Year: 1879

Within the last few years the work Of
running railroads has been greatly SIM
plifed. Now on every well-regUlated
railroad things move like ClOCk-WOrk,
the machinery working without a jar
dav in and day out. In the movement
of trains much depends on the train
dispatcher, who fills a most responsible
and labOriOus position. The latter-day
train-dispatcher sits at headquarters,
and. with the aid of a curious chart, Is
enabled to see at a glance the exact
whereabouts of every train on the road
at any minute Of the day. He has the
entire line before him in miniature.
Dots and PEGS of different size and shape
indicate the different trains IN motion
at the same time, and from the chart
and an elaborate time-Card the traIn-dls-
patcher is enabled to direct operations
bv telegraph with as much intelligence
and absolute knowledge as he could
possibly have were he ubiquitous, and
able to give oral commands IN hundred
different places at the same time. The
Erain-dispatCher is supposed to know
and does know the size Of each train,
freight and passenger, on his division,
the speed and power Of each engine, the
Grade of every mile of the road, and
where time can be made up to the best
advantage when trains are delayed.


He usually works with the superin-
tendent or manager OF the road, though
frequently he is put in charge Of his
DarticuIar department, and held respOn
sible for the proper management Of the
duties assigned to him, being given a
GREAT latitude and left wholly unham-
1ered. The train-dispatcher keeps a
record of the time each train starts from
tbe end of the division, and from that
moment until it arrives at It's destination,
it is constantly under ms eye ana guild
ance like chessmen in the hands Of
skiIlful player. So long as trains move
On time he is not called upon to exercise
his ingenuity much. 1t Is when tram
is ditched, or meets other unavoidable
accidents that the dispatcher shows up
to advantage.


Here he finds a field for the exercise
Of his full powers. In such emergencies
the regular time card Is Of no earthly
account. and he is forced to impTOvise
one for the occasion. He is called upon
TO decide which trains have the right Of
Wav where and how they shall meet,


where lie on the sIde-tUaCE, and q thOus-
and and one other matters that arise
ont of the emergency. Or his presence
of mind and accuracy of knowledge


IeDend the lives Of hundreds Of train
men and passengers, and thousands upon
thousands of dollars worth Of property.


Am illustration of his daily duties:
Ten trains all off of time, and running
bv telegraphic orders issued by the train
dispatcheT such a thing nOtunlrequently
babpens); put these trains on stretch
of track sixty miles long, and designate
where the FIVE going east Will meet the
five going west. One of the five west
bound is a through passenger train with
mo- stOps TO make, and can run ut GER
tain rate of speed; another IS a LEGAL
Messenger, making all stops and can run
at a certain rate Of speed different from
tbe rest: another Is q freight with a
Iigbt load; and another q freight with q
heavy load. One has part Of the road
| to run over where the grades are not
heavy. while another has large hills to
climb. All these things have to be taken
into consideration, plans formed, and
executed at On2e, and these trains
started and kept going without delay
and without accident.


Some train-displtchers handle daily
two hundred and lifty traius-on paper
"a fact that viii enable the public to


Judge something o. the Importance OF
the place.