Re: Why a TO signal

John Craft Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> John West Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > This raised the question in my mind about
> > Farmington and Silverton that were open offices
> > but had no TO signal. I found authority in the
> > special instructions for train to leave those
> > stations without clearances.
>
> January 11, 1953, time table, rule 2: "Trains
> will leave Fir, Creede, Cumbres, Farmington and
> Silverton without a clearance card."
>
> Curiouser and curiouser.
>
> JAC

This was often done in later years when traffic has decreased to a "turn" every day or less often ..... maybe an occasional trip. There may not even have been an agent at those locations anymore, and the crew would have had to copy the clearance, contacting the DS and the company incurring a claim by nearest operator for missed work. By adding that rule, the return train can leave whenever they are ready if an extra, or assuming the schedule if one exists.

As I remember, the Silverton, for instance, had a schedule each way back then. We (ICRR, BN, etc.) used to run branchline trains frequently on work orders so that they didn't have to flag. Basically something like "Eng 478 works extra 701 AM until 701 PM between Durango and Silverton with right over all trains."

Skip Luke
Switchman (ret): Grand Canyon Railway;
Engineer (ret): Georgetown Loop RR Inc., Sumpter Valley Ry., Monticello & Sangamon Valley;
Dispatcher(ret): Illinois Central, White Pass & Yukon, Burlington Northern Ry.
Mariner, Musician, Miner