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Is there a chair in that pic? And a small table?
The answer to the question is YES. More significant is that ALL of the switches in the photo are manually operated. Also notice the speakers located on the roof of Cabin D and the switch tender shelter located between the lead RDC and the switch tender. All movements had to stop and proceed on hand signal from the switch tender. The specific route information was provided to the switch tender over the speakers.
Wonderful photo!!!!
I have a knack for the crazier details in pictures. That had to be something to do. Lots of exercise there.
But at least the weather is good, and none of this exists. Except for the tracks.
I agree, good pic.
Yes, all the switches joining were hand thrown with 3 shifts of switch tenders on duty/working 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The chair is for sitting in between trains when it was warm and sunny, otherwise you stepped down into that little hut squeezed in between the tracks (speakers are on its roof – don’t know if it had heat but at least you could get of the rain or snow. The old chair had a worn not-too-clean cushion, and most men came to work with a folded-up newspaper – that’s what the switchman has in his hand, used in daylight to give a “highball” to approaching trains after lining up the track switch for the appropriate route. West bound there was a mandatory Stop Board just east of Bathurst St bridge (from which this picture was taken). The TTR Train Director sat in Cabin D on the 2nd floor, announcing anpproachin trains over the loud speaker system to switch men to line up the correct route.If it was really cold, wet, snowy and it wasn’t busy, you could walk a 100 feet to Cabin D to get warm (it had a stove). Simple – lasted for decades.