Tom that may be, although the orders are tied with twine, then it's a loop between the two legs of the hoop. The employee just sticks his arm in the loop and the string with order is captured. As agents and operators retired, the railroad made a Union Agreement to retire the process through attrition. The orders went via radio, as the trains became equipped.
It should also be noted, a Train would get their Clearance and Orders at their originating terminal. If conditions change after the train departs, then no later than the station prior to the condition, a train would receive the order or stop. In reading and discussion's with different rail men, years ago a track section might only have 5 or maybe 10 miles of track. They performed all track work in their assigned territory. The Foreman at that time was the final authority, he hired, fired and assigned duties. In many places he had a company house, provided food and lodging for his section men. I had many occation's to talk with a guy that was born in a section house to the foreman and his wife. When big enough he did chores for the foreman his dad, later working the section eventually climbing up the ladder on the "Q" railroad, Getting back to orders, these small sections would make repairs, issuing slow orders which would generate train orders to trains out and running on the territory. That was one of the main reasons for station agents and operators. They would also get orders from the dispatcher, that might change or set up wait times and meets. They had many other duties, this is just some reasons for order boards at stations.
I once picked up orders at Afton at 60 mph. The only injury was a red welt on my arm where I snagged the string holding the orders. I suppose one could injure a hand if the aim was off and hit the supports holding the orders, although I never heard of that happening to anyone working out of Tulsa. I can tell you that at 60 mph the triangle formed by the two supports and the string holding the orders looks very small. I was very nervous I can assure you. Until then the fastest I had picked up orders was 40 mph on the Creek Sub which was standard procedure at Wetumka south bound. One time at Wetumka I "missed" the orders, but I had the tell tale welt on my arm showing I had snagged the orders. The engineer said the operator must not have them tied properly, and that was the reason they had dropped to the ground. Fortunately the conductor got his orders and radioed to us the instructions so that we did not have to stop. Terry
