06-11-2010, 12:59 PM
Gary, if I remember correctly you are modeling a modern industrial switching district. I'm not sure when two way radios became the standard operating procedure for train crews working a local, but I'm going to guess the 1960's. From what I've seen here in So Cal, every drop or pick up made even if it is next to the engine, a switchman is on the ground using hand signals to direct the engineer. I'm not sure what the "blind spot" is directly in front of the engine, but I would guess that is is at least 25-50 feet at coupler height. If the drop or pick up is far enough away from the engine for the engineer to have difficulty picking up hand signals, I think they communicate by radio, and sometimes have a second crew member relaying signals from the man on the ground at the drop/pickup point to the engineer.