Hello everyone, I hope you are all well. I collect railroad antiques, although my collecting has slowed and collection shrunk since getting a mortgage. One item in my collection I refuse to part with is an order hoop. I have had the idea rolling around in my head for some time of issuing orders on the fly on a given operating day. Could be educational if done at a station or station stop, not to mention pretty neat for crews. Please understand I have approached no management about this and maybe won't ever get around to it(it's just an idea at this time), but I wanted to know from you all out there: have you hooped up orders at your operation at any time? How did it work out? Just curious. Thanks in advance for the info. God bless. Seth

Its still done daily on the LIRR...

Did it everyday when I was a block operator on the PRSL. You sould have little trouble hooping up orders in a preservation environment,but it is a serious activity with some inherent safety issues when done on the fly for 'real'. This is not to mean it still isn't possibly dangerous. I hung orders on a RDC Multi-unit line one time at nearly track speed (probably 60 mph) as the engineer was concerned about keeping schedule apparently.

Standing trackside and gauging how close you have to be with out getting hit by the engine but still allow the crew ,especailly the engine crew, to reach down and hit the hoop is an adventure. There is little other than experiance to judge as you have no reference point as to where to stand and it is daunting to be facing a GP-38 lashup coming at you towing 9,000 tons at 35 mph. Hanging orders on the cabin car is snap as you know where the train is and how close you can stand,plus they are a bit lower to the ground.

The PRSL used standard and tradtional PRR practice, with a hemp string loop, the flimises rolled up tightly tied with a double half hitch onto the string, then the entire loop hung on the order hoop strung across the notches at the ends of the wye and clipped into the spring retainer at the base.

If you are doing this in Delaware and if you want, I would more than glad to pop on over the Twin Bridges from South Jersey and run you through the process once or twice.

We have demonstrated hooping up orders during special events at the Smiths Falls Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario in the past, and it was very well received by the visitors. It gives them the chance to witness what was once an everyday event, under safe and controlled circumstances.

During the late 1970's, I had the opportunity to hoop orders to both ends of numerous fast-moving freight trains late at night, courtesy of a couple of operator friends. This was repeated over several trains per night, over quite a few nights. Some of these freights were piggybackers pulled by matched sets of FPA-4's... oops, I guess we know which railway this was.

It's a daunting experience holding the hoop up for the hogger, when all you can see is the headlight, the ground is shaking, and you have to guesstimate where the poor guy's arm will be! The tail end is easier... the hoop is shorter, and you aren't blinded by the headlight so you can see the man!

Far more intimidating though, are those big lumber flatcars coming at you. I was taught to stand way back, and soon learned the sound of loose strapping singing as it sailed along, waiting to maim an unwary operator.

All those involved are long retired, but I'll be forever grateful for this experience.

Steve Hunter