In the days before walkie-talkies or other means of communication between the cab and the station staff were available, a very simple but effective method was used by a driver or guard to communicate with the station master or his staff at stations where the train did not halt. He would write his message on a piece of paper, wrap it around a stone, and throw the stone with the message on to the platform as the train went through the station. And as the train passed by the Asst. Station Master or Khalasi or other official giving the 'all-right' flag signal on the platform, he would shout out to him that he had dropped his message. Often, a few stones were kept just for this purpose in the loco cab or the guard cabin!
Source - IFRCA.org
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