1856

Occasionally, for example in an emergency situation, it might be necessary to establish contact with the outside world from the train. This is when the portable dial telegraph onboard came into play.

The train would be stopped, and the bulky 20 kilogramme telegraph would be carried out onto the trackside. Using a long pole, a wire would be connected to the telegraph line running alongside the track. Another wire would be connected to one of the rails. Then, five turns of the crank were made, which served as the signal for an emergency. This action would interrupt all other telegraph traffic on the line, allowing communication with the nearest station and the reception of replies.

As time progressed, the train telegraph was replaced by portable telephones and fixed telephone posts along the track.