The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-07-23
locomotive Engineers.

Lots Of chaps think it would be fun to
run an engine" said the driver, as he stuck !
his head, flaming torch, and long
neckesl oil can in under his machine, 'but |
ifthe most Of 'em would try it they would't |
like it quite so well. Taint everybody
can run locomotive, either. A nervous
man has no business in cab; no more !
has careless one. or a stupid cllss. To !
run an engine man must feel his respOn. !
sibility and keep his head level. [don't
believe half the people know what it is |
70 run an engine. Now, there's the ma !
chine; that's the first thing, and it has t" |
be in good order, and stay SO. A locomo-
tive has to stand wear and tear and wea'
ther that'd knock stationary engine all
to smithereens. And no matter what e.
mergency rises freezing Of pipes or start
ing of flues, a aloosening Of packing or heat
ing Of journals s-we've got to know just
what to do, and do it right quick, too;
then, when we're running there's the
time-cartls and pretty often new one;
and the train orders they are life and
death reputation to us, and to read them
correct and live up to 'em gives us no end
to anxiety. Bet I've read train order
over a dozen times an hour l am always
afraid Of making mistake or forgetting.
You know the consequences of even
little mistake, sometimes. Then there's
the signals to watch, the conductors gong
overhead, steam tokeep pup, time to make,
whistle posts and crossings, to look out
for bad spots in the road to be careful on,
and along with all this there's the track
ahead ofye which your eyes mustn't leave
for MORN five seconds. There's the brakes
too one is always worrying about them.
don't s'pose everybody knows, ethel,
that we have to be mighty carefui when
we come to the top of a grade. You see
in going up she labors hard, and so soon
as she begins to descend she makes a
rush, and there's the danger Of breaking
your train when the rear cars
are dragging on the upgrade. This dan
ger is especially great on freigl'ts, but no
good engineer fails to shut off some of his
steam, when his engine reaches summit.
It isn't every fool can run locomotive"
-Argonaut.
Nobody can realize the responsibility
of a locomotive engineer until he has mad
ride in the cab with him. The passengers
back in the coaches, gliding along SO
smoothly and pleasantly, cannot see the
narrow track stretching ahead, and sel-
dom think Of the result Of any mistake.
The sensation Of pounding along at high
speed in the cab is one Of extreme peril at
first. 1t seem every moment as ifthe en-
glne were going to jump "ff,and you in
voluntarily grab your hat and the nearest
firm thing handy, and wonder how the
engineer can be so cool. You will not
care to repeat the experiment many times
unless you are one Of more than ordinary
nerve. II is no wonder that engineers are
not long-liyed men, and y".! can lay it
down ~ an axiom that any competent
locomotive engineer IS good man, a true
friend, and one whom it will do 'tO tie to-
No coward will fill the bill. Notlrunkard
need apply He must have a clear head,
an eagle eye, strong arm, a brave heart
| and,a touch at the same time as delicate
az womans. All honorto the engineer,
and also to all connected with running the
train. As rule they are gentlemen. in
| the sense Of the word.