Like a lot of terms, it has nuances that have developed since originally meaning a clear aspect of a ball signal. Generally (varied with railroads) with lantern signals, a vertical up and down swing meant go away from me while swinging a circle meant come to me. A lantern highball was either of those two signals exaggerated and preceded with a quick rocking side-to-side arc with the hump upward. The arc would be maybe one foot across. It was almost like the basic come to me and go away from me signs were modified with the preceding arc to make them more than just one of a series of go ahead and back up signs used during switching.
That arc would also be used alone as a tiny, fast arc, only a few inches across for about one second. It was like a tiny mars light. That simply meant answering OK, like for telling someone that a switch was lined. So I take that OK meaning to also apply to the bigger version of that arc that was used to make a come or go sign into a highball. An OK is sort of implicit with OK to leave town. I wonder if the lantern arc is a symbol of a ball.
Here is what a railroad glossary says about Highball:
HIGHBALL—Signal made by waving hand or lamp in a high, wide semicircle, meaning "Come ahead" or "Leave town" or "Pick up full speed." Verb highball or phrase 'ball the jack means to make a fast run. Word highball originated from old-time ball signal on post, raised aloft by pulley when track was clear. A very few of these are still in service, in New England and elsewhere.
I would disagree that HIGHBALL means “Come ahead” as the definition says.
How did the drink acquire the name, highball?
wjstix - Thanks much for posting that photo - it's the perfect illustration of a "highball" - and how many of us noticed the "lowball" on the left side as well ?
If I'd known where to find one, I'd have done so myself. Thanks again !
- Paul North.
The origin I have been exposed to, by my grandfather once die-hard engineer, is that before the widespread use of semaphores, RR's used a system of balls. When the ball was raised the engineer had a clear signal thus giving him the famed "high ball." I have also heard the term high ball used to describe a engineer who runs his train a little on the fast side of things. I'm sure no one does that now...
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wjstix Ball signal: The ball up high meant "clear" or "proceed". It could get complicated, some New England junctions had say three masts, each showing one, two or three balls each. When semaphores became standard, in the US we tended to use upper-quandrant ones, so I suspect the connection of high = "clear track ahead" continued so helped the term continue in use...although as noted it came to mean more "start" than to keep going, as in the conductor at the caboose using his lantern to signal a "highball" to the engineer telling him to start the train forward.
Ball signal:
The ball up high meant "clear" or "proceed". It could get complicated, some New England junctions had say three masts, each showing one, two or three balls each.
When semaphores became standard, in the US we tended to use upper-quandrant ones, so I suspect the connection of high = "clear track ahead" continued so helped the term continue in use...although as noted it came to mean more "start" than to keep going, as in the conductor at the caboose using his lantern to signal a "highball" to the engineer telling him to start the train forward.
wjstix, Pic location please....is that Quebec Jct., NH or one of those other hidden NE nooks? I know its not Whitefield (Littleton?) nor White RIver Jct., nor Bellows Falls....
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Around here (eastern Pennsylvania) a few years ago (ConRail) I'd hear on the scanner "Highball, ALHB" or "Highball, 3851", when the yardmaster or a conductor or track foreman, etc. told the engineer that he is OK to go or proceed (such as leaving the Allentown Yard for Harrisburg in the 1st example). It seemed to be much like the aviator's "Cleared to depart" from the airport tower controller.
Using the term to keep going and/or pickup the pace when clearing a restriction is still pretty common around here.
When we clear a talking defect detector and it says, "no defects" we usually say "highball" to each other in the cab. Many times at a crossover, a stopped train will tell another train once it's thru the crossover and there weren't any defects noted, " (train) all on track 1 (or 2 etc), highball."
The other most common usage is what Railway Man said, to "highball the switch" or "highball the work" etc.
Jeff
Around here, based on the people who use (or signal) the term, it's more of a "Take 'em away" than a "Let's Go".
RWM, I often heard "Highball the switch," or "Highball the gates" in my pre-employment railroading career. I guess one of the requirements for hearing it in that context is that you're normally expected to clean up after yourself, so to speak, and that doesn't seem to apply at all around here.
Carl
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We use the term frequently as "let's go." It's kind of a shorthand for all the stuff you could say. Besides, we're a tourist railroad - it's part of the show.
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In modern usage, it's mostly used as
1. Forget that and go. Example, "Highball the turnout." (instruction to train crew to not re-line a turnout for main-track movement, and proceed.
2. Let's go.
RWM
Yes. Highball became slang for "let's go". But that was after semaphores and lighted signals replaced the high ball itself. Correct: high ball was a ball hoisted above a station or crossing or other designated point and meant that the track was clear for movement. Slang led to meanings of fast running or getting out of town, clearing out. And green signals or semaphore's giveing a signal for a clear track were also referred to as giving the highball. Train crews on the ground would give the engineer the "highball" when a train was ready to leave the station either by hand signals or by communication cord. But highball became a term for a mixture of whiskey and ginger ale, I don't know.
As late as the late 1960's New England was rife with some highball type signals. MEC and B&M had several crossings at grade which were controlled by cannisters or balls being lifted into the air at Whitefield and Quebec Jct.NH...actually got to see them work myself in 1967. There were others but my mind can't bring them up at the moment..
You can 'google' for the answer but here are a few answers for you:
"Highball. A train signal consisting of a ball that is run up a pole to inform the engineer that the track ahead is clear. A ball at the high position (high ball) indicates the track is clear." or
"A signal for a clear track, deriving from the first train signals in the form of painted metal globes hoisted on tall poles indicating that trains can proceed" or
Highball1. A signal given to proceed to at maximum authorized speed.2. A fixed signal consisting of two round balls, one red, the other white. A highball is when the white ball is raised to the top indicating the train may proceed.
I thought it meant Green on the highest position, but a conductor told me that it also means "Let's go" and do what the signal indicates.. I am sure railroaders will clarify this eventually.
Mike
mp
Yes, that what I have long heard. When the ball was hoisted to the top of the mast, and thus was high, the engineer knew that he had permission to go. The expression has nothing at all to do with getting the engineer an alcoholic drink before going.
Johnny
I think it's from back in the day where a large ball raised on a signal pole was a clear signal...I think it's something like that.
As a self-confessed novice railfan from overseas (UK), I would be grateful if someone could please explain to me the origin of the term "High Balling" which I have heard used to describe trains moving at speed. Many thanks.
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