Caboose to Engineer communication

[Anonymous]

ATSF SEMAPHORES
The signal was infact a large disc in the order of 12" diam abd was mounted on the upright wall of the cupola and moved in an arc at an angle of 90 degrees fto the lenght of the train. The conductor moved it in different ways to indicate different meanings.

Other railroads inlater days, used automobile type air-horns and auto batteries for power to comunicate with long short and crow blasts. A crow is the noise a rooster makes and it derived from our limey cousins across the pond. Laterly somerailroads used two way radios to comunicate between caboose and engine. Some conductors used cartriges that burnt with different colored smoke to indicate a communication during the day and colored lamps at night. There are so amy different ways of comunicating an article in Trains or Model Railroader is what we need to find it all out. How about it Andy?

[Anonymous]

ATSF SEMAPHORES
The signal was infact a large disc in the order of 12" diam abd was mounted on the upright wall of the cupola and moved in an arc at an angle of 90 degrees fto the lenght of the train. The conductor moved it in different ways to indicate different meanings.

Other railroads inlater days, used automobile type air-horns and auto batteries for power to comunicate with long short and crow blasts. A crow is the noise a rooster makes and it derived from our limey cousins across the pond. Laterly somerailroads used two way radios to comunicate between caboose and engine. Some conductors used cartriges that burnt with different colored smoke to indicate a communication during the day and colored lamps at night. There are so amy different ways of comunicating an article in Trains or Model Railroader is what we need to find it all out. How about it Andy?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Avondaleguy

This thread took off!

Now, I'm not only informed, I am hungry...

[:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Avondaleguy

This thread took off!

Now, I'm not only informed, I am hungry...

[:D]

[AltonFan]

I seem to remember that some older Santa Fe cabeese had a semphore-like device for caboose to locomotive communication.

[AltonFan]

I seem to remember that some older Santa Fe cabeese had a semphore-like device for caboose to locomotive communication.

[Anonymous]

In regards to cabooses I have worked on (volunteer), rode on, and otherwise been on there are multiple answers to what you have questioned. As previously stated many cabooses did use a whistle connected tied directly onto the air line for limited communications. In addition some would have an air brake valve as others have stated. Although in most cases I would presume all the conductor need do is set the brakes until the engineer up front would take notice and make the proper release. Both crews would always be paying close attention to the train so more than likely a head end would see any defects on shorter trains. From the head end communication was no problem as period rulebook chapters on whistle signals attest. But the problem still existed until the development of radio.
Tim Sheffield

[Anonymous]

In regards to cabooses I have worked on (volunteer), rode on, and otherwise been on there are multiple answers to what you have questioned. As previously stated many cabooses did use a whistle connected tied directly onto the air line for limited communications. In addition some would have an air brake valve as others have stated. Although in most cases I would presume all the conductor need do is set the brakes until the engineer up front would take notice and make the proper release. Both crews would always be paying close attention to the train so more than likely a head end would see any defects on shorter trains. From the head end communication was no problem as period rulebook chapters on whistle signals attest. But the problem still existed until the development of radio.
Tim Sheffield

[Anonymous]

This thread took off!

Now, I'm not only informed, I am hungry...

[Anonymous]

This thread took off!

Now, I'm not only informed, I am hungry...

[dehusman]

Somewhere in Southeast Missouri (the boothill area) the ex MO PAC and now UP crews had a little hamburger joint right next to the tracks. Somewhere I have seen a pic of it with someone from the hamburger joint giving one of the train crews a sack of food.

===============================
The Spring Cafe in Spring, Texas north of Houston was involved in something like this. For several years in 1981-82 there was a temporary train order office next to the Junction switch and the cafe was across the street.

Dave H.

[dehusman]

Somewhere in Southeast Missouri (the boothill area) the ex MO PAC and now UP crews had a little hamburger joint right next to the tracks. Somewhere I have seen a pic of it with someone from the hamburger joint giving one of the train crews a sack of food.

===============================
The Spring Cafe in Spring, Texas north of Houston was involved in something like this. For several years in 1981-82 there was a temporary train order office next to the Junction switch and the cafe was across the street.

Dave H.

[dehusman]

Somewhere in Southeast Missouri (the boothill area) the ex MO PAC and now UP crews had a little hamburger joint right next to the tracks. Somewhere I have seen a pic of it with someone from the hamburger joint giving one of the train crews a sack of food.

[dehusman]

Somewhere in Southeast Missouri (the boothill area) the ex MO PAC and now UP crews had a little hamburger joint right next to the tracks. Somewhere I have seen a pic of it with someone from the hamburger joint giving one of the train crews a sack of food.

[Wdlgln005]

For eating, I thought the caboose also contained a small cookstove that also provided heat. It could be hot enough to have a fresh pot brewing & a hot skillet for quick meals. It would be one more reason for the hogger to be kind to the caboose, don't want to spill any drinks! I wonder if there would be enough space for a 4-5 man crew to have some meals & drinks & jokes together ? Did train crews take "breaks" every so often just like factory workers?

[Wdlgln005]

For eating, I thought the caboose also contained a small cookstove that also provided heat. It could be hot enough to have a fresh pot brewing & a hot skillet for quick meals. It would be one more reason for the hogger to be kind to the caboose, don't want to spill any drinks! I wonder if there would be enough space for a 4-5 man crew to have some meals & drinks & jokes together ? Did train crews take "breaks" every so often just like factory workers?

[AltonFan]

In St. Marys, Kansas, there is a fast food place right across the street from the UP mainline. Every so often, the local would stop on the tracks across from this place, and the crew would have lunch there.

