List, The device Mr. Martin refers to is called an annuciator. When the dispatcher keyed up the location on the selector box it activated an open microphone to the dispatchers wire so that the dispatcher could then hear the passing train. When I was a dispatcher in Wyoming on the UP we had an open annunciator (one that was working on the open dispatchers circuit all the time) . In UP's case it was at Curvo Utah so that the dispatcher could monitor passing eastward (uphill) trains as they approached Wahsatch, Utah. To mess with the crewmembers heads I would lean over to the dispatcher's wire with my headset so that the mike would pick up the sound. Then I would key the nearest radio tower and broadcast the noise over the radio. You should have heard the radio chatter.. "Sounds like someone has an open mike". "Boy that train is really struggling" etc. It was best done on midnights as the LAXM was roaring uphill at about 45 mph and then played over the radio channels. Rich Pennisi ELHS #615 ------------------------------
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