What is it?

[healey36]

Any of you guys have any idea what this is? It looks to be some sort of sign-post that stands in the right-of-way of the old Western Maryland main-line opposite the freight-house in Westminster. Basically a big flat two-sided surface with a a strap-iron hook-looking thing at the top, like you could hang something on either side:





It's been there as long as I can remember, so I suspect it is original to the depot.

Healey

[Roy]

Could it be a hiring sign for the freight house?

[healey36]

Almost looks like there was some sort of steel sign or signal that had a slot cut in the top so it could be hung on this thing...or it could be something totally different.

[robert.]

That's where the engineer's mom hung his lunch pail every morning.

[E7]

Maybe some type of message device where the missives could be made up on a board or some such and hung from the hook for either direction of travel. Not anything like the gizmos I've seen where messages or orders were passed to the crews on the fly. They were higher and closer to the train, as best I recall. Might have been done by station personnel with a pole of sorts. I've seen it done in films, but my memory stinks!

Rich

[healey36]

Rich - when the line was still in operation there was one of these on the opposite side of the track adjacent to the depot:



Although I never saw it used, train orders were suspended at the top and snagged by the engineer on his way past.

Healey

[rogruth]

The lower one was for the conductor in the caboose, I think.

[Roy]

Is this the device where the engineer would put his fist out, and it would go through a ring - thus snagging train orders?

[E7]

Rich - when the line was still in operation there was one of these on the opposite side of the track adjacent to the depot:



Although I never saw it used, train orders were suspended at the top and snagged by the engineer on his way past.

Healey

Healey,

I've seen action shots in old steam/diesel transition film footage. Once radio communication became common, I suspect they vanished pretty quickly.

Probably take an old RR guy to answer about that other one! A lot of things quickly become ephemeral because of technology! What Roger says about the lower level being for the caboose makes sense.

Rich

[FWD 1979]

Rich - when the line was still in operation there was one of these on the opposite side of the track adjacent to the depot:



Although I never saw it used, train orders were suspended at the top and snagged by the engineer on his way past.

Healey

Healey,

I've seen action shots in old steam/diesel transition film footage. Once radio communication became common, I suspect they vanished pretty quickly.

Probably take an old RR guy to answer about that other one! A lot of things quickly become ephemeral because of technology! What Roger says about the lower level being for the caboose makes sense.

Rich

I guess I qualify as an "old" railroad guy. This is a stand used by operators to deliver train orders to passing trains. The upper is for the head end crew (either engineer or head brakeman depending on which direction train was traveling) the lower one for the rear-end crew. Normally the rear brakeman would retrieve them. On the FWD the orders were "hooped" on a wood fork so that you could catch with your arm through the hoop. Less chance of missing them. If you missed, train had to stop and you walked back to get them. Also on the Denver, we had no stands. The operator would hold the hoops. Wasn't always a pleasant experience handing up orders to a train traveling 40+ mph.

RLR

[up148]

Believe it said "Kilroy was here".

BH