Train Order Forks

[yardmaster]

John Moore Jr.'s photo essays (
http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread....-John-Moore-Jr.)
triggered a question regarding Frisco Train Order forks:

(1) I've seen photos and drawings before where the train order stand includes two forks, but not three such as the one depicted at Cement, OK (page 13 of 25). If 3 sets of orders were hooped up, for whom was the third set?

(2) How far from the C.L. were the order stands set? (Perhaps I should just be more direct and say "Karl, do you have any B&B standard plans?")

Best Regards,

[Karl]

1. The helper crew would receive a set of orders.

2. The Frisco issued a Clearance Manual, Form 699 Standard, which is a rather thick document that covers the standard Frisco clearances as well as the clearance regulations promulgated by the states through which the Frisco traveled (Alabama and Mississippi did not have statutes regarding railroad clearances). Train order delivery stands are not specifically mentioned, but mail cranes are. Perhaps, we can use that figure for our modeling purposes. The crane mast is set 10'-8" from the track centerline; that places the mail sack 6'-6" from the track centerline. My book of standard plans does not include a train order delivery stand.

[yardmaster]

Karl, that helps immensely! This data should make my modeling efforts reasonably accurate when I install train order stands and a mail crane at Olathe.

Best Regards,

[wmrx]

In my days of picking up orders on the fly, the top position was for the engine crew, the middle was for passenger train crews and the bottom was for freight train crews on the caboose. Naturally, the train order operator had to know what type of train he/she was hanging orders for so that the proper position of the bottom two was used.

I never worked with manned helper engines, so I am unable to verify Karl's statement in that regard.