The author cannot take leave of his subject without a special word to railroad managers. No "system" has yet been devised, or ever will be, that will work itself. Rules cannot be given to men with the expectation that they will take them up, master their principles and operate them satisfactorily, especially in so important a matter as that under discussion, without careful instruction and intelligent supervision on the part of those who, from their official position, are responsible for the results. A superintendent who is not himself particularly informed respecting the rules and methods of his telegraph department, the character and capabilities of the men employed, and the manner in which their duties are performed, cannot expect to secure the advantages which the telegraph is capable of giving. Perhaps the first public intimation that anything is wrong may be a series of so-called "accidents" on his line. Investigation points to the carelessness of some operator or dispatcher as the cause. Deeper probing would perhaps discover that such carelessness was the natural consequence of lack of constant and painstaking supervision. Besides securing for such particular supervision a competent and trustworthy person whose special business it should be, the superintendent can never get away from the necessity of constantly impressing upon such official the responsibilities of his position, discussing with him the details of the work, and seeing, at least occasionally, with his own eyes, how it is performed.

The telegraph may be viewed as holding to the railroad a relation analogous to that of the nervous system to the body. From the center of authority and intelligence it carries information and instructions to every member. It keeps in motion the whole body, which, without this, would be in a measure lifeless. Its ceaseless and healthful activity is all-important; and as failure of the nervous energy is to the human frame, so to the railroad is a falling off in the vital force operating through the train wire. A tonic is needed and perhaps a change of doctors.

The author's duties for some time have not brought him into direct connection with the operation of trains, and he will probably never again be engaged in this department of railroad work.

His interest in it, however, is unabated, and his desire that the methods he has endeavored to set forth shall meet with enlarged usefulness, until better shall be found, has led him to this second effort to present what has been his study during the most of his business life, and now leads him to urge upon those now actively engaged in this work that the "price" of success, as of "liberty," is "eternal vigilance."

INDEX.

[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [L]
[M] [N] [O] [P] [R] [S] [T] [U] [W] [Y]

