Train order
Encyclopedia
Train order operation, or more accurately Timetable and Train order operation, is a largely obsolete system by which the railroads of North America conveyed operating instructions before the days of centralized traffic control
, direct traffic control
, and the use of track warrant
s conveyed by radio. The system used a set of rules when direct communication between train dispatcher
s and trains was limited or non-existent. Trains would follow a predetermined operating plan, known as the timetable
, unless superseded by train orders conveyed to the train from the dispatcher, through local intermediaries. Train Order operation was a system that required minimum human overhead
in an era before widespread use of technology-based automation
. It was the most practical way for railroads with limited capital resources, or lines with limited traffic, to operate.
Train order operation has been almost completely replaced by more modern operating methods. The Long Island Rail Road
in New York
is the last major railroad to use a "traditional" Train Order operating system, along with Clearance Cards, timetable authority, etc.
Timetable and train order operation was widely used on North American railroads that had a single Main Track with periodic passing sidings
. Timetable and train orders were used to determine which train had the right of way
at any point along the line. A train which had the right of way over another train was said to be the superior train. Trains could be superior by right, by class or by direction. While a train dispatcher
could establish "right" via train orders, the operating timetable
established scheduled trains, their class and the superior direction. The "class" designation of a train equates to its priority with passenger trains having the highest, freight trains having less and Extra (unscheduled) trains having the least. In case of trains of the same class meeting the superior direction would then apply. On single track
rail lines, the timetable specifies (explicitly or implicitly) the points at which two trains would meet and pass. It would be the responsibility of the inferior train to clear the main track a safe time before the superior train is scheduled to pass. The timetable thus provides the basic framework for train movement on a particular portion of the railroad. However, variations in traffic levels from day to day, unforeseen delays, the need to perform maintenance, and other contingencies required that railroads find a way to deviate from their established schedules.
Deviations from the timetable operation would be enacted through train orders sent from the train dispatcher
to block operators. These orders would override the established timetable priorities and provide trains with explicit instructions on how to run. Train orders consisted of two types, Protection and Authority. Protective train orders would be used to ensure that no trains would be at risk of colliding with another along the line. Once the protective orders had been delivered to block operators (who might in turn pass them onto the train crews), an authority could be issued to a train to move over the line where protection had been established. Normally the timetable established both protection and authority for scheduled trains so train orders were only used for extra trains, which were not in the timetable, and scheduled trains moving contrary to their normal authorities.
Timetable and train order operation supplanted earlier forms of timetable only and line-of-sight running. The ability for a single dispatcher to issue train orders was enabled by the invention of the electric telegraph in the 1840s. The earliest recorded usage of the telegraph to convey train orders in the United States came in 1851 on the Erie Railroad
and the time of the American Civil War
, nearly every railroad had adopted the system. Over time the telegraph gave way to the telephone
as the preferred method of communication, and by the 1970s this function was carried out exclusively by two-way radio
. With the advent of radio communications, timetable and train order operation began to fall out of favor as direct traffic control
and centralized traffic control
(CTC) became more common on major carriers. CTC enabled dispatchers to set up meets remotely and allowed trains to proceed entirely on signal indication
. Where signals were not present, DTC and the related track warrant control allowed dispatchers to directly inform trains what they were to do instead of needing to work through intermediaries or have the train crews figure things out for themselves.
(multiple-copy) forms designed for that purpose, and would repeat the order back to the dispatcher. This permitted the dispatcher and other operators concerned to confirm the accuracy or the order. As each operator correctly repeated the order, the dispatcher would give a complete time, along with the initials of the designated railroad official for that territory. After the order was completed, it was delivered by the operator to the concerned trains as they arrived or passed the delivery point. The operating timetable indicated locations at which train crews could expect to receive train orders. If that same timetable did not require that a train receive a "Clearance Form A" before departing, then a train order signal of some type was provided to advise train crews whether or not train orders were to be delivered. Delivery was accomplished by hand, if the train stopped, or posted trackside to be grabbed by a crew member while the train continued to move past the station. With the latter, the paper order was placed in a train order fork or hoop, either held by the operator as the train passed or mounted at trackside.
The train and engine crews addressed by the order were required to observe the instructions provided in the train order, the details of which were provided by the railroad's operating rule book.
Explanation of train order depicted in image
A train order station need not be at a passenger or freight station
, nor does such a station have to handle train orders. In isolated areas, train order stations may be required where there are no towns, to facilitate smooth operation. In denser areas, passenger stations may be spaced more closely than train order stations.
