Steam era signals

[Brakie]

I've never thought about that. So let's assume the engine is shoving a cut of cars into a spur, and they have to be spotted precisely at a loading dock. I am assuming there has to be a spotter at the end of the cut of cars, and needs to signal to the engineer when to stop. Given things like bad weather, darkness, and curves and view blocks (other buildings and vegetation), you are saying the conductor would ride along the end of the car and open a valve on the brake line to signal the engineer to stop? I suppose in certain situations they could have used multiple visual spotters to relay a signal.

I guess knowing this changes how some of us pre-radio modelers should operate our switching moves. When I back a trailer with a car, I have someone standing in view telling me when to stop. So, when I am switching my layout, I need to think about how the engineer can know where to stop when spotting cars.

In my railroad days the rear brakeman would attend the spotting of the cars while the head brakeman attended the switch and make the needed uncoupling.
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Given things like bad weather, darkness, and curves and view blocks (other buildings and vegetation), you are saying the conductor would ride along the end of the car and open a valve on the brake line to signal the engineer to stop?
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Not always..There would be no need to "work the air" when shoving a pickup back to a train-more often then not we would kick the car(s) back to the train anyway.On longer shoves the conductor would ride the last cat protecting the shove and would apply the air in a emergency .For a normal stop he would radio or signal the engineer when to stop.For night signaling we used our Starlight lanterns or a fusee.

As far s the view being block it was not unusual for a brakeman to ride the roof walk of car next to the engine in order to relay hand signals.Some times the fireman would help relay the signals by leaning out of the cab door..

Switching is not a game of speed or the numbers of moves require to complete the work.

When I was a student brakeman a old line PRR conductors offered up these words of wisdom.

"Son,Plan your work and work your plan,never make unnecessary moves or move a car you don't have to and never get your cabin in front of your face".

So,a slow count to 10 should give you enough scale time for the brakeman or conductor to do his work.