"M1" for Posm ?

[NW Mailing List]

Abe:

Unfortunately I don't have list No. 51 from May 1, 1925 in my collection. But list No. 50, from May 1, 1923, and List No. 52 from May 1, 1926 there was a size format change on that station and siding lists. The page size on list No. 50 measures 4.625 x 10.5, on list No. 52, the page size is 4.75 x 8.125. 

In that time frame, typesetting was done on either a linotype machine, or actually set, letter by letter with lead type in cases. Now when that is done, the typesetter pulled out each single letter out of case, and loaded it, backwards into a casting stick. This kind of job was the worst to deal with, I'd imagine, repetitive, and lots of confusing numbers and letters. So between book No, 50, when Posm was actually "MI" with the letter "I" and  Norfolk Division Timetable No. 1, effective 12:01 AM, Sunday November 16, 1930, on page N-10, clearly shows Posm as MI, , again, with the letter "I" as a daytime only office.

Forest is also listed as "F" and Kinney as "B" and Phoebe as "Q".

I think you've discovered a typo that had never been previously reported. I further suspect, that Stone Printing, who did most of the printing for the N&W, kept the type blocks together for this job, and made changes as it went along, rather than recasting the whole lot every year or so. If the error was not reported, it was not corrected.

MI did not last a whole lot longer as an office, it was still listed in Norfolk Division No. 7, effective 4:15 AM on Sunday July 24, 1932 it is still listed, but by No. 8, effective Sunday February 26, 1933, it was gone.

Ken Miller
On Oct 5, 2013, at 11:18 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:


> Today I was at Dr. Frank Scheer's "DK" Telegraph Office in the old depot at Boyce, Va, and studying some of the books in his collection.

> 

> One item was the May 1, 1931 "Official List of Stations, Officers, Agents &c."  This publication lists an office call for Posm on the Lynchburg Bent Line and the call is "M1."  (That's the capital letter M plus the numeral "1" ["one.] )

> 

> It's not unheardof for a numeral to be used in a telegraph call, but this is the first numeral I've ever seen used by the N&W in a telegraph call.

> 

> Does anyone have other Official Lists from the 1920s-1930s, which may substantiate that "M1" is a correct entry and not a misprint?  If so, while you checking, see if there are any other telegraph calls listed for the Lynchburg Belt Line.

> 

> -- abram burnett 

> 

> <<  PS - No, "Posm" ain't no typographical error on my part!  That's the way the railroad spelt the word.  :-)   >>

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