Train - The station operator 1943

by Mike Savad

Title

Train - The station operator 1943

Artist

Mike Savad

Medium

Photograph - Hand Colored Photo

Description

Hand colored photo from 1943
Original title: An Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe operator and telegrapher throwing one of the interlocking switches
Photographer: Jack Delano
Location: Waynoka, Oklahoma

In the early days of railroad communication, telegraphs were the backbone of coordination, allowing operators to relay train movements, delays, and orders across vast distances. The telegraph sounder in the image was a vital tool for decoding Morse code, but in noisy rail yards or crowded telegraph lines, operators sought ways to amplify the faint clicks. A common improvisation involved mounting a tobacco can to the sounder, enhancing its volume and clarity.

These telegraph systems functioned as party lines, with multiple operators sending and receiving messages. A receiving operator would listen for a message header directed to them, while the rest was just background noise. When a novice operator, known for having a poor "fist" (sending technique), came online, experienced operators, uninterested in decoding sloppy Morse code, would simply place the lid back on the can, muffling the sound. This practice led to the phrase "Put a lid on it!", a way of tuning out unwanted noise. In the modern Ham Radio community, the term "Lid" still refers to a poor operator.

The interlocking operator, another key figure in railroad operations, worked from a tower overseeing the tracks, controlling a complex system of levers or electrical switches to prevent conflicting train movements, an early form of fail-safe automation. The telegraph in the image reflects an era before widespread telephone use, when Morse code was the primary means of communication between dispatchers, towers, and stations.

Around the operator's neck hangs a device resembling an old microphone, likely a throat microphone or a push-to-talk radio microphone. This design, which wrapped around the neck, was essential in noisy environments like rail yards, allowing direct communication with engineers, dispatchers, or other towers without the need for a handheld device, keeping hands free to manage the intricate mechanics of railroad signaling.

Uploaded

February 18th, 2025

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