Seashore Trolley Museum Operator Day 1 (unofficial)

Welcome to the Seashore Trolley Museum!

Thank you for volunteering. It is because of people like you who enable us to do what we do. We’re glad you’re here!

This document is an unofficial guide to operating at the Seashore Trolley Museum. You might call it the New Operator Missing Manual.

Paddles

Large Green Paddle (LGP): Notice how when you pick up the LGP, underneath it is a "stop" notice. The LGP is a signal. If you have the LGP, no other trolley should go up the line. If the LGP is missing, you should not go up the line. Paddle 1, 2, or 3: On busy days, like Pumpkin Patch, 3 Trolleys will be sent up the line. The first car will have paddle 1. The LGP will still be green, signaling that another car can go up the line.

Starters

The dispatcher may delegate somebody who is NOT the dispatcher to answer on their behalf. That person is called the "Starter". If you call dispatch and the "Starter" answers, you make take orders as though they are the dispatcher.

Operator Stops

Stops that the operator makes for safety or procedure do not require a ding-ding from the conductor. The safety stop before Meserves and the stop before the south switch are two places where the operator stops the car and then will ding-ding to indicate they are moving forward. No action or dings are required by the conductor at those locations. Dings are only required when it’s a "conductor" stop, like Meserve’s crossing.

Brakes

Some cars like 5821 and 631 have emergency brakes when the brake is full to the right. DO NOT apply the brake full to the right on these cars, you will never get the brake off! 303 does not have an emergency brake so "full apply" is all the way to the right. Brakes are like balloons. Add some air in, the balloon blows up. Let some air out, and the balloon deflates. When in Lap, which is dead center, the break valve does not allow air in or out. Do not FULL RELEASE the brakes or FULL APPLY the brakes. Take wee bites to let air in or out. If you don’t stop fast enough, take larger bites. If you stop too fast, your bites are too big.

Circuit Breakers

One some of the poles there are two little cards with a circle inside: ⧇ The circle cards indicate that there are circuit breakers on those overpasses. When the front of the car reaches one of those crossovers with a circuit breaker, turn off the controller immediately! Turn the controller back on once the trailing pole has passed through the breaker. You will see the lights flash or you will see pass the next crossover.

Spring Switches

Spring switches have springs that allow the rail to slide open to allow you to leave a loop. Never power through a spring switch. It puts unnecesary strain on the switch as the motors grab on to the spring rail.

Whistle Signals

Watch for the white <W> plaques on poles. Always blow your whistle ONCE. If you don’t have a whistle, ding your bell 3 times. You can blow your whistle 5-10 feet before the plaque.

Arrival

  • Arrive between 8 – 8:30am.
  • The visitor gate will be closed. Drive through the service entrance.
  • Park in the visitor parking lot. Try to leave the parking lot nearest to the visitor’s center for the guests.

Find the Dispatcher

  • Walk through the lobby to the platform.
  • The dispatcher desk is just to the left as you walk on to the platform.
  • Introduce yourself to the dispatcher.
  • If you do not have a mentor already assigned, the dispatcher will help you find somebody to shadow.
  • When in doubt, do what the dispatcher tells you to do.

Get a Radio

  • Have your mentor help you find a radio from the radio closet.
  • The radio closet is on the opposite side of the main doors from the bathroom.

On the Trolley as a Conductor

  • If it is an open-air car: punch people’s tickets as they board.
  • When the Trolley has boarded, remind the passengers to keep their hands and arms inside the Trolley at all times.
  • The Dispatcher will give you permission to depart
  • The dispatcher will contact you when you are ready to depart:
    • DISPATCH: Seashore Dispatch Call <CAR NUMBER>.
    • YOU: This is Seashore <CAR NUMBER>.
    • DISPATCH: Seashore <CAR NUMBER> you are cleared to <DESTINATION> with the <NAME> paddle.
    • YOU: <CAR NUMBER> you are cleared to <DESTINATION> with the <NAME> paddle.
    • DISPATCH: WNHL 712
  • Take one last look at your guests. If everybody is safe, seated, and ready, ding the bell twice.
  • The Operator will ding twice in reply to acknowledge.

