Reunions and the P-rade of 2024 were delightful, as always. But there were several violations of the acceptable protocol for the esteemed locomotive cheer.
As set forth by the acknowledged locomotive masters, Turk Thacher ’66 and Tiny Morgan ’66, a few basic rules should be observed when giving or receiving this hallowed tribute:
1. Don’t cheer for yourself; never give, or join in with, a locomotive for your own class.
2. When your class is receiving a locomotive cheer, don’t shout back at the same time. It’s better to wait until the other class has finished the cheer for your class. Then you can either doff your orange caps in thanks or reciprocate with a locomotive for the class that has just cheered for you.
3. When giving a locomotive for the class one year older than yours, don’t chant their class numerals, but rather: “Old Guard! Old Guard! Old Guard!”
4. The cheer should gradually increase in tempo, like a locomotive gathering speed.
The locomotive has been a feature of Princeton gatherings for well over a century, so it’s important to get it right.