withamixof freight, theyalso ranPullmanpassenger carsdur-
ing the summermonths. Hence, itmakes agood candidate for
better understanding someof thenuancesof usingTT/TOwith-
out beingoverwhelmed.
Employeetimetables (2) canbe thought of as the “plan” for
thedays coveredby that timetable. TheYVtimetable lists the
arrival anddeparturetime for each train listedaswell astimes
formeetswhereneeded. The “plan” assumes that every train
will arriveanddepart ontime throughout the24-hour day cov-
eredby thetimetable. However, therewill inevitablybedays
where therearedelays, needs for double-headers, andother
problems. TheYValsooperated locals sixdays aweekwhich
ranas extras—these trainswerenot listedon thetimetable
but ranunder theauthorityof trainorders issuedby thedis-
patcher. Inorder to runa railroadas efficientlyaspossible, dis-
patchersmight also issue trainorders to senda late-running
timetable train intoa siding to let another, fastermoving train
topass.
Train sheets
Inorder tokeep trackofwhereeach train is along the line, the
dispatchersusedprinted train sheets.On theYV, these sheets
wereofficially labeledas “Dispatcher’sRecordofMovement
of Trains” andwere17″highby22″wide. Thebasic formof
theYV sheetswas similar toemployeetimetableswith sta-
tions anddistances listeddown the center of the sheet. Just
like thetimetables, eastbound trainswere recordedon the left
side readingdown,whilewestbound trainswere recordedon
the right side readingup. Thedispatcher generallyworkedout
from the center so that theearliest trainsof thedaywere clos-
est to the center of the sheet.
GettingReal Column - 3
The train sheet allowed thedispatcher to recordarrival/depar-
turetimes for every trainat every locationwitha stationagent.
Immediatelyafter the caboose (or observation car) of a train
passedamanned station, the stationagent contacted the
dispatcher and toldhim the trainnumber andtime. (TheYV
switched fromusing telegraphs to telephones in1931.) A typi-
cal callmight startwith the stationagent at Bagbyannouncing
“OSBagby.” (OSmeans “OnSheet”or “Out of Station”)
3: This is theDispatcher’sRecordofMovement of
Trains, or train sheet, for August 4, 1939. The train
sheets for theYVwere 17" high by 22" wide.
3
MRH-Apr2014
