Highball?

I've heard the term several times but never realy understood what it means. Can someone please tell me what it does mean.
Thanks./Jonatan

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RE: Highball?, cyberjim, Mar-26-03, 02:04 AM, (1) RE: Highball?, MJLriak, Mar-26-03, 02:56 AM, (2) RE: Highball?, Jonatan, Mar-26-03, 01:13 PM, (3) RE: Highball?, yellowdog, Mar-26-03, 01:55 PM, (4) RE: Highball?, Buddy, Mar-26-03, 05:11 PM, (5) RE: Highball?, Magick_maker, Mar-26-03, 07:04 PM, (6) RE: Highball?, Fred_Huntley, Mar-26-03, 07:55 PM, (7) RE: Highball?, Nels_Anderson, Mar-27-03, 08:25 AM, (8) RE: Highball?, Poltergeist, Mar-27-03, 10:07 AM, (9) RE: Highball?, Nels_Anderson, Mar-27-03, 11:46 AM, (10) RE: Highball?, calr, Mar-27-03, 01:13 PM, (11) RE: Highball?, shoskins, Mar-29-03, 07:44 PM, (12) RE: Highball?, Jonatan, Mar-30-03, 00:20 AM, (13)

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It means get moving to destination as fast as you can. In other words--"Haul Ass"--"Full Throttle or "Notch 8" immediately

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something I learned from all those history channel things:A picture showed an old-time-ey station (pre-US Civel War), the signal indication was given by a silver ball on a pole (set up like the New York new years one). When the ball was at the base it indicated stop, when the ball was raised 'high' it indicated procede, go, all clear, ect... high - ball.
Matt

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Thanks. Cuberjim,
I had a small hunch that it meant to go fast.>It means get moving to destination as fast as you can. In other words--"Haul Ass"--"Full Throttle or "Notch 8" immediately.Hmmm. Sounds to me that "Highballing" is done naturaly when I'm driving my trains when you put it that way. Especialy when I'm late for a station. MLJriak,
I didn't even had the slightest idea of the silver ball thing.Well thanks for the input./Jonatan

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For many RR signals today, the green, or clear indication is the top indication, therefore it is the "highest" and since it's round, it's a "ball." So a green/clear indication is a "high ball" which got transformed into the verb "highball." If you applied this logic to cars, to "highball" would mean "to stop" while "lowball" would mean "go fast."

Clayton

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>If you applied this logic to cars, to "highball" would mean
>"to stop" while "lowball" would mean "go fast." Except in Texas where a lot of the traffic signals are hung horizontal!!!

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more to the word than there seems.Once, many years ago, railroads used a pretty complicated system of red balls on strings (things about the size of a basketball) to signal trains.
I think there were four balls, with four main settings. High, medium Low and ground.
If I remember correctly, the signals were:2 High: Procede with caution:
1 High, 1 low: Slow, prepare to stop:
1 High, 2 low: Stop at this station.
2 low. :Stop procede with caution
3 low: Stop and wait for instructions.
4 low: STOP
1 high : Track clear, procede at best speed.
unless otherwise stated, signal balls are believed to be grounded (lowest point)

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http://www.m-w.com/mw/textonly/wftw/97oct/103097.htm

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Surprisingly, this term means literally what it says. I don't know how popular they ever were but there was a type of signal where a ball was raised to different heights. A high ball meant "go!".From my vast photo archive, here's a picture of an actual highball signal, in front of the North Conway depot on the Conway Scenic Railroad in New Hampshire:

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wow, those ball singals sound complicated, thank goodness we have the light singals that we have today.



I know I've made a couple of Mistake(s), but I'm only human, at least I'm man enough to face them today! ~Eminem

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I don't know about that...have you looked at all the possible light signals you can have? Plus, not all railroads use the same signals, then or now. It's makes it hard to sim realistically if you change from route to route.

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Put the "Pedal to the Metal!"Cal Rasmussen
Beaverton, OR
cal.rasmussen@verizon.netColumbia Gorge Route (Phase 1 track completed, building roads, buildings, planting trees.)

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In additon to the very detailed explanations offered byothers, it also used to get used (and may still get used) as a verb to take care of a lot of things around the railroad........such as....
"Highball the movement indicator..." In other words, a signal in the yard displays stop, but the crew is told to ignore it.Used to hear this around the SP West Colton yard a lot on the scanner.And then of course, a highball is a type of alcoholic beverage -- but as we are discussing railroad subjects, we must all observe Rule G.

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Thanks everyone for the replys and explenations about what "Highball" means. I'll write this down. /Jonatan

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