We believed we had the best results when we had sections of about that length.

It was arranged that two sections, alternately, commenced work together at one point, working from each other and continuing until the force of another section was met, working from the opposite direction.

The foreman in charge was expected to examine the work and know that all was right.  The push car which followed was a good test as to gauge.

A work train was started from each end with a small force (20 or 25 men) to run over the changed track.  This train, of course, had been changed on a previous day to be ready for this work.

If a force was overtaken by this train with its work not done, the men on the train were at once spread out to aid in its completion.  This done, the train ran on.

Not until this was done was a traffic train allowed to pass over the track.  The same rule was followed upon all the work.

Upon the final day it was required that upon all high trestles and in tunnels the track should be full-spiked before being left or a train let over.  This took extra time and labor, and possibly was not necessary; but it was a precaution on the side of safety.

Upon the day of the change of the Alabama Central Division (Selma to Lauderdale), superintendents of other divisions, with their road masters, supervisors, master mechanics and many section foremen, were sent over to see the organization and work and the preparations that had been made.  Many of them lent a helping hand in the work.  They saw here in practice what had only been theory before.

About a week before the general change that portion of the road between Rome, Ga., and Selma, Ala., about 200 miles, was changed, and again men from other divisions were sent to see and aid in the work.  So when the final day came, the largest possible number of men were able to work understandingly.

On the last day of May the Memphis & Charleston, Knoxville & Ohio, and North Carolina branch were changed, and on June 1 the line from Bristol to Chattanooga and Brunswick.

Other roads changed their branch lines a day or two before the 1st of June; but the main lines, as a rule, were changed on that day.

It was a small matter to take care of the cars and arrange the train service so there should be no hitches.  It was not expected that connections would move freight during the 48 hours prior to the change, and these days were spent in clearing the road of everything, and taking the cars to the points of rendezvous.  All scheduled freight trains were abandoned on the day prior to the change, and only trains run to such points.

Upon the East Tennessee system these points were Knoxville, Rome, Atlanta, Macon, Huntsville, and Memphis, and to these points all cars must go, loaded or empty, and there they were parked upon the tracks prepared for the purpose.  Passenger trains were run to points where it had been arranged to change them, generally to the general changing point.