Salem, Virginia Stations

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

I think we can draw some conclusions by the very location of the 1891 Salem 
station.

Viz. that the operator at Salem was not blocking trains or handling train 
orders in 1891.  The station was situated much too far away from the track for 
the operator to have been able to observe engine numbers or classification 
signals displayed on engines, or to be running out and handing on train orders.

I surmise that his work in the 1891 station probably consisted of the "other" 
agent/operator duties, namely selling tickets and handling telegrams and  
Railway Express.

Nor do the old photos of the station indicate the presence of a pipeline down 
that steep bank to control semaphore train order and/or block signals.

So, suppose the agent/operator had to use his green-and-white hand signals to 
stop a train for "flag stop" work.  When he heard the whistle blowing, he 
really had to hustle quickly out the door and down the stairs to give the flag 
signal.  Maybe that's why the operator's office in the Salem station had 
eastbound and westbound "block indicators" on the walll, which served to warn him of 
the approach of a train.  (Signal blocks were about a mile long back then, so 
after the "block indicators" were installed, he had about a one mile warning 
that a train was approaching.)

Take this back one step further, to the period before automatic block 
signaling was installed.  Electric block indicators work off of the track circuits of 
an automatic block signal system, so before the automatic block signal system 
was installed (1912-ish ???) there would have been no "block indicators." . 
Between the time the 1891 station was built and the time automatic block 
signaling was introduced, I wonder how many trains blew right by a flag stop at 
Salem because the operator couldn't race down the hill fast enough to give stop 
signals with his green and white flag or lanterns?  It's something to think 
about...

Aaaah... So many questions, so few answers.

-- abram burnett
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