RULES.
Many books of Rules have borne evidence that the ability to construct rules is not always commensurate with the many other gifts of successful railroad officers. To know what is to be done and how is one thing, but it is quite another to express the intention clearly and concisely. A scholar might present the subject in precise and grammatical form, and yet fail to so render it as to make it plain to practical men of limited education; and yet, while the language must be clear to the untrained mind, there should be no expressions that are not within the bounds of rhetorical propriety. The evident difficulties surrounding the subject render more conspicuous the admirable results of the work of the able committee of the General Time Convention in the production of the "Standard" code of train and telegraph rules contributed by that body to the railroad service. To have produced a set of rules that should be accepted for general adoption, in which so few deficiencies have been pointed out, is a work worthy of the highest commendation. Under the operation of these rules will disappear the uncertainty often appearing in anxious inquiries by "Conductor" or "Train-Master," in the railroad papers, as to how this rule or that order is to be understood under given circumstances. There will be fewer occasions for trainmen to reconcile conflicting regulations and fewer cases of "doubt," in which to "take the safe course and run no risks."
No one, however, feels that entire perfection has been reached, in practice or statement, or that even in the near future, additions or changes may not be found desirable; and, as methods of operation improve, scope will doubtless still be found for fresh talent in the production of regulations for new combinations of circumstances as well as improvement in those prepared by earlier hands.
The Telegraph Rules of the Time Convention, adopted October 12th, 1887, are here given, with some discussion relating to them. In considering these rules mention will necessarily be made of points referred to on previous pages and which are here embodied in form for practical use. This necessarily involves some apparent repetition. The rules are here designated by the numbers given to them by the Time Convention Committee; and it may be here stated that, in conformity with the method followed in the Time Convention train rules, the term "time-table" is herein applied to the issue governing the movements of all regular trains, while "schedule" is used to designate that part of the time-table which applies to any one train.
Rule 500.—Special orders directing movements varying from or additional to the time-table will be issued by the authority and over the signature of the Superintendent. They are not to be used for movements that can be provided for by rule or time-table. They must not contain information or instructions not essentially a part of them.
They must be brief and clear, and the prescribed forms must be used when applicable; and there must be no erasures, alterations, or interlineations.
This rule indicates the proper function of a Telegraphic Train Order, the authority under which it is to be given, and the essential features of its construction, with the requirement that the prescribed forms are to be used when applicable. While in the fixed forms provision is made for the majority at least of the cases likely to occur, occasions will doubtless arise when other forms or modifications of these will be required. It is therefore important that the principles on which these forms are to be constructed be distinctly stated. The provisions as to how orders shall be issued and as to the use of the forms, when applicable, and the absence of alterations, are all necessary as tending to secure uniformity and accuracy. The following note, attached by the Time Convention Committee, emphasizes a point hereinbefore dwelt upon as of great importance:
[Note.—On Roads whose organization provides that any other officer than the Superintendent shall direct train movements, the official title of such officer may be substituted in the above rule. The Committee considers it essential, however, that but one person's signature should be used in directing train movements on any dispatching division.]
Rule 501.—Each order must be given in the same words to all persons or trains directly affected by it, so that each shall have a duplicate of what is given to the others. Preferably an order should include but one specified movement.
Here is determined the feature essential to the "duplicate" system, viz., that the order shall be "in the same words" to all concerned; and the preference is here given to the point urged by the author, of covering but one movement by an order.