In the earliest days of American Railroads, long before 2-way radios,
there was a long list of whistle signals used to communicate what a given train was doing,
with various combinations of long and short whistle blasts.

The warning for a train approaching a grade crossing was 2-long and 2-short whistle blasts.
At some point, it was determined that changing the 2nd short to a long, and
holding it until reaching the crossing, would be a better warning.

Does anybody here have, or know where to find, documentation for when that change took place ?

Also, do any current U.S. tourist RRs still use the air-signal whistle system ?
(with the Conductor pulling the cord on the train which blows a high-pitch air whistle in the cab, giving signals to the Engineer.)

I remember Strasburg RR used to use the air signal system.

Thanks.

I'll have to go through my old magazines in the basement to get an exact date, but I seem to recall this change being mentioned in both Trains and Railroad at some point around 1947.

It's interesting to note that on some of O. Winston Link's recordings made on the Norfolk & Western in the 1950s, including some made from onboard passenger trains, that some, but not all, engineers would still blow the older version of the signal. Was it by request to recall the earlier rule, or was it "force of habit" for the engineers involved, particularly the passenger men, who would have been long in service to hold down their assignments?

The 1952 film, "The Tall Target" (which is about Abraham Lincoln's journey to Washington in 1861 and the assassination attempt by southern sympathizers), does feature the old two-longs-two short signals. It's a good movie, an interesting story and fairly accurate for the time at depicting railroading on the eve of the Civil War (though not quite up to Disney's "The Great Locomotive Chase" in that regard), and I recommend it.

The railroad at Cedar Point in Ohio has a high pitched whistle at the main station that the conductor blows to signal that everything's ready. I know it's not what you're talking about but is the closest I know of.

The train at Knott's Berry Farm in CA uses an air whistle signal in the cab.

Slightly off topic, but I used to work in a petrochemical plant that made synthetic rubber. One long building in particular had a peanut steam whistle that the operators used to communicate with the operators at the other end of the process building.

The first few times I heard it, I was wondering if I was hearing things; it sounded like the whistles you hear on British steam locomotives. I finally asked someone, and they explained it's use to me; I looked around the interior of the building, but never could find the actual whistle itself.

This looks too late to me, but different roads likely changed at different times. I looked into this a bit once before, and I'm sure that my copy of the 1945 edition of the Consolidated Code of Operating Rules already has the newer _ _ . _ form of the signal. I'll look tonight and report back.

RDG179,
I hope this helps you a bit on the whistle signal question.

I have collected signs from the NC&StL (Nashville Chattanooga & St Louis railroad for years.
They too used the two longs and two shorts on their cast iron whistleboards. I ran across the same style of sign with the now familiar two longs a short and a long.
I also happened to have a collection of rule books from the same railroad dating from the early part of the last century up until they were merged with parent company L&N.

I found that the 1934 rulebook mentioned the older style crossing signal, but when you go to the 1935 book, it starts using the "modern" crossing signal.

I have also searched other sources but cannot find an "official" government document stating that railroads HAD to use the new signal so I cannot tell you what body dictated the change.

One interesting fact to ponder. The AAR (American Association of Railroads) was formed October 12, 1934, so one could ASSUME they had something to do with it given the NC timeline mentioned above, but that is strictly speculation as again I have never seen any documention.
Respectfully,
Bruce Pierce

The formation of the AAR in 1934 was simply a merger of four or five industry groups, one of which was the American Railroad Association, a group that traced its roots all the way back to the General Time Convention in the 1870's. I wouldn't think that the merger had anything to do with rules that were based on the Standard Code, which had long been a child of the ARA.

Likewise, I wouldn't expect there to have been any government edict. Back in those days the Feds were more than happy to let each road publish and enforce its own operating rules. Even today, the FRA insists each road enforce their rules, but doesn't dictate what those rules are.

WRM uses the air signal on our "new" electric interurban train (Sacramento Northern motor combine 1005 and Salt Lake & Utah parlor car/control trailer 751).

I just serviced 751's air signal valve last week.

This is the first year that we will be using the 1005/751 train for our April "Scenic Limited" wildflower trains on weekends during April. (I would recommend waiting a couple of weeks to ride since this is a late spring for wildflowers.)

Hi,

I have an 1881 Official Guide showing the whistles used at the time and the meeting of the AAR(?) of the time wanted to standardize the signals.

The fold out had over 120 railroads listed. Not one used - - o - for grade crossings. It usually a single long whistle.

The most notable non-standard was that about 50+% used o and o o for forward and reverse.

about 50-% used o o and o.

If you would like a copy, let me know - its 4.6 meg. The entire 1881 OG is a shareware download for $4.49.

Doug vV

Read this one, http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/r ... 11,1713513

then check the many D&RGW, and predecessor D&RG, rules books around the net, that will give you a date range for the change.

http://www.drgw.net/gallery/DRGWRuleBooks
http://www.railroadsignals.us/rulebooks/rulebooks.htm
http://www.idrgw.com/ETT/ettmain.htm


there might be something in here also; http://www.drgw.net/info/ICC2589