looking for a picture of a highball signal
looking for the origin of the phrase highball
A high ball signal was just what the name implies, a ball, often red (but not always), high on a mast. Often used on a flag pole type mast, the ball would be lowered at a train register station to indicate to a train crew that new track and time warrants or train orders, (form 19) were waiting there for them. They were required to stop, pick up new train orders, and sign, date and time the train register, (log book) to show receipt of the new orders. If the ball was in the high or raised position, it meant that no new orders were waiting and the train was not required to stop, and the train was “highballed”. Hence the phrase “highballing” a station or stop, or a train “highballing” thru town. Now the phrase is used to mean no stops required. Dispatchers will highball a priority train by giving it green signals all the way. Photos can be found thru Kalmbach, and some have appeared in both Classic Trains and Model Railroader magazines. Hope this helps, Ed
Ed, your explanation of “highballing” was as concise and factual as I have ever seen in this forum, thanks.
Thanks James,
My wife says I am a frustated teacher,and I am a compulsive reader, I like hunting down answers to questions, the reasearch on one thing often leads to even more interesting facts…
Ed