I second Brian's recommendation of "Rights of Trains" by Josserand. Be warned, if you're not familiar with train order and timetable operations, you will have to read the book several times to begin to understand it. The interpretations of the rules aren't always what you might expect.
>"Yes, if either train is late, both trains must wait at Carracas until both are there. If it is known that either train is late, a train order would be issued to that effect, along with a change in the meet locations. An example of this was the very last San Juans met at Gato instead of Carracas."
>"If the inferior train is late to a timetable meeting the point superior train must wait until the inferior gets there unless the dispatcher issues orders to the contrary. This is to prevent head on collision if the inferior train is delayed enroute since leaving the last station before the meet.
An example would be Train 115 leaving Gato on time but stopping for some reason down the line. Having Train 116 wait at Caracas would avoid having one train having back up."
Unless D&RGW had some really strange weird rules, these interpretations are horribly wrong. The train order rules were pretty consistent from when the first "Standard Code" was issued in the 1890s until train order and timetable operations were discontinued - I think most western railroads switched to DTC/TWC/BRT by the 1990s. Unless the dispatcher intervenes, No 116 has every right as the SUPERIOR train to leave Carracas on time or up to 12 hours late and if No 115 isn't in the clear or flagging against it, the resulting cornfield meet would be No 115's fault since they were the INFERIOR train.
Consider these typical train order rules, vastly simplified:
Regular Train - A train authorized by timetable schedule.
Extra Train - A train not authorized by timetable schedule.
Superior Train - A train having precedence over another train.
21. Extra trains must display two white signals on the front of the engine.
70. A regular train is superior to another train by right, class and direction. Right is conferred by train order; class and direction by timetable. Right is superior to class and direction.
71. First class trains are superior to second and third class trains and extras. Second class trains are superior to third class trains and opposing extras. Third class trains are superior to opposing extras.
72. Regular trains in the direction specified in the timetable are superior to trains of the same class in the opposite direction.
81. Main track must not be occupied unless authorized by:
1) Timetable schedule; or
2) Rule 93 (Yard Limits); or
3) Authorized by train order as an Extra Train
82. Timetable schedules are in effect for 12 hours after their time at each station unless:
1) Fulfilled;
2) Annulled by train order; or
3) Abolished by general order for the life of the timetable.
Regular trains more than 12 hours behind either their schedule arriving or leaving time lose both schedule and train order authority and can thereafter proceed only when authorized as an extra.
82A. A train must not leave its initial station on any subdivision without a clearance unless authorized by train order, special instructions or general order.
83. Stations at which train registers are located will be designated in the timetable. At such stations, unless otherwise specified by special instructions or train order, the conductor, or engineer in absence of the conductor, of all trains except work extras, will enter all required information in the train register.
83A. Except where a train has authority to proceed ahead of or against overdue superior trains, trains must not proceed ahead of or against overdue superior trains. A train must not proceed until it has been ascertained, in one of the following ways, that all trains superior to it have arrived or left:
1) Checking timetable and train register;
2) Use of timetable and train order Form V;
3) Proper identification, either visual or by direct communication between the two crews involved.
86. An inferior train must clear a superior train in the same direction at the time the superior train is due to leave the next station in the rear time is shown.
87. An inferior train must clear the main track not less than 5 minutes (or 10 depending upon the railroad) before the timetable schedule leaving time or train order waiting time of an opposing superior train.
88. Unless otherwise provided, the inferior train must take siding at meeting points. At train order meeting points, the train holding the main track must stop clear of the switch used by the train taking siding unless the train to be met is clear of the main track and switch is properly lined.
88A. Extra trains will be governed by train orders with respect to opposing extra trains.
91. In non-signaled territory, trains must keep not less than 10 minutes apart, except when closing up at stations.
93. Within yard limits, the main track may be used by trains or engines, not protecting against other second class train, third class trains, extra trains or engines. Engines must give way to trains as soon as practicable upon their approach. All trains and engines, except first class trains, must move at restricted speed within yard limits. In non-ABS territory, in case of failure to clear the time of first class trains, protection must be provided as prescribed by Rule 99.
Inferior trains or engines must clear the main track at the time a first class train is due to leave the nearest station in the direction of its approach where time is shown. Trains must clear other trains which are superior as prescribed by Rules 86 and 87.
97. Unless otherwise provided, extra trains must be authorized by train order. An extra train is made superior to another train only by train order. Extra trains have no superiority by class or direction.
213. Train orders made complete, continue in effect until fulfilled, superseded, annulled or become void. Any part of an order specifying a particular movement may be superseded or annulled. A train order is fulfilled by complying with its requirements.
Notice there is NO provision for a superior train to wait for an inferior train, or any requirement for the dispatcher to provide for an overdue train. In the example given, No 116 is the SUPERIOR train and can leave any station at or any time up to 12 hours late of its scheduled leaving time. No 115 as the INFERIOR train by direction, has to sit and rot clear of the main track wherever it happens to be when it no longer has time to proceed against No 116's schedule.
If No 116 is going to be substantially delayed, the dispatcher can issue a train order changing the RIGHT of the trains to proceed against each other. The dispatcher has to know the superior train(s) will get the order(s) restricting them before issuing the order(s) to the inferior train(s). Several possibilities might be:
"NO 116 MEET NO 115 AT CARRACAS" - In this example No 115 (presumably running late) though the inferior train by class and direction obtains the RIGHT by train order to proceed against 116 to Carracas, since No 116 can't leave Carracas until it fulfills it train order requiring them to meet No 115 there. Of course, the dispatcher can make the meeting point anywhere, but a train still can't leave ahead of its scheduled time.