Abbreviations[94]
"Accidents" resulting from lack of supervision[145]
Acknowledgment of O K, Effect of[69]
" " " Succession of[69]
Acknowledging "Complete"[79]
Acknowledging OK[50]
Addressing Orders[62]
Addresses of Orders, in order of Superiority[66]
"Advance" Order[75]
Annulling an Order[130]
" " before train arrives[78]
Annulling a Train[128]
Blackboard, showing Extras[123]
Blank for "19" order[132]
" " "31" order[133]
Clearance card, form[134]
" " Use of[42]
Clip, on engine[31], [83]
Collision, Following train guard against[106]
Combining Forms[98]
"Complete," first to Superior train[82]
" given by Dispatcher[54], [68]
" write on Order[70]
" acknowledgement of[79]
" when given[70], [71], [79]
Conclusion[143]
Copies of Orders, How Keep[31], [83]
Delivering Orders at Superintendent's Office[84]
" " Methods of[51]
" " without signatures[80]
Direction of Trains, affecting rights[100], [136]
Disabled Train, Orders to[54]
Dispatcher, The[17]
" Orders Should be Issued by[5]
" transmitting Orders[35], [45]
Double Track[140]
Duplicate Order, described[9]
" " Safe in Unskilled Hands[13]
Duplicate, Orders in[82]
Enginemen, Signatures of[53], [68], [71]
Expiration of Orders[89]
Explanatory Rules, needed[98]
Extra Trains[120]
Figures, Use of[93], [94]
Fixed Methods, best[6]
Fixed Signal[38], [90]
Form A, Fixing Meeting points[101]
Form B, Train running ahead[104]
Form C, Reversing Rights[106]
Form D, Right to all regular trains over given train[114]
Form E, Time Orders[115]
Form F, for Sections[117]
Form G, Arranging Schedule[119]
Form H, Extra Trains[120]
Form J, Holding Order[127]
Form K, Annulling a Train[128]
Form L, Annulling an Order[130]
Forms of Orders[97]
" " Classification of[100]
General Remarks[135]
Holding effect of Order not signed for[57]
Holding Order[127]
Holding train after O K is acknowledged[57]
" " by signals for time[42]
" " when telegraph fails[57]
Inferior Right, defined[64]
Initials, Use of[94]
Instructions, Not include in Orders[25]
Language of Orders, simple[25]
Manifold, The[33]
" Orders to be written in[67]
Meeting Order, Use and Advantage of[102]
Meeting Point, Copy of Order for Operator at[66]
" " Orders not Delivered at[86]
Numbering Orders[31], [62]
Numbering Switches[vii], [137]
Numbers for Trains[93]
O K sent and acknowledged[68], [60]
Operator, The[21]
Order, The, holds train after O K is acknowledged[71]
" interposed to prevent Improper signal[42]
" One movement in[62]
Orders, remove from book[40], [41], [51]
" functions, etc.[61]
" held by Annulled train[128]
" how long in force[29], [89]
" including more than one transaction[26], [103]
" in duplicate[62]
" limited to express terms[29]
" no erasures, etc[29]
" not send too long in advance[86]
" not to meeting point for delivery[86]
" sent to superintendent daily[83]
" to trains away from telegraph stations[84]
" to be strictly construed[87], [110]
" who issue[61]
Paper for orders[30], [33]
Passing, in same direction[104]
Passing point in Form C, Leaving, before opposite train arrives[109]
Pilot, relations to train[63]
" to have orders[62]
Position of signal, Normal[39]
Precautions in issuing orders[4]
Printed forms for orders[99]
Reading Order aloud[53], [68], [70]
Record, The[35]
" of Orders[64]
Regardless Order, superseded[107]
Repeating Orders[48], [67], [60], [79]
Responsibility, divided[77]
Reversing rights[106]
Rights reversed by Orders[65]
Rights, Rules respecting[135]
Rules[60]
" construe strictly[87]
Rules of Time Convention, when adopted[60]
Rule 500[61]
" 501[62]
" 502[62]
" 503[62]
" 504[64]
" 505[64]
" 506[65]
" 507[66]
" 508[87]
" 509[87]
" 510[71]
" 511[79]
" 512[82]
" 513[82]
" 514[83]
" 515[83]
" 516[83]
" 517[84]
" 518[84]
" 519[84]
" 520[85]
" 521[86]
" 522[87]
" 523[80]
" 524 A[90]
" 524 B[91]
" 525[93]
" 526[93]
" 527[94]
Running Ahead[104]
Schedule, meaning of[61]
Schedule time, made later[115]
Sections, included in Order[85]
" Meeting order for[103]
" Order for[117]
" ordered by yard dispatcher[118]
" Rights of[117]
Semaphore, for signal[38]
Signal, The Train Order[37]
" Fixed, for train orders[90]
Signals, "31" and "19"[65]
" for emergencies[90], [91], [93]
" not shown at night[91], [93]
" Operator's[83]
" meaning "train order"[47]
Signatures, of Enginemen[53], [68], [71]
" for"19"order, not taken[79]
" for orders, how taken and transmitted[53], [68], [70]
" for Superior Train before "complete" for Inferior[71]
" Object of[81]
" transmission of[54]
" with "19" order[81]
Signs and Abbreviations[94]
Simultaneous Transmission[47], [66]
Single Order, described[8]
" " fatal defect[10]
Sound Operators, best[34]
Special Train, Schedule for[119]
Specimen Orders[28], [30]
Succession, in repeating Order[49], [67]
" in acknowledging "OK"[69]
Superiority, Addresses in Order of[66]
Superior Right, defined[64]
Superseding an Order[130]
Supervision, necessary[144]
" of Operators[82]
System, American[3]
Systems, two in Use[7]
Telegraphing, Careful habit in[49]
Telegraph, failing[55]
" " effect on order[57], [71], [73], [82]
" relation to railroad[145]
Time Limit in Form C, objectionable[114]
" of Train, Record and report[93]
Time Orders[115]
Time Table, Meaning of[61]
Tracks, Orders for use of, in yards[84]
Train Dispatching[1]
Train of Superior right, when take siding[113]
Train Order Blanks[132], [133]
Train Orders, Forms of[97]
Train Order Signal, Normal position of[92]
Train Rule 107, how affects Orders[89]
Train Rules, Knowledge of[65]
Train Sheet[35]
Trains, all regular, right over given train[114]
" away from telegraph station, Orders for[84]
" designated by Numbers[68]
" Report time of[93]
" to be governed strictly by Orders[87]
Transmission, The[45]
" First Steps in[65]
" incomplete, how act[55]
" Process after[67], [79]
" simultaneous[47], [66]
"Understanding," Use of[51]
Whenever practicable," in Rule 510[72]
Wild Trains[122]
"Wildcat" order[122]
Work Train[120], [123]
" " Working limits for[124]
" " given right of track[107]
Yards, Use of track in[84]