Re: Old Whistle Signals

A couple of things to remember: there was no governing agency in the 1800's to prescribe or enforce a set of standard signals, including whistle, hand, or fixed (semaphores, etc.) It was up to the individual companies to decide what they would use. Thus, in one old 1800's rule book print I have seen, a highball was moving hand or lantern ACROSS the track at right angles, and a stop was swinging the hand or lantern vertically - just the OPPOSITE of what we would now call "normal." We've had a discussion some time ago on the variety of signal colors and meanings.
The problems began during the days of the BOOMER railroaders, who moved from line to line, working the grain rushes, etc., and who might work for three or four differnt railroads every year. Obviously some loose standards had to be put into place to avoid accidents, and you ended up with rulebooks such as the Consolidated Code of Operating Rules used by several Western roads, and the rules were also changed on individual lines to conform to "general usage." To my knowledge, however, these changes were strictly voluntary, so signals might still vary from line to line.
Again, as to the one long whistle for "grade crossings," be aware that this usually meant two railroads crossing at grade, not a highway and railroad ROW.
E. W. "Skip" Luke
former Train Dispatcher, ICRR, White Pass & Yukon Route, and BN RR.