RCH
Been Nothin' Since Frisco
This is a pretty confusing topic for new hire railroaders, so don't feel bad if there seems to be a lot of misleading information or doubletalk. I can't speak to the rules on the NP in the 50's but in general the operating rules regarding authority and movement of trains and engines have not changed a whole lot.
Before a train or engine can move anywhere it must be authorized to move. A dispatcher, control operator or yardmaster may authorize trains to move on a specific section of track or between two stations or on all tracks at the west end of the yard, for example. A track warrant is given to the crew which delineates the limits of their authority, such as station Anna to station Cloy or Milepost 15 to Milepost 48.
Within the limits of the train's authority it may be able to move freely in either direction to accomplish switching moves or to leave the authorized track and move to another track. When the crew is directing the engineer to move within the limits of their authority the communication is accomplished with hand or radio signals and the engineer will respond accordingly. If by radio, the crew will command the engineer to move "ahead" or "back up" relative to the F stencil on the controlling locomotive. If by hand signal during the day, a "come to me" gesture is given or a "go away from me" gesture is given relative to the person giving hand signals. By lantern signal a "go ahead" or "back up" gesture is given by the person giving lantern signals.
Whistle signals are given by the engineer relative to the direction the locomotive is or will be moving. If the end with the F stencil is the leading end of the movement, two long whistles indicate the brakes are released and the locomotive will move ahead. Three short whistles indicate the brakes are released and the locomotive will back up. One long whistle signal indicates the brakes are applied.
In the case of multiple unit locomotives, the unit that is cut in as lead locomotive of the consist determines the direction of travel of the entire consist. It doesn't matter which one is set up for lead (and there can be only one leader of a consist), the F stencil on the leader sets the direction of travel "ahead" or "back up."
Shoving is handling cars ahead of the locomotive, whether the locomotive is moving ahead or backing up. In this case, "ahead of the movement" simply means as the train comes by cars or locomotives not controlling the movement will be the first to pass followed at some point by the controlling locomotive. The key when shoving is that a crew member other than the person operating the locomotive must physically observe and protect the leading end of the shove movement. This crew member will communicate distance and direction to the person operating the locomotive using radio signals or hand signals (lantern signals after dark). The person operating the locomotive acknowledges hand signals with the appropriate whistle signal and acknowledges radio signals with the radio.
A reverse movement has to do only with the direction the train or engine is authorized to move. If the train is authorized to proceed north and for some reason needs to go south, permission must be obtained from the person who granted the authority. For example, train BNSF 1234 West is authorized to proceed westbound (by timetable direction, which may disagree with the actual direction) from station Anna to station Cloy and is only authorized to proceed in that direction. To change direction the dispatcher must grant permission.* In some cases the old authority must be given up and a new authority granted to proceed in the opposite direction. Whichever direction the train is authorized to move, movement opposite the direction authorized is called a reverse movement.
Some trains are authorized to move in both directions between two points and therefore cannot make a reverse movement. Today this is accomplished in Track Warrant Control territory with a track warrant box 4 "work between." In CTC a train authorized to move in both directions will not have a direction associated with its name ("BNSF 1234" instead of "BNSF 1234 North").
The takeaway here is that reverse refers to the train's authority and backing up has to do with the physical movement of the train or engine, such as during switching operations.
* In CTC a train can change direction within the same signaled block, but cannot proceed outside that block without authority.
Before a train or engine can move anywhere it must be authorized to move. A dispatcher, control operator or yardmaster may authorize trains to move on a specific section of track or between two stations or on all tracks at the west end of the yard, for example. A track warrant is given to the crew which delineates the limits of their authority, such as station Anna to station Cloy or Milepost 15 to Milepost 48.
Within the limits of the train's authority it may be able to move freely in either direction to accomplish switching moves or to leave the authorized track and move to another track. When the crew is directing the engineer to move within the limits of their authority the communication is accomplished with hand or radio signals and the engineer will respond accordingly. If by radio, the crew will command the engineer to move "ahead" or "back up" relative to the F stencil on the controlling locomotive. If by hand signal during the day, a "come to me" gesture is given or a "go away from me" gesture is given relative to the person giving hand signals. By lantern signal a "go ahead" or "back up" gesture is given by the person giving lantern signals.
Whistle signals are given by the engineer relative to the direction the locomotive is or will be moving. If the end with the F stencil is the leading end of the movement, two long whistles indicate the brakes are released and the locomotive will move ahead. Three short whistles indicate the brakes are released and the locomotive will back up. One long whistle signal indicates the brakes are applied.
In the case of multiple unit locomotives, the unit that is cut in as lead locomotive of the consist determines the direction of travel of the entire consist. It doesn't matter which one is set up for lead (and there can be only one leader of a consist), the F stencil on the leader sets the direction of travel "ahead" or "back up."
Shoving is handling cars ahead of the locomotive, whether the locomotive is moving ahead or backing up. In this case, "ahead of the movement" simply means as the train comes by cars or locomotives not controlling the movement will be the first to pass followed at some point by the controlling locomotive. The key when shoving is that a crew member other than the person operating the locomotive must physically observe and protect the leading end of the shove movement. This crew member will communicate distance and direction to the person operating the locomotive using radio signals or hand signals (lantern signals after dark). The person operating the locomotive acknowledges hand signals with the appropriate whistle signal and acknowledges radio signals with the radio.
A reverse movement has to do only with the direction the train or engine is authorized to move. If the train is authorized to proceed north and for some reason needs to go south, permission must be obtained from the person who granted the authority. For example, train BNSF 1234 West is authorized to proceed westbound (by timetable direction, which may disagree with the actual direction) from station Anna to station Cloy and is only authorized to proceed in that direction. To change direction the dispatcher must grant permission.* In some cases the old authority must be given up and a new authority granted to proceed in the opposite direction. Whichever direction the train is authorized to move, movement opposite the direction authorized is called a reverse movement.
Some trains are authorized to move in both directions between two points and therefore cannot make a reverse movement. Today this is accomplished in Track Warrant Control territory with a track warrant box 4 "work between." In CTC a train authorized to move in both directions will not have a direction associated with its name ("BNSF 1234" instead of "BNSF 1234 North").
The takeaway here is that reverse refers to the train's authority and backing up has to do with the physical movement of the train or engine, such as during switching operations.
* In CTC a train can change direction within the same signaled block, but cannot proceed outside that block without authority.