The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-04-24
HOW HE BROUGHT HIS ENGINE
DOWN.
BY CHARLES BARNARD

1t was one of the most difficult parts
of the whole line. A range of high hills
lay directly north and south. and the
railroad ran nearly east and west: that
is, the stations on each side of the range
of hills lay east and west. but to cross
the range the road wound about in the
most complicated and curious fashion.
At the summit of the range. where the
line crossed. was water tank, and a
cross over switch, and house for the
line man. This place was eight miles
from the station, on the east side, as the
crow flies; by rail 1t was seventeen miles,
steady up grade all the way. All the
west bound trains had to have help in
getting over this seventeen-mile grade.
pushing engines kept there to go behind
the trains, and help them up the grade.
When the top of the grade was reached,
the trains went ON. for there were no
passengers to be taken or left there.
The line mans house was the only house
within five miles, and all the rugged hills
round about were covered with deep
woods. The pushing engines that came
up the grade usually stopped for mo-
ment or two for water, took the cross
over switch. and ran back on the down
track without using steam. as it was
down grade all the way. OF course all
east bound trains. both freight and pas
senger. came down without help, and, in
fact, without using steam, except to get
Il good start at the top.
One day a long freight train moving
west came to the foot of the grade, and
took on an extra engine to help it up the
and when the freight had passed it drew
out on the main line and took its place
behind the train. 1t was not coupled to
the train, as its duty was merely to push
behind. There were about thirty-fve
cars in the train, chiefly empty grain
cars going west. and with a "caboose :"
behind. There were half dozen brake
men and the conductor scattered along
the train on top of the cars. All these
points you must remember. to under
stand what happened soon after.
The line for the seventeen miles up
the grade is very crooked, with several
high embankments and very sharp turns
Not nice bit of road for fast run with
heavy train. Nearly all the distance is
through thick woods, so that the brave
engineers deeds We're not seen by any
one save the few men who were on the
train, and i'll the greatest peril.
The two engines and long line of cars
crept slowly up the grade, and without
accident, till almost at the top. The
forward engine reached the top. and kept
straight on: there was no need to stop
and when the train fairly passed the
summit, and began to descend the grade
on the western side of the hills. the push
ing engine merely stopped, and was left
behind. Just then something very sin
gular happened. The engineer reversed
his engine, and started to run back to
the cross over switch that was just be-
low. He intended to take the down
track, and return to the station, seven
teen miles below. The station master
was at the switch and had already OPEN
ed it. Suddenly the fireman gave cry,
and the engineer looked out his forward
window to see what had happened. The
train was still in sight up the line, but it
was moving down instead Of up. 1t had
broken apart. 4 coupling had given
way. and some of the Scars were rolling
down the grade right on to his engine.
He could see the men on top waving their
hands for him to get out Of the way
The freight cars had broken loose, and
were running away. The men on top
could not stop them.
Where would it end? Where would
the cars go? Would they ever reach the
bottom of the long grade without jump
ing the rails at some sharp curve. only to
plunge into the woods down some lofty
embankment No time to think about
that. The thing to do was to get out of
the way, and prevent the runaway train
from dashing into the engine. He wills
tied to the station master to close the
switch, and give him the clear line. He
must run away from the runaway train.
He put on steam and started down the
grade. The station master seemed to
understand what had happened and
promptly closed the switch. Faster and
faster rolled the ears. and the engine
shot ahead to keep out of the way
Now for race for life and death. If
he kept ahead, he was safe-saie from
collision, but not from running off the
line ut the terrible curves below. On
and on the engine flew, down and down
through the woods, till the trees seemed
to whirl past in a May dance. Faster
and faster came the train gaining speed
at every rail. How the woods roared
with the rush of the runaway cars, and
the engine flying on before. The cars
swayed from side to side, and the men
on top sat down, as if calmly waiting
their dreadful fate. They swept around
a curve, and the engineer had chance
to look back up the line, and saw to his
dismay that there were more cars be-
hind. 4 second and shorter train was
fast following the first. The train had
evidently broken into three parts, and
two of the parts, one of eighteen cars,
the grade at forty miles an hour. 1t was
a killing pace, and growing worse every
second. 1t was sure death 10 all to keep
it up much longer, Something must be
done to save engine men and ears.
The engine was using steam. and kept
ahead of the cars: but it could not do 50
much longer. What if they let them
gain on him, and then time the speed till
they collided? 1t was a desperate exper-
iment, but he would try it. Slowly and
very carefully he took off the steam, and
ran slower. In moment he had the
speeds Just alike. Then he made the
pace of the engine little less, while the
roaring and swaying train came nearer
and nearer, Both We're still flying down
the grade at fearful pace. The men on
the ears watched the engine sharply
They saw what the engineer meant to do