If you want the car to stop:

  • Ding the bell three (3) times.
  • If it’s urgent, like the pole off the wire, yell "stop, stop, stop"!

Stop at Morrison Hill

  • Depart the car.
  • Pickup the appropriate paddle.
  • Handle the paddle to the Operator.
  • You do not need get get additional permission to leave Morrison if you already have permission to go to Talbott Park.
  • When you are back on the trolley, everybody is seated and safe, and there are no guests outside the car at risk, ding the bell two times to signal the Operator that we are ready to go.

Stop at Talbott Park

  • The conductor gives the docent speech.
  • Let your mentor give the speech on the first go. Take it all in.
  • INSERT SPEECH HERE.

Exit the car and ask the dispatcher for permission to return

  • You may need to stand on the metal platform to get a signal.
  • Be sure to point your radio towards the visitor’s center.
  • Ask the Dispatcher for permission to return using your radio:
    • YOU: Seashore <CAR NUMBER> calling Dispatch.
    • DISPATCH: Seashore Dispatch <CAR NUMBER>.
    • YOU: <CAR NUMBER> at Talbott Park with the <PADDLE NAME> Paddle.
    • DISPATCH: <CAR NUMBER> you are cleared to <DESTINATION> with the <NAME> paddle.
    • YOU: <CAR NUMBER> you are cleared to <DESTINATION> with the <NAME> paddle.
    • DISPATCH: WNHL 712
  • Share the orders with the operator.
  • Take one last look at your guests. If everybody is safe, seated, and ready, ding the bell twice.
  • The Operator will ding twice in reply to acknowledge.

Stop at Meserve’s Crossing

  • The conductor gives the docent speech.
  • Let your mentor give the speech on the first go. Take it all in.
  • INSERT SPEECH HERE.
  • You do not need get get additional permission to leave Morrison if you already have permission to go to Talbott Park.
  • Walk to the back of the car.
  • Take one last look at your guests. If everybody is safe, seated, and ready, ding the bell twice.
  • The Operator will ding twice in reply to acknowledge.

Stop at Morison Hill

  • The conductor will tell the passengers about the restoration shop to the left and riverside barn on the right.
  • Passengers may depart the car here, or stay on board and we will be back at the visitor’s center in just a few minutes.
  • Exit the car and return the LGP.
  • Radio to dispatch and ask for permission to proceed:
    • YOU: Seashore <CAR NUMBER> to Dispatch.
    • DISPATCH: Seashore Dispatch <CAR NUMBER>.
    • YOU: <CAR NUMBER> at Morrison Hill.
    • DISPATCH: <CAR NUMBER> you are cleared to <DESTINATION>.
    • YOU: <CAR NUMBER> you are cleared to <DESTINATION>.
    • DISPATCH: WNHL 712
  • Share the orders with the operator.
  • Walk to the back of the car.
  • Take one last look at your guests and look around the car outside for guests. If everybody is safe, seated, ready and there are no guests outside the car at risk, ding the bell twice.
  • The Operator will ding twice in reply to acknowledge.
  • Keep looking for wandering guests!

Stop before the south switch

  • The operator will stop the car just before the south switch to inspect the points.
  • As an operator stop, you do not need to ding the bell.
  • From this point on, watch the back pole. The pole likes to go through the south switch frog in the wrong direction so you can lose the pole here. If you lose the pole, tell the operator to stop.

Debark the car

  • Welcome guests back to the visitor’s center.
  • Thank the guests for coming to the Trolley Museum today.
  • Ask the guests to exit via the front of the car.
  • If you have guests who need the mobilift, open the back door and work with the other operators to debark the car.
  • When deboarding, the operator should be on the ground to help the guests deboard while the conductor comes up from the read of the car.

