Re: (erielack) Typing train orders

[erie910 <erie910_@_fastmail.fm>]

Wonder what the rules department would think about preparing orders on a 
computer!


Ken Bush

Richard Pennisi wrote:

> Ken,
>  
> That would be a real no no Ken.  In the late 60's early 70's the rules 
> department finally gave the okay to reproduce train orders 
> mechanically ie using a copy machine.
>  
> Rich Pennisi
>
> */erie910 <erie910_@_fastmail.fm>/* wrote:
>
>     Did the Erie, E-L, or Lackawanna ever use Teletype machines for
>     transmitting train orders? The earlier machines (Models 15, 19,
>     and 28)
>     could type in caps only. The keyboards had 3 rows only. Transmission
>     speed was about 66 words per minute, but later developments got
>     speed up
>     to 100 wpm.
>
>
>     Ken Bush
>
>     Philip Albano wrote:
>
>     >Walt and list:
>     >
>     >On August 15 Walt commanded the electrons to form the following:
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >>I used to wonder about those old guys who used a typewriter to
>     take train orders. I always wrote them longhand. I NEVER
>     >understood how they did it.
>     >>
>     >>
>     >
>     >Me either Walt. I tried it a few times while working as a tower
>     operator. Most of the towers on the EL West End had what was
>     called a "billing" typewriter. The billing typewriter was set up
>     to type in all CAPS. You couldn't type lower case even if you
>     wanted to. Hmm, reminds me of a related issue on this list about
>     CAPS but I digress. The station agents used these battered old
>     Underwoods to type out waybills, and no station was complete
>     without one or two of these old clunkers sitting around.
>     >
>     >The problem with typing out train orders was some dispatchers
>     would "send" too fast for this 2-3 fingered hamfisted "typist" to
>     copy. One attempt resulted in me falling way behind the
>     dispatcher. When I asked him to repeat the order so I could catch
>     up, I was treated to a string of cuss words ( including a few I
>     had never heard before at that tender young age) describing my
>     railroading ability or to be more accurate my lack of it! This
>     cussing out was heard by everyone on the dispatcher's line from
>     Kenton, Ohio to Hammond, Indiana as we did not have block lines on
>     the West End - you had to monitor the dispatcher's line to keep
>     track (pun intended) of the trains. I felt about 2 inches tall by
>     the time the cranky old timer finished ranting and raving at me. I
>     know we have a few former EL dispatchers on this list, I did not
>     work with them (not that I remember anyways) and am not referring
>     to them. I have in mind one or two Marion dispatchers who have
>     since been promoted to tha!
>     t!
>     > great dispatching office in the sky.
>     >
>     >By the way Walt I have enjoyed your stories of railroading around
>     Scranton and points east. Thanks for sharing them with us.
>     >
>     >
>     >Phil Albano
>     >
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