A station is staffed by an operator who receives train orders and gives them to trains as they pass. Upon receipt of an order, the operator makes copies and sets the signal to indicate to approaching trains that orders are to be picked up. Some train-order signals had three positions:
On other railroads the train-order signals had two positions: proceed indicated as above, while a horizontal blade or red light indicated that orders must be picked up. If (as was likely) the orders were ready in position for the train crew to grab them as they rolled past, then no need to stop the train.
Operators also record the passage of trains by their station.
Stations may not always be staffed, and when they are closed the signal is set to "proceed" and the switches lined to allow trains to pass without stopping. The timetable indicates the train order stations, and perhaps when they are staffed.
, a similar system used in early Air Traffic Control, which was adapted from Train order techniques. Aircraft were routed onto specific airways ('tracks'), given 'clearances' onto those airways ('train orders'), and times were estimated and reported as they passed reporting points along those airways ('stations') in order to detect and avoid conflicts. This system is still used in many parts of the world.
Centralized traffic control
Centralized traffic control is a form of railway signalling that originated in North America and centralizes train routing decisions that were previously carried out by local signal operators or the train crews themselves. The system consists of a centralized train dispatcher's office that...
, direct traffic control
Direct traffic control
Direct Traffic Control is a system for authorizing track occupancy used on some railroads instead of or in addition to signals. It is known as "direct" traffic control because the train dispatcher gives track authority directly to the train crew via radio, as opposed to through wayside personnel...
, and the use of track warrant
Track warrant
Track warrants are systematized permissions used on some railroad lines to authorize a train's use of the main line. Dispatchers issue these permissions to train crews instead of using signals. The crews receive track warrants by radio, phone, or electronic transmission from a...
s conveyed by radio. The system used a set of rules when direct communication between train dispatcher
Train dispatcher
A train dispatcher is employed by a railroad to direct and facilitate the movement of trains over an assigned territory, which is usually part, or all, of a railroad operating division. In Canada the train dispatcher is known as the rail traffic controller...
s and trains was limited or non-existent. Trains would follow a predetermined operating plan, known as the timetable
Timetable
Timetable may refer to:* Calendar, a system of organizing one's schedule* Schedule , a list of employees who are working on any given day, week, or month in a workplace...
, unless superseded by train orders conveyed to the train from the dispatcher, through local intermediaries. Train Order operation was a system that required minimum human overhead
Overhead (business)
In business, overhead or overhead expense refers to an ongoing expense of operating a business...
in an era before widespread use of technology-based automation
Automation
Automation is the use of control systems and information technologies to reduce the need for human work in the production of goods and services. In the scope of industrialization, automation is a step beyond mechanization...
. It was the most practical way for railroads with limited capital resources, or lines with limited traffic, to operate.
Train order operation has been almost completely replaced by more modern operating methods. The Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
is the last major railroad to use a "traditional" Train Order operating system, along with Clearance Cards, timetable authority, etc.
North American usage
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
. Timetable and train orders were used to determine which train had the right of way
Right of Way
Right of Way is a 1983 television film drama starring Bette Davis and James Stewart, and directed by George Schaefer.The TV movie stars film veterans Davis and Stewart as an elderly long-married couple who must decide how to deal with the situation of one of them being diagnosed with a terminal...
at any point along the line. A train which had the right of way over another train was said to be the superior train. Trains could be superior by right, by class or by direction. While a train dispatcher
Train dispatcher
A train dispatcher is employed by a railroad to direct and facilitate the movement of trains over an assigned territory, which is usually part, or all, of a railroad operating division. In Canada the train dispatcher is known as the rail traffic controller...
could establish "right" via train orders, the operating timetable
Public transport timetable
A public transport timetable is a representation of public transport information to assist a passenger with planning a trip using public transport. A timetable details when vehicle will arrive and depart specified locations and may be organised for by route or for a particular stop...
established scheduled trains, their class and the superior direction. The "class" designation of a train equates to its priority with passenger trains having the highest, freight trains having less and Extra (unscheduled) trains having the least. In case of trains of the same class meeting the superior direction would then apply. On single track
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
rail lines, the timetable specifies (explicitly or implicitly) the points at which two trains would meet and pass. It would be the responsibility of the inferior train to clear the main track a safe time before the superior train is scheduled to pass. The timetable thus provides the basic framework for train movement on a particular portion of the railroad. However, variations in traffic levels from day to day, unforeseen delays, the need to perform maintenance, and other contingencies required that railroads find a way to deviate from their established schedules.
