Maintaining Secrecy at the N&W

[NW Mailing List]

So this is about the most nerdy thing I ever said.

I am in the middle of cracking the German Enigma for fun and I had no idea
railroads had codes.

Does anyone know more, and I guess I just found my next target.

And just offsetting a number by a fixed amount does just about nothing for
increasing the security. The Germans did stuff like that in 1938+ .... They
just made it easier to crack.

Especially since it's being done symmetrically per the letter. Although it
would still be another 12 years or so before publications by various
mathematicians describe at least one fitness function that would apply to
that type of operation, so I don't know about at the time it was written.

David Baker


On Sun, Jul 13, 2025, 7:16 AM NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List <
nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:

> If the words were in a code book, adding one hundred twenty three to them
> is more secure.
> And keeps the message from the hot paloy.
>
> Tom Cosgrove
>
> Sent from AOL on Android
> <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aol.mobile.aolapp>
>
> On Sat, Jul 12, 2025 at 7:57 PM, NW Mailing List
> <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
> While looking through my assorted scans of documents from the L.E. Johnson
> correspondence files, I found this letter that Johnson as president of the
> N&W was cc'd on. It covers encoding telegrams sent between several
> superintendents and the general manager, A.C. Needles.
>
> Subject: Re to cipher telegraph codes
>
> Roanoke, Va.,April 1st, 1904/k
>
> Mr. S.P. Johnson, Superintendent
> Mr. M.J. Caples,            "
> Mr. W.S. Becker,            "
> Mr. E. ?. DuBarry,           "    Terminals,
>
> Gentlemen:
>
> Referring to my circular letter March 25th with regard to cipher telegraph
> code and your reply. We desire to be again in position to use Slaters Code,
> copy of which you have, but will change the key number to 123.
>
> In deciphering messages received, subtract 123 from the numbers opposite
> the cipher words contained in telegram, and in transmitting messages add
> 123 to numbers opposite the words, the meaning of which it is necessary to
> conceal, using the words obtained by this means.
>
> Please keep this key absolutely secret and post yourself as to use of the
> code so that we may send cipher messages without further notice should it
> become necessary.
>
> Yours truly,
>
> A.C. Needles,
> General Superintendent
>
>
> The memo references Slaters Code, which was a publication from 1888. *Slater's
> Telegraphic Code*
> *to ensure secrecy in the transmission of telegrams*
> by Robert Slater
>
> Publication date 1888
> Publisher London, W.R. Gray
> The book, with a full explanation of how to use the coding, is found at
> https://archive.org/details/telegraphiccodet00slatuoft/mode/2up
>
> Bruce in Blacksburg
>
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