Playing With Trains
I have been adding some books to my home library on our favorite subject, trains, but haven't had much time for reading as of late. Sometimes I think my real hobby is reading and that all of these other activities are just peripheral to buying books.
Today I started one of those books called “Playing With Trains” the sub title of which is “A Passion Beyond Scale” written by Sam Posy. I only got into the first few chapters but I can tell that I'm really going to enjoy this one and I will write something more about it once I have completed reading it.
When I read a book I read the jacket cover and then start at the very beginning reading any dedications or information that precedes the first chapter. At the front of “Playing With Trains” I found a dedication to Rolf and John, a poem by Walt Whitman and a scanned image of a paper that the author had made up to use at his train layouts with the whistle signals on it. Sort of “Morse code” for trains as it were. Being an amateur radio operator I found this interesting. For your enjoyment and edifications here is the list of signals.
I was going to try to replicate the list here just the way I see it in the book but the way the blog software handles formatting it is not really practical. So I'm giving your my version of the information.
DAH = Long Toot
DIT = Short Toot
DIT - Apply Brakes, STOP!
DAH DAH - Release Brakes, PROCEED!
DAH DIT DIT DIT – Flagman go back and protect rear of train.
DAH DAH DAH DAH – Flagman return from west or south.
DAH DAH DAH DAH DAH – Flagman return from east or north.
DIT DIT DIT DAH – Protect front of train.
DIT DIT – Answer to any signal not otherwise provided for.
DIT DIT DIT – When standing, back up, When running.
DIT DIT DIT DIT – Call for signals. //////// stop at next station.
DAH DAH DIT DAH – Approaching highway or grade crossing.
DAH – Approaching station, junction or railroad crossing.
DAH DAH DIT – Approaching a meeting or waiting point for trains.
*********** - A number of short toots is a signal for persons or livestock on the track.
Today I started one of those books called “Playing With Trains” the sub title of which is “A Passion Beyond Scale” written by Sam Posy. I only got into the first few chapters but I can tell that I'm really going to enjoy this one and I will write something more about it once I have completed reading it.
When I read a book I read the jacket cover and then start at the very beginning reading any dedications or information that precedes the first chapter. At the front of “Playing With Trains” I found a dedication to Rolf and John, a poem by Walt Whitman and a scanned image of a paper that the author had made up to use at his train layouts with the whistle signals on it. Sort of “Morse code” for trains as it were. Being an amateur radio operator I found this interesting. For your enjoyment and edifications here is the list of signals.
I was going to try to replicate the list here just the way I see it in the book but the way the blog software handles formatting it is not really practical. So I'm giving your my version of the information.
DAH = Long Toot
DIT = Short Toot
DIT - Apply Brakes, STOP!
DAH DAH - Release Brakes, PROCEED!
DAH DIT DIT DIT – Flagman go back and protect rear of train.
DAH DAH DAH DAH – Flagman return from west or south.
DAH DAH DAH DAH DAH – Flagman return from east or north.
DIT DIT DIT DAH – Protect front of train.
DIT DIT – Answer to any signal not otherwise provided for.
DIT DIT DIT – When standing, back up, When running.
DIT DIT DIT DIT – Call for signals. //////// stop at next station.
DAH DAH DIT DAH – Approaching highway or grade crossing.
DAH – Approaching station, junction or railroad crossing.
DAH DAH DIT – Approaching a meeting or waiting point for trains.
*********** - A number of short toots is a signal for persons or livestock on the track.
posted by Ken / WA3FKG at 7:27 PM
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