An old tower man told me that once in a while during his roll-by inspection the cab would toss him a note that was to be hooped up to the caboose when it passed.
A similar enough question, that it doesn’t merit a whole new thread: In the steam era, how did the engineer communicate with/coordinate with helper units? Was it just 1-2-3 push!, unti the top of the hill?
…Whistle signals.
"when starting trains with helper on rear end of train, and it is not possible to communicate signals, the following method will be used:
When ready to move, engineer on head-end will make a 15-pound automatic brake pipe reduction, return brake valve to running position and wait three minutes. Engineer on helper engine will start three minutes after his gauge shows brake pressure being restored."
UP Timetable #7.
dd
A lot of the job communication took place before the job started, while everybody was standing next to the cab of the locomotive… the Conductor would say something like this:
“When we get to the siding to set the cars out, the Engineer will slow before he reaches the switch so the Rear Flagman can get off and set a flare for protection. Then when he knows the caboose is near the switch, he will stop and wait for 1 minute while the Switchman disconnects the caboose. I will board the rear car to monitor the move. Then the Engineer will give 2 blasts of the whistle and pull forward until he knows the last car is past the switch, then stop and wait 1 minute while the switchman throws the switch. Then he will give 3 blasts of the whistle, back up 15 car lengths and stop again for 5 minutes while the Switchman and I set hand brakes on the cars to leave in the siding and I walk to the rear of the last car that is to remain in the train and board it to monitor the move. The Switchman will pull the coupler lever when the train begins to move. The Engineer will then give 2 blasts of the whistle and pull forward until he knows the rear of the train is past the switch. He will then wait 1 minute for the Switchman to align the switch. Then he will give 3 blasts of the whistle and back slowly to the caboose and stop when he feels resistance to movement. He will then recall the Rear Flagman with 5 long blasts of the whistle and proceed to pump up the brakes and wait for me to give a 15 pound reduction, where upon he will give 2 blasts of the whistle and proceed to the next stop. If at any time something goes wrong I will dump the air and the Engineer will stop and wait for verbal orders. Any questions? I have 10:21 on my watch, now. Let’s get 'er done.”
The Engineer had to know the length of his train so he didn’t stop too soon or too late or make anyone walk too far to get to the next st
…That sounds like each crewman really had to know the job and get to doing it as explained above when setting off cars into a siding, etc.
Many decades ago, at my home in Pennsylvania we could see a branch line about a mile and a half away as it worked it’s way up through the valley on the S&C of the B&O, a coal hauler branch. Lots of mines to stop and pull loads out as the train progressed along.
On a Summer evening one could follow the steam {above the trees}, as the loaded train worked it’s way up the valley and stopping to pull out loads from a branch back into a mine…{A location named Reading Mines}.
One can almost relate to the process explained in above post {Charles}, plus as the work was being accomplished much whistling was being done.
After the loads were brought out to the “main”…and the train assembled again, then one could hear the sequence of whistles…{yes whistles}, as the engineer up front and the {sometimes}, two engines on the rear communicated with each other in the process of getting the train started and moving. I’m guessing the grade they were working against was about 2%. Then it was a blast of steam up the stack as it started to move and increased in frequency as they got it moving a bit “faster” and hopefully none would fall on it’s knees, but often we could hear at least one of them slip…and one could hear those steam engines blasting up grade for possibly 2 more miles. Then it returned to quiet again…
In addition to the above, Santa Fe and others used wigwag signals mounted on top of the cabeese cupolas.