Saturday Slanguage: Cornfield Meet

Several weeks ago, we talked about headlight meets, which are a favorite among train crews.  Just to review, a headlight meet is a perfectly timed meet between two trains, resulting in the least amount of waiting possible.  Today, however, we talk about a cornfield meet, which is a meet that does not go nearly as well as a headlight meet.

A cornfield meet, is usually an unplanned and poorly timed meet.  They only rarely occur, and usually only on territory that does not have any signals.  They typically occur when one or both trains involved copy their authority to occupy the main track wrong, or when they travel beyond the limits of that authority.  The result of that, especially in an area that is not protected by signals, can  result in a cornfield meet, which is known as a head on collision, outside the railroad.  A cornfield meet can mean anything from the most serious to the most minor, however the result often looks the same to any bystanders.  It is a huge mess.  While a headlight is something every railroader hopes for, a cornfield meet is something every railroader does their best to prevent.  Fortunately that effort pays off, and they are extremely rare.