Semaphore / Order Board discussion

[frogpipe]

My ultimate interest is in the M&Pa, but I assume it's too much to get direct info on that little line.

So, instead I'm looking for some one to share info on this "signals".

The Ma and Pa is declared to have had no signals, running entirely on timetable and train orders, but it had Order Boards. As far as I can tell, they were Semaphores that were set to basically tell the engineer "You've got mail" so he would stop and get the new orders that had been sent up by telephone/telegraph.

Why wouldn't these be considered "signals"? And what else can you good folks tell me about them (or links to read about them)?

 

[JCitron]

You might find this helpful, Ted.

http://www.railroadsignals.us/

John

 

[wva-usa]

My ultimate interest is in the M&Pa, but I assume it's too much to get direct info on that little line.

So, instead I'm looking for some one to share info on this "signals".

The Ma and Pa is declared to have had no signals, running entirely on timetable and train orders, but it had Order Boards. As far as I can tell, they were Semaphores that were set to basically tell the engineer "You've got mail" so he would stop and get the new orders that had been sent up by telephone/telegraph.

Why wouldn't these be considered "signals"? And what else can you good folks tell me about them (or links to read about them)?

Train order boards are a type of signal, specifically a train order signal. In simplest form, an "order board" could literally be a "board", e.g., a red painted board that was hung outside the station as a signal for trains to stop for clearance and orders.

This page offers an explanation on the train order system: A Train Order Primer

 

[frogpipe]

Good resources. The two arms still confuse me though. I saw one reference that said one arm horizontal and one vertical as "go" and both horizontal meant "stop".

So were they "bi-directional"? meaning that if the RIGHT arm was vertical you continued? I can't think of any other reason for 2 arms...

 

[wva-usa]

Good resources. The two arms still confuse me though. I saw one reference that said one arm horizontal and one vertical as "go" and both horizontal meant "stop".

So were they "bi-directional"? meaning that if the RIGHT arm was vertical you continued? I can't think of any other reason for 2 arms...

Signals varied by railroad. "Go" might be straight up or "Go" might be straight down (or "Go" might be some other position) -- what anything means depends the practice adopted by a given railroad.

Semaphores with two arms: Typically the top signal indicated the status of the block immediately ahead, the lower arm indicated the block beyond, but this could vary by railroad.

This page has examples of Signal Aspects from the Rule Books for different rail lines.

 

[frogpipe]

No no, they aren't one above the other they stick out two sides....

====O====

Where the "O" is the middle where the post and lights are.

 

[wva-usa]

Like this one?

 

[frogpipe]

I think so, yes. It was an old B&W photo so I can't be 100% sure of the black left arm. Seeing it in color now I suspect I was correct. The left arm is for traffic coming toward the viewer, the right arm for traffic traveling away, or past the viewer.

 

[wva-usa]

I think so, yes. It was an old B&W photo so I can't be 100% sure of the black left arm. Seeing it in color now I suspect I was correct. The left arm is for traffic coming toward the viewer, the right arm for traffic traveling away, or past the viewer.

Yeah, the signal in your photo probably worked that way.

That pic I posted is a train order semaphore single that the C&O typically used at stations, to cover traffic approaching in both directions. Two such signals were located, side by side, here in the town I live in, at a junction point where two tracks of two different railroads met. Although the station house was removed, probably in the early-1900s, the signals remained in use through at least the 1940s. After the station was removed, a very small square building about 6'x4' was erected, that served as a place for the operator to work and tend the (manually operated) signals. Across from that building was a small "outhouse" for the operator to take care of "necessary business".