seemed to be a reason to put off this change, however, during the
recent PNR regional convention in Boise I had the opportunity to
rub elbows with Seth Neumann and Jim Providenza and they set
about evangelizing me into the TT&TO faith.
Train order signals
When a dispatcher needs to modify a time table or create an
extra train outside of the time table, he dictates train orders to the
operator at one or more train order stations. If the train orders are
for a train originating at that station, the crew picks up the orders
(and a clearance card) from the operator before leaving. But, if the
dispatcher needs to modify the authority of a train that's already
on the high iron, how do the train orders get to the crew?
The answer is train order signals. The operator sets the appropri-
ate signal (east or west) to red or yellow to tell approaching trains
there are orders for them. If the train order signal is set to red,
the train stops and the conductor and engineer climb down, go to
Up the Creek Column - 2
2: The Oakhill depot is the future home for a lower
quadrant train order semaphore. I cut away the fascia to
access the space for the servos beneath the roadbed.
2
the operator's office, and they
sign for the orders. If the train
order signal is set to yellow,
the operator goes out to the
station platform and hoops up
the orders to the crew as they
pass by without stopping.
Did you get that? Train order
signals tell trains where to
look to get train orders. Most
recently, train order signals
used lamps. But for my 1952
era I wanted to use train order
semaphores. With the SP
influence on the BC&SJ, lower
quadrant train order sema-
phores seemed like just the
thing for me.
I searched the Internet and
found that Tomar sells lower
quadrant train orders and
placed an order at my LHS,
I also needed
a means to operate them and
selected the Dual 3-Way servo
controller from Tam Valley.
With the semaphore and con-
troller on their way, a visit to a
local R/C aircraft hobby shop
netted me a pair of HiTech
HS-55 servos.
3
3: A Tomar lower quadrant
train order semaphore.
MRH-Oct 2013
