Train order operation

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Train order operation is a system for safely moving trains using train orders, as opposed to fixed signals or cab signalling. In train order operation, a "train order" is an order issued by or through a proper railway official to govern the movement of trains".^[1]

Train order operation was widely used by the railroads of North America before the days of centralized traffic control (CTC), direct traffic control (DTC), and the use of track warrants conveyed by radio. The system used a set of rules when direct communication between train dispatchers and trains was limited or non-existent. Trains would follow a predetermined operating plan, known as the timetable, unless superseded by train orders conveyed to the train from the dispatcher, through local intermediaries. Train order operation was a system that required minimum human overhead in an era before widespread use of technology-based automation. It was the most practical way for railroads with limited capital resources, or lines with limited traffic, to operate. To this day, many short lines, heritage railways, and railroad museums continue to use Train Order operation.