Deviations from the timetable operation would be enacted through train orders sent from the train dispatcher
Train dispatcher
A train dispatcher is employed by a railroad to direct and facilitate the movement of trains over an assigned territory, which is usually part, or all, of a railroad operating division. In Canada the train dispatcher is known as the rail traffic controller...
to block operators. These orders would override the established timetable priorities and provide trains with explicit instructions on how to run. Train orders consisted of two types, Protection and Authority. Protective train orders would be used to ensure that no trains would be at risk of colliding with another along the line. Once the protective orders had been delivered to block operators (who might in turn pass them onto the train crews), an authority could be issued to a train to move over the line where protection had been established. Normally the timetable established both protection and authority for scheduled trains so train orders were only used for extra trains, which were not in the timetable, and scheduled trains moving contrary to their normal authorities.
Timetable and train order operation supplanted earlier forms of timetable only and line-of-sight running. The ability for a single dispatcher to issue train orders was enabled by the invention of the electric telegraph in the 1840s. The earliest recorded usage of the telegraph to convey train orders in the United States came in 1851 on the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
and the time of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, nearly every railroad had adopted the system. Over time the telegraph gave way to the telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
as the preferred method of communication, and by the 1970s this function was carried out exclusively by two-way radio
Two-way radio
A two-way radio is a radio that can both transmit and receive , unlike a broadcast receiver which only receives content. The term refers to a personal radio transceiver that allows the operator to have a two-way conversation with other similar radios operating on the same radio frequency...
. With the advent of radio communications, timetable and train order operation began to fall out of favor as direct traffic control
Direct traffic control
Direct Traffic Control is a system for authorizing track occupancy used on some railroads instead of or in addition to signals. It is known as "direct" traffic control because the train dispatcher gives track authority directly to the train crew via radio, as opposed to through wayside personnel...
and centralized traffic control
Centralized traffic control
Centralized traffic control is a form of railway signalling that originated in North America and centralizes train routing decisions that were previously carried out by local signal operators or the train crews themselves. The system consists of a centralized train dispatcher's office that...
(CTC) became more common on major carriers. CTC enabled dispatchers to set up meets remotely and allowed trains to proceed entirely on signal indication
Railway signal
A signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to train/engine drivers. The driver interprets the signal's indication and acts accordingly...
. Where signals were not present, DTC and the related track warrant control allowed dispatchers to directly inform trains what they were to do instead of needing to work through intermediaries or have the train crews figure things out for themselves.
Train order
The train order provides the means to deal with changes in operating conditions as they arise. Orders modify the established timetable. Among the functions a train order can perform are:- creating a train not provided for by the timetable (a so-called "extra").
- annulling a train provided by the timetable.
- creating sections of a schedule (in essence "cloning" a train's schedule and class when, for example, too much traffic exists to be handled by a single train).
- setting meeting points between extras since they have no timetable schedule.
- altering timetable meeting points (for example when one train is late and adhering to the timetable meeting point would cause delays for other trains).
- altering the schedule of a train to allow other trains to run with respect to the altered schedule rather than that given in the timetable.
- giving a train rights over another train that ordinarily has timetable superiority.
- conveying warnings about temporary conditions such as temporary speed limits, track conditions or hazards which might affect the safety of trains or train crews.
Dispatcher and operator procedures
Train orders were issued by the dispatcher responsible for the portion of railroad concerned. They were conveyed to operators at outlying stations along the railroad via telegraph or telephone. The receiving operators would copy the order onto onionskinOnionskin
Onionskin or onion skin is a thin, light-weight, strong, often translucent paper. It was usually used with carbon paper for typing duplicates in a typewriter, for permanent records where low bulk was important, or for airmail correspondence...
(multiple-copy) forms designed for that purpose, and would repeat the order back to the dispatcher. This permitted the dispatcher and other operators concerned to confirm the accuracy or the order. As each operator correctly repeated the order, the dispatcher would give a complete time, along with the initials of the designated railroad official for that territory. After the order was completed, it was delivered by the operator to the concerned trains as they arrived or passed the delivery point. The operating timetable indicated locations at which train crews could expect to receive train orders. If that same timetable did not require that a train receive a "Clearance Form A" before departing, then a train order signal of some type was provided to advise train crews whether or not train orders were to be delivered. Delivery was accomplished by hand, if the train stopped, or posted trackside to be grabbed by a crew member while the train continued to move past the station. With the latter, the paper order was placed in a train order fork or hoop, either held by the operator as the train passed or mounted at trackside.