On the Trolley as an Operator

  • When the conductor has permission from the dispatcher to depart, they will ding the bell two times.
  • Ding the bell two times in return to acknowledge the dings were heard.

Signal Light when Exiting the Loop

  • It’s a standard Red, Yellow, Green signal light.
  • If Red, do not exit the loop.
  • If Green, proceed out of the loop.

Stop at Morrison Hill

  • Stop near the paddles.
  • Open the front door so the Conductor can exit and retrieve the paddle.
  • The Conductor will hand you the paddle.
  • When the Conductor is ready to depart, they will ding the bell two times.
  • Ding the bell two times in return to acknowledge the dings were heard.

Going through the road crossing

  • There is a blinking luna (white) light with a purple light underneath.
  • The light indicates that the crossing is operating. If the lights are out, stop at the crossing and look for obstacles before proceeding through.
  • On approach to the crossing:
    • If on a trolley with a horn, sound morse code for the letter "Q": dash – dash – dot – dash
    • If on a trolley without a horn, ding-ding the bell 3 times.
  • Look both ways when crossing.

Signal Light when Exiting the road crossing

  • There are two flashing yellow lights.
  • The flashing yellow lights indicate that the signal area is ending.
  • After this point the signals will only be either pipes or physical signs, no more lights.

Pulling in to Talbbott Park

  • At the top of the hill, one the right hand side of the track, there is a granite stone.
  • Switch off the controller at the granite stone and coast in to the loop.
  • Every car rolls a little different. With 639 you need to switch off just at the granite. With 4387 you can switch off 5-10 feet back from the granite. With 303 you might just want to roll an inch past the granite before powering off.
  • There is a circuit braker in the middle of the switches, just before the loop.
  • Always coast through circuit brakers and switches.
  • Take power just before you enter the loop.
  • Disengage power before entering the loop guide rail. Never power in to a loop guide rail.
  • Once you are in the loop you can take 3 points of power.
  • Power until you are 3 quarters of the way through the loop and then coast the rest of the way to a nice graceful stop at the platform.
  • Practice the power around the loop and you won’t even need to use the brakes to stop.

Entertaining the Trolley Car while the Conductor calls for permissions to return

  • If there are kids onboard, invite them up to the front to ring the bell.
  • DO NOT show anybody how the buzzers work. Best to turn those off.
  • Offer to answer any questions guests may have.
  • Ask where people are from. Are they from the same city, or state, as the car?

Departing Talbott Park

  • You have to get a running start to leave the loop, power off before the circuit breaker, and make it through the spring switch without taking power.
  • Take 3 points of power with reasonable haste, then power off. Have faith that you’ll roll through.

Stop at Meserve’s Crossing

  • Stop just before the crossing platform so you don’t drip grease on it.

Remember your "Q" whistle when going through the grade crossing.

  • Your final whistle should blow just as you roll in to the crossing.
  • You should be able to coast to Morrison from here.

Approaching Morrison Hill

  • Mind the overhead circuit breaker just at the end of Riverside.
  • There is a lot to manage with slowing down, powering off, and watching for wandering kids. Be vigilant here!
  • If there are kids, decrease to DEAD SLOW. If you don’t know what a kid will do, stop completely and then creep to the station.
  • Ding your bell as you approach to warn the guests you are coming.
  • Open the door nearest Riverside.
  • Stay with the controls while guests disembark.

Leaving Morrison Hill

  • The conductor will tell you where to go. Pay attention to both the radio call and what the conductor tells you.
  • WATCH CLOSELY FOR GUESTS wandering in to your way.
  • Do not depart until the conductor gives you two bells.
  • Take power and then coast through the switches.
  • Stop just short of the switch by Arundel station. Look at the switch in front of you: is everything set correctly?
  • Look for guests around you.
  • If everything is correct, and the path is safe, ding twice, and proceed.
  • Ding your bell repeatedly as you enter the visitor’s center loop.
  • Be vigilant for wandering guests.
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