Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-12-05
RAILROAD COMEDY
Methods Of Operation In 1852
Seem laughabIe Today.
QUAINT RIGHT OF WAY RULES.
On tho Western and Atlantic When
Trains Met Between Stations and .
Dispute Arose the Conductors Decd.
ed Which Train Had to Back Down.

Trains Met Between Stations and q
Dispute Arose the Conductors Dec,d-
ed Which Train Had to Back Down.
A most interesting exhibit Of the
early days of railroading in this coun-
Try has heen found by the Railroad
Age Gazette. 1t is Il schedule for pas
SenSer trains and rules for the conduct
of engiDemen 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 |, 1862, and was issued by VIII
liam NJ Wadley, superintendent. IA
Their OF George d. Wadley. the latter
for many years manager of the Gen.
trail Railrond of Georgia.
The schedule shows picture of an
engine and cars ut the top. Under it
the numbers and names Of the sta
tons, 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. or
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 its way
uninterrupted. This rule says:
"As 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 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
he charged half price when on bust
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 ouly indi-
viduals who had a 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 postotfice after
it. Rule II says that u train stopping
ut any station ut night must invariably
he run on the turnout SO as to leave
the main track clear. and that strict
watch had to he kept in all cases
where train stopped at night.
In the regulations for passenger en-
ginemen there are a 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 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
I'M hour generally. In passing turnOuts
Nhe turnout evidently was the switch
ing track, the speed had to he dimin.
isled to six miles an hour
Rule 6 might be put in force today
with good effect and to the delight Of
much jolted travelling public. 1t
reads:
I'm 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 1871 miles between Atlanta
and Chattanooga. The stops ut the
stations varied from ten to sixty min
ntes. One Of the rules for freight con.
ductors about keeping certain dis
lance from the trains ahead Of him
and behind him shows that there must
have been Il delightful uncertainty
about the provisions for changing
meeting points I'm case trains were de-
layed. 1t 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 to Baltimore. Sew
pral 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 Her?
n.