Transcribed from an article in a1958 edition of the North Battleford newspaper and sent to us by Merle Shockey in Grande Prairie Alberta.
Thanks Merle!
Curry's CORNER
by D. S. CURRY
Telegraph Operators
The telegraph operator appears to have the softest job on the railroad as he pounds away at his typewriter to the tune of the telegraph sounder banging away in his ear. But the truth is that at times he has more responsibility than some presidents, is busier than a factory hand on an assembly line and at the end of his shift is more tired than a ditch digger.
A good example would be the second trick operator down at the station. His day begins at three in the afternoon by signing the transfer from the day operator, checking the train orders and messages on hand and casting a suspicious eye at the west end wire as it hums out of tune with the rest of them.
To the uninitiated click, click, click of the telegraph sounder is merely noise. But to the operator, as he shoves message blanks into the typewriter, it forms a music all its own. For an hour or more he will sit, oblivious to all other sounds, transcribing this musical code at thirty or forty words a minute, into the plain English of telegrams.
Interrupting this smooth flow of words the dispatchers telephone from Prince Albert whirrs into life demanding attention. With a quick movement of his wrist he opens the key to his "bug", telling the sender that he is "9" or in everyday speech, going to copy train orders.
The handling of train orders is the most important part of his duties. A train cannot move until he has given it either a clearance or a full set of orders issued by the dispatcher. With thousands of dollars worth of equipment and many lives at stake he is not allowed one mistake, even a misplaced letter, in a train order. To check on his accuracy, every order is given to at least one other operator, who miles away, listens to him repeat it back to the dispatcher. The three of them are held equally responsible for the correctness of the order and this responsibility is tremendous. With two trains, travelling at over fifty miles an hour, coming against each other, it would take only one word in the wrong order to cause a train wreck. A heavy cross hangs over the fingers of an operator's hand or the sound of his voice on a telephone. But the evening passes quickly. In the course of eight hours he may have copied fifty messages, cleared trains, sold tickets, acted as yardmaster, answered two city telephones at least forty times each, and then have some one ask him why he doesn't look busy as he sits at his desk eating a cold lunch many hours late.
Yes it may appear to be a cinch of a job but it can also be a very quick way to gather a set of ulcers. But ask any operator if they would like to trade jobs and you would get an immediate no.Who else but an operator can, by the touch of his fingers, set in motion a whole railroad or just as quickly pull it to a stop.
They are "rail-roaders".
