Extra 652 North and Extra 231 South will meet at Yokohama.
Trains receiving this order will, with respect to each other, run to the designated point, and having arrived there will pass in the manner provided by the Rules.
This order is usually given to designate a definite meeting-place at which the trains would not meet under the operation of the time-table and train rules. No. 2 has no right to pass the regular meeting-place if No. 1 is late, until it has arrived; and No. 2. would hence in such case be delayed unless an order is given authorizing it to proceed.
If No. 2 is too late to reach the regular meeting-place before No. 1 may leave, it must, by the rules keep out of the way of No. 1 by waiting at some other point, but an order enables it to run with confidence, without time clearance, to a new meeting-place. It may happen that an order will be useful authorizing trains to meet at their regular meeting-place, when both are behind time or when the inferior train is not much late. In any case it avoids the necessity for allowing any time for clearance. It is not necessary to add to the form of the order as given above, as has been sometimes done, "and pass according to rule." The order should not be burdened with this. The rules respecting train orders should always provide, as above, that trains ordered to meet at a designated point will both run to that point, and having arrived there will pass each other in the manner provided by the rules, unless otherwise indicated in the order. This settles the question, which has been raised, of the sufficiency of this form of order, and also renders unnecessary the expression "meet and pass." The word "pass" is best reserved for use in connection with a train going around another moving in the same direction, and it would seem unnecessary to direct trains meeting each other to "pass," as they cannot proceed without passing; and the rules should prescribe the method. This positive meeting-order is generally deemed the safest form of order for opposing trains, as it leaves no room for doubt or calculation in determining how the order is to be executed. In the use of this order for trains of several sections it must be held to apply to all the sections, unless otherwise specified, and each section that is included in the operation of the order should be referred to and is required by the "Standard" rules to have copies.
If the different sections are to be met at different places, separate orders are best. In the forms contained in a book of rules which appears to have been carefully prepared, is found the following for a train or a section of a train which is to meet one of several sections:
"Train No. — will meet and pass —— sections of train No. — as follows: first section No. —, at ——; second section, at ——; third section, at ——."
Some of the objections urged against the practice of including several meeting-points in one order, under the "single order" system, apply equally to this. The whole of this order must be transcribed for and delivered to each section, and each conductor and engineman must acquaint himself with the whole, while but one train is concerned with all of it. The men of each of the sections named must carefully pick out what belongs to them, and those of the first train must exercise great care to avoid missing any of the points named. It will be found vastly better and safer to give a separate order for each meeting.
[Form B.] Authorizing a Train to Run Ahead of or Pass Another Train Running in the Same Direction.
(1.) —— will pass —— at ——.
(2.) —— will run ahead of ——, from —— to ——.