TOC19 Operating Rules For Model RR's?

[OK_Hogger]

Hi All:

Do any of you have a simplified set of rules (whistle use, whistle signals, Train Order forms, and such) you use to operate your layout by that reflect 19th century practices? 1880s would be preferred, but beggars can't be choosers.

I would like to develop a set for my own future layout, however, if someone else has already done it, I would love to avail myself of a copy if possible.

The closest I have are the rules found in an Employee Timetable reproduction that was included with my Mel McFarland CM book that dates to November 1908. However, so much had changed from the 1880s to 1908.

What say ye? Got a set of rules you can share?

Andre

[dave1905]

I started transcribing some 1876 and 1880 rules, I'll see if I have anything coherent. I also have a downloadable 1903 P&R rule book in as a Word Doc on my website. wnbranch.com in the operations section. You are correct, there was a huge change from the 1880's to 1900, mainly air brakes.

One odd difference between the 1900 rule bocks and the earlier rule books is the early ones are what I call the "international" books. All the train order examples are world capitals (Engine 123 run Extra Cairo to Berlin, Engine 234 display signals and run as second number 2 London to Istanbul).

[OK_Hogger]

Dave H:

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Shucks, I'm not even sure today's "Releasing brakes: Proceed" and "Apply brakes: Stop" or "Backing up" whistle signals applies to that era! Nor do I know what whistle signals would have been used for communications with the helpers/etc.

Now that it's possible to me to actually have an operating TOC19 layout, I have SO much to learn about operations back then.

Andre

[dave1905]

I uploaded the 1876 P&R train rules to my website.

Color signals are different, white = clear, green = caution, red = stop.

Whistle signals are pretty similar. Remember the trains don't have air brakes so whistle signals are used to tell the brakemen sitting on top of the cars to set or release the brakes.

https://wnbranch.com/home/operations/rule-books/

[OK_Hogger]

Thanks so much Dave!

Downloaded the P&R 1876 rules.

Egyptian Hieroglyphics aside (Wordpad artifacts!) it's an excellent reference!

I will likely format it (remove the artifacts, create paragraphs/etc) for my software/printer combination and will very likely use a slightly modified version (any place names and such that will be found therein) as the C&P's "Official Rulebook".

Thanks again!

Andre

[dave1905]

Interesting, it wasn't written in Wordpad and I don't see any artifacts when I download it.

Anyway, did you catch that coal trains were limited to 6 mph in grade territory? Evidently train orders are used, called "special orders", and are issued over the signature of the Gen. Supt, Supt. or Gen, Dispr. (Chief Dispatcher). They don't list forms of trains orders yet.

[OK_Hogger]

Hi again Dave!

It was probably originally written in MS "Word". Such .doc files don't always translate well in Wordpad. No biggie. Wordpad is the only program I have for opening a .doc file, so it 'tis what it 'tis!

No, I haven't read it through yet. Just browsed the general content, then made a copy, renamed the copy "C&P Rulebook", and started in creating paragraphs/etc as well as renaming officials and such to become my C&P "Rulebook".

"Special Orders" issued by the Gen Supt, eh? I guess that task will fall to the C&P's Gen Supt: Esa Blohardt.

Andre

[railman28]

Dave, Thank you for sharing the Rule book. Interesting that the short/long whistle haven't evolved yet or did I read it wrong?

Bob

[OK_Hogger]

Bob:

I understood it that a single hyphen "-" was a short blow, and a double hyphen "--" was a long blow. Thus "- --" would be "Toot Toooooot".

However, there's always the remote possibility I'm wrong.

Andre

[CNE1899]

Andre,

Do engineers still use the short/long whistle signal?

Scott

[dave1905]

One hyphen is a short toot.

Two hyphens is along toot (because Word doesn't do a long hyphen/dash).

Evidently using the "o" for a short toot hadn't been invented yet.

[railman28]

quote:

---

Originally posted by OK Hogger

Bob:

I understood it that a single hyphen "-" was a short blow, and a double hyphen "--" was a long blow. Thus "- --" would be "Toot Toooooot".

However, there's always the remote possibility I'm wrong.

Andre

---

Yea, Thank you. The grade crossing seems different.

Bob

[OK_Hogger]

Bob:

Yup, the x-ing signal is indeed. I don't know when the "long/long/short/looooong" x-ing whistle signal started coming into use.

Andre

[deemery]

Andre, I saved that ".doc" as a PDF, if that works better for you. Let me know.

dave

[deemery]

Reading the 1903 P&R rules, they certainly ran trains to some distant locations!

EXAMPLES

(1) No I will meet No 2 at Bombay.

______________

No 3 will meet 2d No 4 at Siam.

______________

No 5 will meet Extra 95 at Hong Kong

______________

Extra 652 north will meet Extra 231 South at Yokahama.

(2) No 1 will meet No 2 at Bombay 2d No 4 at Siam and Extra 95 at Hong Kong

dave