Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-12-06
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
Dispute Arose the Conductors Deeid-
ed Which Train Had to Back Down.

most interesting exhibit OF the
early days of railroading In this coun-
try has been found by the Railroad
Age Gazette. II Is a schedule for pas
senger trains and rules for the conduct
OF enginemen and conductors ON the
Western and Atlantic. which was ut
the time and still Is owned by the
state of Georgia. The table Is dated
March /. 1852. and was issued by VIII
liam NJ. wadley, superintendent. ia
Their of George d. wadley. the latter
for many years manager OF the Cen
tral Railroad OF Georgia.
| The schedule shows Il picture OF an
engine and cars at the top. Under 1t
the numbers and names of the sta
tions, the times for arrival, the times
for departure and the time taken TO
marks about passing sidctracked
freights are all carefully tabulated.
In the rules for engincmen and con
ductors are many which seem quaint
in this age of colossal railroading. or
course the road had only one track
and rule II for passenger conductors
shows that there must have been some
dispute when trains met as to which
train had the right to keep on its way
uninterrupted This rule says:
"As general rule. Wien trains meet
between stations the train nearest the
turnout will run back. ANY dispute as
10 which train is to retire Is to be de
termlned 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 II they meet
near the center"
Rule gives the conductor directions
for reporting on the number OF passen-
| gers who are paying and the number
OF ministers OF the gospel who were to
be charged half price when ON bust.
ness connected witfthcir calling The
same rule indicated that the governor
of the state and the general supcrin-
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 10 was ad-
| monlshcd never 10 leave Atlanta OF
| Chattanooga without the mail or with
out first sending TO the postofiice after
It. Rule Il says that train stopping
| at any station ut 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 II
| his train killed any stock and threw
the COW or cows In such n 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
(thc turnout evidently was the switch
Ing track the speed had to he dimin-
ished to six miles an hour
Rule 6 might be put In force today
with good effect and to the delight OF
a much jolted travelling public. II
reads.
| "In connecting and in starting with
| hfo trat,, th, avovfnn,,aV ho
ceedlngly 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 engincmen:
For any violation of the above
rules. for running or AZ turnouts. for
killing OF stock by daylight and for all
other irregularities the general super
intendent will impose such fines as he
deems Just aud called for by the nn.
ture of the offense."
The freight trains took two days 10
make the 1877 miles between Atlanta
and Chattanooga. The stops at the
stations varied from ten to sixty min
utcs, One OF the rules for freight con-
ductors about keeping n certain dis
lance from the trains ahead OF him
| and behind him shows that there must
have been delightful uncertainty
about the provisions for changing
meeting points in case trains were de-
layed. II is evident that there was no
telegraph communication along the
line. although this was eight years
after Morse had demonstrated that he
could send messages over the wire
from Washington 10 Baltimore. Sew
eral months before Charles Mnot also
had made use OF the telegraph IN
ordering the operation OF trains ON the
Erie