Andre and Bob,
Amen, brothers, I too was one of the career brakemen/conductors and
later engineers (over 30 years worth, retired 6/1/07) who relied on the
safety aspect of switching while using hand signals. I still marvel at
what we could accomplish without radios and from roof top running boards
of cars and even coal loads (always position yourself near the center of
the car, never near the ends!) by using the hand signals.
We learned that you could increase the visibility of your signal by
using a newspaper folded in half lengthwise or the company supplied
bright reflective orange, switchlist holding, plastic sleeves. Lantern
at night or fusees in inclement weather.
Old timers (some were in their 70's when I first started) made it a
point to tell us newbies that the farther away from the engine (or
person receiving your signal) you were, the bigger you made your signal,
you wanted them to see you clearly.
My last two years I was chairman of the safety committee and along
with a fellow "experienced" employee from a sister road (there weren't
many of us left! I was #1 on the roster with a hiring date of 12/66 the
#2 guy on the roster had a hiring date of 8/2001.....!) we started a
mentoring class for new hires or those needing a refresher course. One
of the first things they were shown was the important, most needed, hand
signals.
Andre, your list of signals neglected to mention the most important
one we used.....the one for "lunch"! :-)
All in all, good times and bad, layoffs or 7 day weeks,
surprisingly....I don't miss it!
Bud Rindfleisch
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