[AltonFan]

In St. Marys, Kansas, there is a fast food place right across the street from the UP mainline. Every so often, the local would stop on the tracks across from this place, and the crew would have lunch there.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by HighIron2003ar

With the abundance of electricity, it would have been easy to siphon a bit of juice off a deisal with an inverter and use a hot plate or something.

When My wife and I drove, we would invert the truck power to about 1500 watts of 120 volt A/C this enabled us to do some full meals on the move. Saved us about 12,000 USD a year.

It is also possible that the railroad had arranged for crews to be at a local eateary from time to time in which they were served well. The old N and W books showed pictures of the train crew getting meals trackside by a waitress from the town restraunt.

Lee

Hey all,

Somewhere in Southeast Missouri (the boothill area) the ex MO PAC and now UP crews had a little hamburger joint right next to the tracks. Somewhere I have seen a pic of it with someone from the hamburger joint giving one of the train crews a sack of food. It might have been a place totally for the railroad crews and not for the general public. There was (if I remember right) a wooden type walkway between the tracks and the hamburger joing that was about the cab height.

Anyone having info on this let's hear more.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by HighIron2003ar

With the abundance of electricity, it would have been easy to siphon a bit of juice off a deisal with an inverter and use a hot plate or something.

When My wife and I drove, we would invert the truck power to about 1500 watts of 120 volt A/C this enabled us to do some full meals on the move. Saved us about 12,000 USD a year.

It is also possible that the railroad had arranged for crews to be at a local eateary from time to time in which they were served well. The old N and W books showed pictures of the train crew getting meals trackside by a waitress from the town restraunt.

Lee

Hey all,

Somewhere in Southeast Missouri (the boothill area) the ex MO PAC and now UP crews had a little hamburger joint right next to the tracks. Somewhere I have seen a pic of it with someone from the hamburger joint giving one of the train crews a sack of food. It might have been a place totally for the railroad crews and not for the general public. There was (if I remember right) a wooden type walkway between the tracks and the hamburger joing that was about the cab height.

Anyone having info on this let's hear more.

[Anonymous]

With the abundance of electricity, it would have been easy to siphon a bit of juice off a deisal with an inverter and use a hot plate or something.

When My wife and I drove, we would invert the truck power to about 1500 watts of 120 volt A/C this enabled us to do some full meals on the move. Saved us about 12,000 USD a year.

It is also possible that the railroad had arranged for crews to be at a local eateary from time to time in which they were served well. The old N and W books showed pictures of the train crew getting meals trackside by a waitress from the town restraunt.

Lee

[Anonymous]

With the abundance of electricity, it would have been easy to siphon a bit of juice off a deisal with an inverter and use a hot plate or something.

When My wife and I drove, we would invert the truck power to about 1500 watts of 120 volt A/C this enabled us to do some full meals on the move. Saved us about 12,000 USD a year.

It is also possible that the railroad had arranged for crews to be at a local eateary from time to time in which they were served well. The old N and W books showed pictures of the train crew getting meals trackside by a waitress from the town restraunt.

Lee

[Anonymous]

As far as cooking on a diesel locomotive, the oil cooler might have been the place. It was in "Trains,' on an article about the Rock Island suburban service out of Chicago. Apparently, one of the engineers was training for a new career after the imminent decline of the Rock. IIRC, he was cooking cheese casseroles or something like that, advanced types of things.

[Anonymous]

As far as cooking on a diesel locomotive, the oil cooler might have been the place. It was in "Trains,' on an article about the Rock Island suburban service out of Chicago. Apparently, one of the engineers was training for a new career after the imminent decline of the Rock. IIRC, he was cooking cheese casseroles or something like that, advanced types of things.

[dehusman]

The air whistle was mounted on the rear platform handrail near the brake valve.

[dehusman]

The air whistle was mounted on the rear platform handrail near the brake valve.

[Anonymous]

heh.

I have cooked many a dinner in a semi. Just wrap your goodie in foil, stick it behind a turbocharger and wait a few minutes. It aint perfect but it will get hot.

in the Army (Or any service that runs tractors with 5 inch stacks) one could drop a meal down the stack (MRE) and wait at idle for 9 minutes exactly. And with a slap on the accelerator the burst of exhaust will pop the meal out cooked.

I did not once consider the firebox as a dinner, coffee be easy too. Just carry some grounds and draw water as needed and boil it. Steaks can be done too. That may be one of the secrets to the enjoyment of railroading, all the good eating.

Lee

[Anonymous]

heh.

I have cooked many a dinner in a semi. Just wrap your goodie in foil, stick it behind a turbocharger and wait a few minutes. It aint perfect but it will get hot.

in the Army (Or any service that runs tractors with 5 inch stacks) one could drop a meal down the stack (MRE) and wait at idle for 9 minutes exactly. And with a slap on the accelerator the burst of exhaust will pop the meal out cooked.

I did not once consider the firebox as a dinner, coffee be easy too. Just carry some grounds and draw water as needed and boil it. Steaks can be done too. That may be one of the secrets to the enjoyment of railroading, all the good eating.

Lee

[AltonFan]

I seem to recall that the Santa Fe had cabooses equipped with a semaphore device of some kind.

QUOTE: dehusman reports:
The conductor had both a brake valve and an air whistle on the caboose.

I did not know about the whistle. Where would it have been mounted? Or are we talking about a whistle that the conductor himself blew?

QUOTE: HighIron2003ar guesses:
I suspect that on shorter trains they may simply have walked back and forth across the tops of the cars for coffee etc.

From what I understand, walking along roofwalks on a moving train was something the crew preferred to avoid. I would tend to believe that engine crews would either have carried thermos-type bottles for their coffee, or put the firebox to creative use. (I once read an account of how an engine crew cooked steaks on a coal scoop.)

This leads to another question: has anybody attempted to do "manifold cooking" on a diesel locomotive?