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Danger Signals
Danger Signals
Remarkable, Exciting and Unique Examples of the Bravery, Daring and Stoicism in the Midst of Danger of Train Dispatchers and Railroad Engineers
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was in good spirits all the time. I was cross. Nothing will make a man crosser than a poor steamer.
"We got to Providence in the evening tired; but after supper the Kid said he had an aunt and her family living there, and if I didn't mind, he'd try to find them. I left the door unlocked, and slept on one side of the bed, but the Kid didn't come back; he was at the engine when I got there the next morning.
"The Kid was such a nice little fellow I liked to have him with me, and, somehow or other (I hardly noticed it at the time), he had a good influence on me. In them days I took a drink if I felt like it; but the Kid got me into the habit of taking lemonade, and wouldn't go into drinking places, and I soon quit it. He gave me many examples of controlling my temper, and soon got me into the habit of thinking before I spoke.
"We played horse with that engine for four or five weeks, mostly around town, but I could see it was no go. The patent fuel was no good, and the patent fire-box little b
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(1898) Various Genre / Short story collection
R: * * * * *
Plot bullets
The telegraph and its uses on the railroad, in war, commercial and private use.
Part I - Tales by others
Jim Wainwright's Kid
o A girl dresses as a young man to gain an active life and be near the man she loves.
An Engineer's Christmas Story
o A man lets jealousy ruin his Christmas and almost his life.
The Clean Man and the Dirty Angels
o A man known for his honest judgment is shown to be prejudice.
A Peg-legged Romance
o A girl won't marry just any man. She must have a hero..
o A trainman is a good honest man, but not a hero to some.
o However, a split second can change that.
My Lady of the Eyes
o An engineer is haunted by the eyes in a picture.
o He meets the lady who owns the eyes, the wife of a friend.
o There is a tragic but wonderful tale to tell.
Some Freaks of Fate
o Man adopts a girl of a dance hall owner, but will have nothing to do with her mother.
o He helps the girl through school at a distance.
Mormon Joe, the Robber
o A man is accused of robbery.
o He is helping a girl in need.
A Midsummer Night's Trip
o A storm is a bad thing for a railroader in the desert.
o The same desert can be more stressful for a woman alone.
o Some women can handle the perils of the desert and much more.
The Polar Zone
o A railroader takes a break from railroading and takes a trip.
o He has a tall tale to tell.
o He relates his travels on an expedition to the North Pole.
Part II - Tales by the author of a life as an operator
Learning the Business--My First Office
o The stress of a first job as a night operator
An Encounter with Train Robbers
o A second job in a desolate outpost makes him a hero
In a Wreck
o Going to another job he is involved in a train wreck and uses his telegraphers abilities to help.
A Woman Operator Who Saved a Train
o There were few women telegraphers. This friend of his, became a heroin.
A Night Office in Texas--A Stuttering Dispatcher
o The cowboys razz the night operator.
Blue Field, Arizona, and an Indian Scrimmage
o He seeks a desolate station.
o There is an Indian raid.
o The depot is set on fire.
o He is going back to Texas.
Taking a Whirl at Commercial Work--My First Attempt--The Galveston Fire
o From a depot fire to a burning city.
Sending a Message Perforce--Recognizing an Old Friend by His Stuff
o You can recognize an operator by his method of sending.
IX. Bill Bradley, Gambler and Gentleman
o A Gambler proves to be his best friend.
The Death of Jim Cartwright--Chased off a Wire by a Woman
o A woman operator caused him to loose his job.
Witnessing a Marriage by Wire--Beating a Pool Room--Sparring at Long Range
o Just that.
How a Smart Operator was Squelched--The Galveston Flood
o Never tap out a message unless you know who is listening.
o This is not about the flood of 1900.
Sending My First Order
o A new position.
o Make way for the railroad commission special.
o He gets a chance to make and send his first order.
Running Trains by Telegraph--How It is Done
o The importance of the dispatcher.
o Methods of dispatching.
An Old Dispatcher's Mistake--My First Trick
o A trick: A dispatchers 8 hour shift. The first trick is the first shift..
o Even an experienced dispatcher can make a mistake.
A General Strike--A Locomotive Engineer for a Day
o A strike gives him a chance as an engineer.
Chief Dispatcher--An Inspection Tour--Big River Wreck
o A dispatcher can do all that is humanly possible.
o Nature may have something to say before all is done.
A Promotion by Favor and Its Results
o Nepotism at a station causes a tragedy.
Jacking up a Negligent Operator--A Convict Operator--Dick, the Plucky Call Boy
o Many men don't make the first cut, but pan out in the end.
An Episode of Sentiment
o Managing a woman operator is a bit of a challenge.
