The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1880-02-27
The Brakeman at Church.

non fading away in the distance, the tat
passenger drumming idly on the window
pane. the cross passenger sound asleep, and
the tall, thin passenger reading General
Grants Tour Around the World and won
dering why Green's August Flower
should be printed above the doors of :" A
Buddhist Temple at Benares." To me
| comes the brakeman, and seating himself
on the arm Of the seat, says:
II went to church yesterday"
"Yes?" / said, with that interested in
Election that asks for more. "And what
church did you attend?"
(Which do you guess ~ he asked.
sSome union mission church, haz-
arded
''Now," he said, 81 don't like to run on
these branch roads very much. don't Of
ten go to church, and when do want to
run on the main line, where your run is
regular and you go on schedule time and
don't have to wait for connections. don't
like to run ON a branch Good enough, but
don't like it,
Episcopal p 1 guessed.
cars and two dollars extra for seat, fast
time and only stop at big stations. Nice
line, but too exhaustive for brakeman.
All train men in uniform, conductor S
punch and lantern silver-plated, and no
train boys allowed. Then the passengers
are allowed to talk back at the conductor,
and it makes them too free and easy. No,
couldn't stand the palace cars Rich road,
though Don't often hear Of Receiver
being appointed for that line. Some mighty
nice people travel on it. too
.'Universalist ?" suggested.
BROAD gauge" said the brakeman ];
'does too much complimentary business.
Everybody travels on a pass. Conductor
doesn't get fare once nifty miles. Stops
at all flag stations. and won't run into any
thing but union depot. No smoking car
on the train. Train orders are rather vague
though, and the train men don't get along
well with the passengers. No, I dom go to
the Universalist, though / know some aw-
fully good men who run on that road.''
Presbyterian ?" / asked.
Marrow gauge, Ell p said the brakeman;
pretty track straight as a rule; tunnel
right through a mountain rather than go
round it; spirit-level grade; passengers
have to show their ticket before getting on
the train. Mighty strict road, but the cars
are little narrow; have to sit one in a
seat and no room in the aisle to dance.
Then there is no stop-over tickets allowed /;
got to go straight through to the station
you're ticketed for, or you can't get on at
all. When the cars full no extra coach !;
cars built at the shops to hold just somany
and nobody else allowed on. But you dom t
often hear of an accident on that road. It's
RIM right up to the rules"
maybe you joined the free thinkers ~
said.
SCRUB road" said the brakeman, dirt
road bed and no ballast; no time card and
no train dispatcher. All trains run wild,
and every engineer makes his own time,
just as he pleases. Smoke if you want too;
kind of go-as-you-please road. Too many
side tracks, and every switch wide open all
the time, with the switchman sound asleep
and the target-lamp dead out. Get on as
you please. and get off when you want to.
Don't have to show your tickets, and the
conductor isn't expected to do anything
but amuse the passengers. No, sir; was
offered pass, but don't like the line. 1
don't like to travel on road that has no
terminus. Do you know, sir, asked a Di-
vision Superintendent where that road run
to, and he said he hoped to die if he knew.
l asked him if the General Superintendent
could tell me, and he said he didn't believe
they had General Superintendent, and if
they had, he didn't know anything more
asked him who he reported to. and he said
nobody I asked conductor who he got
his orders from, and he said he didn't take
orders from any living man or dead ghost.
And when asked the engineer who he got
his orders from, he said he'd like to see
anyone give him orders; he'd run that
train to suit himself, or he'd run it into the
ditch. Now you see, sir. Pm railroad
man, and don't care to run on road that
has no time, makes no connections, runs
nowhere and has no Superintendent. 1t
may be all right, but I've railroaded too
long to understand it,
Maybe you went to the Congregational
church," 1 said.
Popular road" said the brakeman Fan
| old road, too-one of the very oldest in this
country. Good road-bed and comfortable
cars. Well-managed road, too directors
don't interfere with Division Superindents
and train orders. Roads mighty popular,
tBut it's pretty Independent, too. Yes,
didn't one of the Division Superintendent
down East discontinue one of the Oldest
stations on this line two or three years
ago2 But it's a mighty pleasant road to
travel on. Always has such a splendid
class Of passengers"
did you try the Methodist I said.
"Now you're shouting" he said, with
some enthusiasm. Nice road, ehP Fast
time and plenty of passengers. Engines
carry power of steam, and don't you for
get it; steam gauge shows a hundred and
enough all the time. Lively road; and
when the conductor shouts all aboard
you can hear him to the next station.
/ Every train light shines like a head light;
Stop over checks are given on all through
tickets; passengers can drop off the train
as often as he likes, do the station two OF
three days and hop on the next revival
train that comes laundering along. Good
whole-souled companionable conductors
ain t road in the country where the pas.
sengers feel more at home. No passes
every passenger pays full traffic rates fol
his ticket. WesIeyanhouse air brake on all
trains. too; pretty safe road, but didn't
ride over it yesterday
Perhaps you tried the Baptist ?"
guessed once more.
"Ah ha r said the brakeman. she's 8
daisy, isn't she? River road; beautiful
curves; sweep around anything to keer
close to the river, but it's all steel raj
and rock ballast, single track all the way
and not side track from the round house
to the terminus, Takes heap of water
to run II through. double tanks at every