"NO 116 RUN ONE HOUR LATE IGNACIO TO CHAMA" - In this example NO 116 is known to be leaving Ignacio one hour late (bad load of coal out of Durango?), but No 116 is still superior to No 115. But since No 116 has to run one hour late from Ignacio to fulfill its order, upon receiving this order No 115 can use the time added to No 116's schedule to move against it. No 115 should be able to make Pagosa without problem, and might be able to sneak into Juanita if it can get in the hole and line the main track switch back 5/10 minutes ahead of No 116's modified leaving time of 2:03. Remember No 116 has the authority to blow through Jaunita at track speed at 2:03 or later under the late order.
"NO 115 HAS RIGHT OVER 116 IGNACIO TO CHAMA" - since a train order giving RIGHT supersedes class and direction, in this example No 115 becomes SUPERIOR to No 116 and runs on its own schedule, and No 116 has to clear for No 115 regardless how late No 115 becomes. (At the point one of the trains loses authority for being 12 hours late, the other one is probably dead too.)
There are some quirks to the system. For instance, if a local operated westward on a branch and immediately turned around and came back, if it was running late going west, by rule, it could become stuck against its own eastward schedule (being superior by direction). Unless there is a special instruction or general order to the contrary, there is no reason the dispatcher couldn't run an engine that happened to be at the end terminal on that schedule, and there is no requirement to tell the other crew. A common practice was to run the train as second class in the inferior direction, and return it on a third class schedule (making it inferior by class eliminating the potential conflict).
Under this system, trains could usually continue to move regardless of communications as long as they had authority. If all else failed, a flagman could walk far enough ahead of a train stopping any opposing trains to stop them. The crews generally could figure out how to keep trains moving if they had to. If the regular trains were close to schedule, the dispatcher's workload was determined by how many extra trains were operated. If opposing extras were to be authorized with the same or overlapping limits, then the dispatcher had to provide some kind of protection to keep them from colliding head on. One form was to only authorize the opposing extra(s) "AFTER ARRIVAL OF EXTRA XXXX (direction)". Another form was to give the opposing extras a meet, which could be superseded later.
On busy sections of track, there might be "dummy" schedules for only one direction at 4, 6 or 8 hours intervals. The dispatcher could assign one or more sections to a schedule, have it run late, or annul an unused scheduled train for the day. All the opposing trains were simply authorized as extras as they had to clear the (modified) schedule of the opposing regular trains.
Another option was something like this:
ENG 463 RUN EXTRA DURANGO TO CHAMA WITH RIGHT OVER WESTWARD EXTRAS
EXTRA 463 EAST WAIT AT
DURANGO UNTIL 1:15 PM
IGNACIO 2:30 PM
PAGOSA 3:55 PM
DULCE 4:45 PM
Note that any opposing extras would have to clear the times of Extra 463 East since it is a superior train by RIGHT. Extra 463 would have to clear the main and meet No 115 somewhere (probably Ignacio). What if 463 had a hot stock train or maybe was a plow train? Instead of "RIGHT OVER WESTWARD EXTRAS" the dispatcher could specify "RIGHT OVER WESTWARD TRAINS". That subtle change in wording makes Extra 463 East superior to No 115 by RIGHT, so No 115 would have to clear Extra 463 East at Tiffany because it can't proceed against X463E's 2:30 PM time out of Ignacio.
There is also a WORK EXTRA which is a little different which allows a train to move in either direction within its limits until its order expires. Under modern rules, a "WORK BETWEEN" gives the train the railroad between those points, but under train orders the work extra was the lowest superiority and had to provide flag protection in both directions against extra trains and clear for regular trains. Of course, the dispatcher could modify that to varying degrees up to giving it right over all other trains.
Under train order and timetable rules, the dispatcher would typically issue set of orders to allow the expected extra train movements hours in advance. One example I have seen all the trains ran as extras, and it appears the dispatcher issued orders in the morning that even included trains that evening. Another example I have seen is the Sumpter Valley (never being typical) who seemed to require trains to call in for new orders for each move. Today's dispatching in non-signaled (dark) territory is "mother may I" railroading, with a train required to call in for each segment of its move. It seems today's trains can't even respect "NOT IN EFFECT UNTIL AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF" requirements and the FRA has discouraged this practice.
Train orders rules are very specific and can be confusing to some, but worked for almost a century. Typical errors and the resulting wrecks were from getting the wrong orders or not getting the requried orders, confusing wording, errors in copying the orders, the crews misreading the orders or ignoring the rules, or dispatchers issuing "lap orders" giving two opposing trains authority to occupy the same time-space continuum. Every now and then a dispatcher would inadvertently tie up the railroad, either by issuing the bad orders or by having a train unexpectedly fall down. For example: Train A is stuck waiting to meet Train C which is stuck behind Train B which can't proceed against Train A.
Something to keep in mind - a train crew only received those orders affecting their train's movement, so they were never aware of the "big picture". The dispatcher had the ability to run trains anywhere at anytime under the rules, so even if you thought you were the only train out there an extra train could show up at any time. If the dispatcher and all the train crews were playing by the rules (including Rule 99), then there wasn't any problem even if you didn't know about all the other trains.
Dan
