Train orders on the fly?

[Robert McFarland]

Recent discovery of some movie film clips of Bailey made me go back and look at the clip of C&S #9 on Youtube.In one of the scenes taken at Buffalo it appeared that a station agent passed orders to a train speeding through town  with one of those wand-like thingies that I've seen in some TRAINS magazine photos.Did C&Sng do this?

[Robert McFarland]

After watching the clip again I can see I was mistaken,but the question stands-did they use this method to pass orders to train crewmen?

[Chris Walker]

Thanks for sharing Robert.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVfeldgXQYo

[Rick Steele]

In answer to your question Robert, Yes.

In reality, during the C&S Days, it would have been occasionally as freights were only run three days a week. During that time only about 7 depots on the entire South Park system had agents manning them.

Train Order wands were standard issue at all C&S Depots.

Heck, I even picked up orders on the fly when I first hired on for UP in 1978.

The agent would get a message to pass along on a Form 19 Train order and pass them to the crew via the order wands.

When the crew had to sign for a Form 31 Train Order, the paddle board (Train Order board) would be set to "Stop" and the Engineer and Conductor would have to sign for the train order when they received it.

This is why it was important to "roll by" every depot as they approached it for the possibility that there might be train orders waiting for them. Remember, there were no radios back them to warn them of a Train Order Pickup.

Rick

[John Schapekahm]

CONTENTS DELETED

The author has deleted this message.