Flagging

Vol. 2
No. 5

March
1926

Flagging!

By C. B. Carpenter
SUPERINTENDENT, SALIDA DIVISION

HE failed properly to protect his "train." How Often we have read this sad commentary on a man's failure to efficiently perform this super-important duty. There is no more important duty connected with railroad operation than that of properly protecting a train by flagging, but the seriousness of the situation, judging from the constant recurrence of cases of this kind, does not appear to be as yet fully realized. It has required years of study and observation on the part of the best minds in the railroad world to devise and sug, gest what is the most practical in the way of rules and regulations for the government of railroad employes in general, and if the rules and regulations which have been promulgated are carried out, there is no question of doubt but what railroad accidents can be held to the minimum; it is, however, the everlasting disregard of them and the inclination to take chances that results in trouble for the company and misery for the employes involved.

There are some excellent flagmen (and they could all be so classed if they properly apply themselves to their duty) and there are some that are not so good. A flagman should realize, above all things, that the protection of the train rests principally in his hands. His position is on the rear car of the train where be can immediately go back with proper signals if anything happens which requires his train to stop, and where he can see a following train and block it, if necessary, in accordance with the rules. When he has to flag one of the most important things connected with the position is to get back the specified distances, and farther if necessary, so that the approaching train or engine will have ample opportunity to stop before any damage can be done. A flagman, particularly on a passenger train, has a serious responsibility. Upon him depend the lives of the passengers riding on the train that he is to protect, and a failure on his part is little short of criminal negligence, because he invariably has ample time to afford proper protection and it is a simple matter to provide it, if looked after as it should be. It requires considerable time and costs a great deal of money to develop an efficient railroad man, and particularly is this true in the train and engine service; the company, therefore, dislikes, exceedingly, to be required to remove an experienced man from the service, and the officials endeavor to at all times also keep in mind the human side of the question, but a man who will not properly flag is an unsafe and unreliable employe and a menace to the service; he apparently has no interest in his position nor in the company's welfare, with the inevitable result that he eventually comes to grief through his own negligence, and in some cases causes his family to suffer thereby.

I desire, most earnestly, to impress upon all concerned, the very great importance of providing proper flagging protection at all times, and solicit your full and undivided co-operation in this respect, for your own protection as well as that of the company. The engineer should not overlook his duty of whistling out the flagman promptly. The conductor must see that the flagman goes out, with proper equipment, immediately, and whenever possible, see that be goes back the required distances. The flagman must not wait either to be whistled out by the engineer, or instructed by the conductor, but must immediately protect his train, giving this duty preference over all others, and not permitting anything to interfere with the proper performance thereof. Go back the required distances, use the signals in compliance with the rules and trouble will be greatly minimized, or practically eliminated. Come to work equipped with the necessary clothes to go out in all kinds of weather.

Call on the superintendent or the trainmaster or any other qualified official if you are in doubt as to the meaning of any of the rules or regulations, and we will be only too glad to enlighten you.