The train and engine crews addressed by the order were required to observe the instructions provided in the train order, the details of which were provided by the railroad's operating rule book.
Explanation of train order depicted in image
| Train order No. 115 | Salem Yd, 11-2-1944 | Specifies the order number, location issued (the dispatcher's office at the yard Rail yard A rail yard, or railroad yard, is a complex series of railroad tracks for storing, sorting, or loading/unloading, railroad cars and/or locomotives. Railroad yards have many tracks in parallel for keeping rolling stock stored off the mainline, so that they do not obstruct the flow of traffic.... in Salem, Illinois Salem, Illinois Salem is a city located in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is the county seat of Marion County. The population was 7,485 at the 2010 census.Salem is the birthplace of William Jennings Bryan and his brother vice presidential candidate Charles W. Bryan, the G. I. Bill of Rights, and Miracle Whip salad... ) and date |
| To: C & E Exa 2005 Nth | Specifies the train(s) addressed and their location; in this case the order is addressed to "conductor and engineer of Extra 2005 North at VN Tower". Extra trains are designated by their engine number. Other trains affected by any order must receive a copy, which will be addressed at whatever location the order is to be delivered to those trains. | |
| At: VN Tower | ||
| No 123 Eng 1001 take siding meet Extra 2005 North at Kell instead of Texico | Modifies the meet location specified in a previously-issued order and specifies which train takes siding at meeting point. | |
| take siding meet No 174 Eng 895 and Extra 1937 North at Benton | Specifies another meet between Extra 2005 and two other trains, one scheduled and one extra; the engine number is specified for the scheduled train so that other trains can identify it by sight. | |
| No 122 Eng 222 take siding meet No 123 Eng 1001 at Texico | Specifies another meet, this one between two scheduled trains and not directly concerning Extra 2005 North. | |
| Made complete 659 am by RED | Time and call sign (initials) of the dispatcher issuing the order; once "made complete", the order becomes operative and continues so until fulfilled, superseded, or annulled. | |
| Operator Cole | The name of the operator copying and repeating the order at VN Tower. | |
Train order station
A Train order station is a control point at which trains can be stopped and controlled through the use of train orders. A station requires the following:- A sidingRail sidingA siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
or other track by which trains can pass each other - A communications means for an operator to receive train orders
- A signalRailway signalA signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to train/engine drivers. The driver interprets the signal's indication and acts accordingly...
to indicate to trains whether there are train orders to be picked up - A name to identify it on the orders
A train order station need not be at a passenger or freight station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
, nor does such a station have to handle train orders. In isolated areas, train order stations may be required where there are no towns, to facilitate smooth operation. In denser areas, passenger stations may be spaced more closely than train order stations.
A station is staffed by an operator who receives train orders and gives them to trains as they pass. Upon receipt of an order, the operator makes copies and sets the signal to indicate to approaching trains that orders are to be picked up. Some train-order signals had three positions:
- Proceed (green light and/or vertical blade): No orders; train may proceed
- Receive Orders (yellow light and/or diagonal blade): Pick up orders without stopping
- Stop (red light and/or horizontal blade): Stop to receive orders or to wait for another train to pass
On other railroads the train-order signals had two positions: proceed indicated as above, while a horizontal blade or red light indicated that orders must be picked up. If (as was likely) the orders were ready in position for the train crew to grab them as they rolled past, then no need to stop the train.
Operators also record the passage of trains by their station.
Stations may not always be staffed, and when they are closed the signal is set to "proceed" and the switches lined to allow trains to pass without stopping. The timetable indicates the train order stations, and perhaps when they are staffed.
See Also
Air Traffic Control (Procedural Control)Procedural control
Procedural control is a method of providing air traffic control services without the use of radar. It is used in regions of the world, specifically sparsely-populated land areas and oceans, where radar coverage is either prohibitively expensive or is simply not feasible...
, a similar system used in early Air Traffic Control, which was adapted from Train order techniques. Aircraft were routed onto specific airways ('tracks'), given 'clearances' onto those airways ('train orders'), and times were estimated and reported as they passed reporting points along those airways ('stations') in order to detect and avoid conflicts. This system is still used in many parts of the world.
External links
- Train orders on the Southern Pacific
- Train Order Accidents - A review of 68 accidents under the American system of timetable and train orders from ICC reports, 1911–1966