA for passenger conductors
shows that there must have been some
dispute when trains met as to which
train had the right to keep on it's way
uninterrupted. This rule says:
LAS a general rule, when trains meet
between stations the train nearest the
turnout will run back. ANY dispute as
to which train is to retire is to be de-
termined at once by the conductors
without interference on the part of the
enginemen. This rule is required TO be
varied in favor of the heaviest loaded
engine or worst grades If they meet
near the center
Rule Z gives the conductor directions
for reporting on the number of passen-
gers who are paying and the number
of ministers of the gospel who we're to
be charged half price when on busi-
ness connected with their calling. The
same rule indicated that the governor
of the state and the general superin-
tendent of the road were the only indi-
viduals who had right to give passes
The conductor was ordered to in
spect the running gear of his train at
every station and in rule 13 was ad-
monished never to leave Atlanta or
Chattanooga without the mail or with
out first sending to the postofice after
! it. Rule IL says that train stopping
at any station at night must invariably
be run on the turnout so as to leave
the main track clear, and that strict
watch had to be kept in all cases
where train stopped at night.
In the regulations for passenger en-
ginemen there are number which
seem almost humorous in this period
OF railroad management For instance
the engineman was instructed that If
his train killed any stock and threw
the COW or cows In such a position as
to endanger the safety of the next
train he was to stop his train and see
that the track was cleared
Passenger trains were not to exceed
the speed Of their schedule except
when behind time. in which case the
speed might be increased three miles
an hour generally. In passing turnouts
dhe turnout evidently was the switch
ing track the speed had to be dimin-
ished to six miles an hour
Rule 6 might be put in force today
with good effect and to the delight of
much joIted travelling public. 1t
reads:
in connecting and in starting with
his train the engineman will be ex-
ceedingly careful in the management
of the throttle so that the cars may not
| be injured or the passengers annoyed
| by the sudden violence of the start"
This paragraph is found at the end
of the regulations for enginemen:
For any violation of the above
rules, for running off at turnouts. for
killing of stock by daylight and for all
other Irregularities the general super
intendent will impose such fines as he
deems just and called for by the ma
ture Of the offense"
The freight trains took two days to
make the 1877 miles between Atlanta
4
stations varied from ten to sixty min,
utes. One of the rules for freight con-
ductors about keeping certain dis
| tance from the trains ahead of him
and behind MIN shows that there must
have been delightful uncertainty
about the provisions for changing
meeting points in case trains were de-
| layed. 1t is evident that there was no
telegraph communication along the
| line, although this was eight years
after Morse aad demonstrated that he
| could send messages over the wire
| from Washington TO Baltimore. Sew
eral months before Charles Minot also
| had made use Of the telegraph In
ordering the operation of trains on the
Erie.
Now What Did He Give Harp