Etrump Wrote:
=======================================================
> More on signals...perhaps of interest to those who
> have never done it..
>
> At night,using the trainman's lamp, coupling up an
> engine to a cut of cars would be done in a similar
> manner as during daytime, except the signals would
> be passed by the brakeman on the ground to the
> hogger while facing the engine with his lamp in
> his right hand.
>
> The lamp would be moved in a slow counterclockwise
> circle to start the
> reverse movement of the engine toward the cut of
> cars.
> A swift upward "jerk" of the lamp would indicate
> "one carlength" (or however many...two jerks would
> be "two cars" etc.) to go.
>
> Then as the engine came with in half then quarter
> carlength, the circular lamp motion would be
> slowed, and just prior to knuckles touching, the
> lamp would be lowered and swung across
> perpencicular to the track in a "stop" signal.
>
> After the coupling completed and the pin was seen
> or heard to drop, a
> slow "go forward" signal would be indicated by
> slowly raising and lowering the lamp vertically
> until the slack came out of the coupling
> and then immediately another "stop" signal was
> given.
>
> The lamp going out of sight indicated NOTHING was
> moved again until the brakeman and his lamp was
> again visible, so as to enable him to couple up
> the airhoses and open the angle cocks same as in
> daytime.
>
> Then, either the vertical "Go ahead" signal or
> the circuilar "backup" signal was given for
> whatever further movement was needed.
>
> You don't see night lamp signals much any more, I
> guess they do it
> all with VHF handheld radios brakeman-to-engine.
>
> But hand signaling at night with a lamp was a real
> art in days
> gone by.
I found the information in both of your posts very interesting.
Thanks.
