> ...we also used prototypical hand signals...BR (before radio)
Interesting!
As a railroader, I will say that (IMHO) switching by hand signals was safer
than using radio.
Hand signals are almost becoming a lost art on Today's Railroad.
We have a new hire (green hand) on our crew. He seems to like railroading.
Even though I'm the engineer, as the "old head" (i.e. one that has been
around railroading WAAAAY too long), I have begun to teach him hand signals,
and how to use them. (The regular Conductor on this switch job only has 19
months railroading, so he's still learning them also.) I explained to the
new hire that radios fail, and it behooves him to know hand signals and how
to use them. IF one knows a good selection of hand signals, you can
essentially convey any info you need to convey without aid of radio. I
started by teaching him how to "count" using his hands/fingers, and the
signal for a "joint", "hooking/snapping air hoses", etc, etc.
Off the top of my head, there are hand signals for:
The Basics:
Bring Them Ahead
Take Them Away
Half Car
Stop
Other:
Numbers 1-10
Cut
Pick up
Shove
Kick
Drop
Engine House/Depot/Office
Rip Track
Bad Order
Align a switch
Align behind
Head End (of train)
Tail End (of train)
Check Your Headlight (Turn it on or off)
Swap Ends (Of a consist)
Crossing
Main Track
Pass Track
Pin (Need slack to pull a pin)
Finished (End of work)
Hold "X" cars. (i.e. leave room for)
Connect Air Hoses
Etc.
When hand signals were used day in, day out, you talked with them and gave
signals in clusters. Merely by using hand signals, a Conductor could pass
to his ground crew and engineer something like:
Align 3 rail
Pick up the head 5 cars (on 3 rail)
Shove to 4 rail, cut 2
Set remaining (cars) to Main Track
Did I say safer?
Yup, the rule was (is) simple for the engineer: If you cannot see the person
controlling the move: Stop movement.
Andre Ming
Eastern OK
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