Banvaktarstugan och Moshult station

When the railway was being expanded, personnel were recruited to monitor the condition and functionality of the tracks. Initially, signalman’s cabins were built and special signalmen were employed every three kilometers, but with the introduction of the bicycle draisine, fewer signalmen could supervise longer stretches of railway. At first, they would check the tracks after each passing train; at that time, the trains were not very frequent, but over time, supervision became more efficient. The signalmen were also responsible for preventing fires and alerting others so that flames would not spread in the forest. Fires could easily arise from sparks from steam locomotives or from overheating of wheels and brakes. In winter, they also had to clear switches and crossings of snow, even though the tracks themselves were plowed by special snowplow locomotives. Working as a signalman was a demanding job with long hours, often from early morning until late evening.

The signalman’s cabins were built in the thousands based on standard designs, with each cabin being about 25 square meters. They typically included one room and a kitchen, a small entryway at one end, and an outdoor toilet and wood shed at the other. In the 1960s, the functions were automated, and the signalmen disappeared. The signalman’s cabin in Moshult was demolished in 1964 and moved to Eskilsryd. Across the tracks, a bit north along the bike path, lies Moshult’s old railway station.