Here is another pic from a bygone era when train orders were passed directly to the crew instead of emailing them to a laptop computer.
http://www.trainweb.org/tomfassett/s...ped_orders.JPG
Notice in the shot that the paper has fallen loose from the string on the frame. The yard man had to grab it off the ground and run after the train to hand it to the conductor. It took him a good hundred meters to catch the train. Considering it was moving at a decent clip already and the guy was in cowboy boots, I'd say he was in pretty good shape...
Tom F