Re: C&TSRR - Looking for signals

It is interesting how signals have evolved on the C&TS since I left. I guess it's all who is in charge of training. As long as everyone knows what is going on, that is the important thing. There is no "right or wrong" way.

Nowadays, there is little training done with hand signals. We were told to use the radio at all times - especially when running a steam locomotive (yes the person who made up the rule didn't know what he was talking about and never ran a steam locomotive or as far I know ever even got in the cab of one). Using good hand signals is another dying art in railroading.

What hand signals are shown in GCOR are what I was taught to be "night lantern signals". Then there are "eastern hand signals" which are essentially what I call "night signals". Being as GCOR is intended to be a "one size fits all" rule book, someone decided eastern hand signals/lamp signals was the one to go with.

A point to be made here is that the C&TS does not use GCOR. They use a variation of the old Consolidated Code of operating rules.

I'm surprised that no one caught them failing the stretch the joint before making the air up and pulling out. No foul with a cut of freight cars, but do that with a string of passenger cars and you get a bunch of ripped up gangway chains, PA cables, etc.

Been there, done that....

It's also fun to pull apart a pair of diesel units after you've made up all the MU connections and handrail chains.