The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-09-26
The Brakeman's Church.

Smile back to eyes that smile! Exchange
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The Brakeman's Church.
| The brakeman came to me and seat
| ing himself Oh the arm of the seat.
says: 81 went to church yesterday"
Yes ?" [ said, with that interested in
Election that asks for more. And what
church do you attend p" Which do you
guess 2" he asked Some Union Mission
church," I hszarded. "Now," he said
al don't like to run on these branch
roads very much. don't 60 often to
church, and when | do / want to run on
the main line, where your run is regular
and you 60 on schedule time and don't
have to wait on connections. | don't like
to run on branch. Good enough, but
don't like it." episcopal" guessed.
"Limited express" he said, call palace
cars and two dollars extra for seat, fast
time, and only stop at the big stations.
Nice line, but too exhaustive for brake
man. All train men in uniform, con-
ductor's punch and lantern silver plated,
and no train boys allowed. Then the
passengers are allowed to talk back to the
conductor, and it makes them too free
and easy. No, couldn't stand the pal.
ace cars. Rich road, though. Don't
often hear of receiver being appointed
for that line. Some nice people travel on
it, too"
Universalist ?" 1 suggested. "Broad
gusge," said the brakeman, "does too
much complimentary business. Every
body travels on pass. Conductor doesn't
get fare once in fifty miles. Stops at all
flag stations and won't run into anything
but Union depot. No smoking car, q.
the train. Train orders are rather vague
though, and the train men don't get along
well with the passengers. No, don't go
to the Universalist, though l know some
awfully good men who run on that road"
Presbyterian p l asked. marrow
gusge, eh ?" said the brakeman, "pretty
track, straight as rule; tunnel right
through mountain rather than go around
it; spirit level grade; passengers have to
show their tickets before they get 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 60 straight through to the station
you're ticketed for, or you can't get on
at all. When the cars full, no extra
coaches; cars built at the shops 70 hold
just so many, and nobody else allowed on.
But you don't often hear of an accident
on that road It's run right up to the
rules"
"Maybe you joined the Free Thinkers,
| said. "Scrub road" said the brake.
man "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 plesses. Smoke
if you want to; 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. Go 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 a
pass, but | don't like the line. l don't
like to travel on road that has no ter
minus. Do you know, sir, asked d.
vision superintendent where that run to,
and he said he hoped to die if he knew"
az asked if the general superintendent
could tell me and he said he didn't be-
lieve they had a general superintendent,
and if they had he didn't know anything
more about the road than the passengers.
| asked him who he reported to, and he
said, nobody | 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 en-
gneer who he got his orders from, he
said he'd like to see anybody give him
orders; he'd run that train to suit him.
self, or he'd run it into the ditch. Now,
you see, sir, Pm railroad man, and
don't care to ride on road that has no
time, makes no connections, runs no.
where, and has no superintendent. 1t
may be all right, but I've railroaded too
long to understand it,"
"May be you went to the Congrega-
tional church ?" | said. popular road"
said the brakeman, an old road bed and
comfortable cars. Well managed road,
too; directors don't interfere with division
superintendents and train orders. Roads
mighty popular, but it's pretty independ.
emit, too. Yes, didn't one of the division
superintendents down East discontinue
one of the oldest stations on this line two
or three years ago? But. it's mighty
pleasant road to travel on. Always has
such pleasant class of passengers"
"Did you try the Methodist ?" said.
Now you're shouting" he said with some
enthusiasm. "Nice road, eh Fast time
and plenty of passengers. Engines carry
power Of steam, and don't you forget it !;
steam gauge shows hundred and enough
all the time. Lively road when the con-
ductor shouts all aboard you can hear
him to the next station. Every train
light shines like headlight. Stop-oyer
checks are given on all through tickets
passenger can drop off the train as often
as he likes, do the station two or three