The Military Operator--A Fake Report that Nearly Caused Trouble
o He resigns his commercial job and goes into the military.
o While there a practical joke almost ends a career.
Private Dennis Hogan, Hero
o A soldier telegrapher saves his company.
The Commission Won--In a General Strike
o Army breaks railroad strike.
Experiences as a Government Censor of Telegraph
o He becomes a telegraph censor during the Spanish American War.
More Censorship
o More of the blue pencil work.
o The newspapers are a problem.
Censorship Concluded
o The fleet has sailed and censorship is revoked.
Conclusion
o Praise of the telegraph and the operators.
R: * * * * *
Plot bullets
The telegraph and its uses on the railroad, in war, commercial and private use.
Part I - Tales by others
Jim Wainwright's Kid
o A girl dresses as a young man to gain an active life and be near the man she loves.
An Engineer's Christmas Story
o A man lets jealousy ruin his Christmas and almost his life.
The Clean Man and the Dirty Angels
o A man known for his honest judgment is shown to be prejudice.
A Peg-legged Romance
o A girl won't marry just any man. She must have a hero..
o A trainman is a good honest man, but not a hero to some.
o However, a split second can change that.
My Lady of the Eyes
o An engineer is haunted by the eyes in a picture.
o He meets the lady who owns the eyes, the wife of a friend.
o There is a tragic but wonderful tale to tell.
Some Freaks of Fate
o Man adopts a girl of a dance hall owner, but will have nothing to do with her mother.
o He helps the girl through school at a distance.
Mormon Joe, the Robber
o A man is accused of robbery.
o He is helping a girl in need.
A Midsummer Night's Trip
o A storm is a bad thing for a railroader in the desert.
o The same desert can be more stressful for a woman alone.
o Some women can handle the perils of the desert and much more.
The Polar Zone
o A railroader takes a break from railroading and takes a trip.
o He has a tall tale to tell.
o He relates his travels on an expedition to the North Pole.
Part II - Tales by the author of a life as an operator
Learning the Business--My First Office
o The stress of a first job as a night operator
An Encounter with Train Robbers
o A second job in a desolate outpost makes him a hero
In a Wreck
o Going to another job he is involved in a train wreck and uses his telegraphers abilities to help.
A Woman Operator Who Saved a Train
o There were few women telegraphers. This friend of his, became a heroin.
A Night Office in Texas--A Stuttering Dispatcher
o The cowboys razz the night operator.
Blue Field, Arizona, and an Indian Scrimmage
o He seeks a desolate station.
o There is an Indian raid.
o The depot is set on fire.
o He is going back to Texas.
Taking a Whirl at Commercial Work--My First Attempt--The Galveston Fire
o From a depot fire to a burning city.
Sending a Message Perforce--Recognizing an Old Friend by His Stuff
o You can recognize an operator by his method of sending.
IX. Bill Bradley, Gambler and Gentleman
o A Gambler proves to be his best friend.
The Death of Jim Cartwright--Chased off a Wire by a Woman
o A woman operator caused him to loose his job.
Witnessing a Marriage by Wire--Beating a Pool Room--Sparring at Long Range
o Just that.
How a Smart Operator was Squelched--The Galveston Flood
o Never tap out a message unless you know who is listening.
o This is not about the flood of 1900.
Sending My First Order
o A new position.
o Make way for the railroad commission special.
o He gets a chance to make and send his first order.
Running Trains by Telegraph--How It is Done
o The importance of the dispatcher.
o Methods of dispatching.
An Old Dispatcher's Mistake--My First Trick
o A trick: A dispatchers 8 hour shift. The first trick is the first shift..
o Even an experienced dispatcher can make a mistake.
A General Strike--A Locomotive Engineer for a Day
o A strike gives him a chance as an engineer.
Chief Dispatcher--An Inspection Tour--Big River Wreck
o A dispatcher can do all that is humanly possible.
o Nature may have something to say before all is done.
A Promotion by Favor and Its Results
o Nepotism at a station causes a tragedy.
Jacking up a Negligent Operator--A Convict Operator--Dick, the Plucky Call Boy
o Many men don't make the first cut, but pan out in the end.
An Episode of Sentiment
o Managing a woman operator is a bit of a challenge.
The Military Operator--A Fake Report that Nearly Caused Trouble
o He resigns his commercial job and goes into the military.
o While there a practical joke almost ends a career.
Private Dennis Hogan, Hero
o A soldier telegrapher saves his company.
The Commission Won--In a General Strike
o Army breaks railroad strike.
Experiences as a Government Censor of Telegraph
o He becomes a telegraph censor during the Spanish American War.
More Censorship
o More of the blue pencil work.
o The newspapers are a problem.
Censorship Concluded
o The fleet has sailed and censorship is revoked.
Conclusion
o Praise of the telegraph and the operators.
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