Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-07-19

From the Albany Evening Journal.
As the umbrella is the property Of the COM
munity IN general so is the coupling-p,n the
property Of railroads in common. There is one
difference, however. While few people who
possess umbrellas buy them, each railroad has
to supply it's quota OF iron pins. promiscuous
pile Of musty coupling-pin lying against shed
under the bridge which spans the network OF
tracks at West Albany, attracted the attention
of a Journal reporter. Some were short. Others
long, some were round, Others fiat. Shoulders
were wrought on some. others had tops fiat
tened out. few had eyes on top, and Others
again had short handle formed of thinner
band OF metal. No two Of the pins were exactly
alike. Looking about the tracks the reporter
noticed that at short intervals were scattered
other pins. "Do you pretend to keep the coup
ling pins Of the different roads apart?" was
asked OF a brakeman who stood near by. "No;
why do you ask? Just for curiosity, hey? There
are any quantity of them, / can tell you. We
keep all kinds on hand. There are so many
different makes of bumpers that we are COM
PEELED to have all descriptions on hand. Some
bumbers have an OblOng hole in them. In these
we cannot use round pin. Then again we
can't use the fiat pins in a round hole" "You
know the makes OF the various roads, don't
your" queried the reporter. eve become &C.
quainted from seeing them 30 Often" was the
reply. ..
u.
It's of no use. We never look to see whether q
pin belongs to this road or that but take the
first one we think will fit tie bumper A few
roads have their pins fastened with chain, but
it won't save the pin. The chain gets broken. and
away it goes. Ii / remember Alright the Central
tried this plan. 1t would not work satisfactorily
and nine times out Of ten the brakeman would
use loose pin, and allow that on the chain to
bangle on the journey. Some roads don't put
enough iron In their pins, for they bend when
they get on the forward cars of long train
or course it is not always the fault OF the pip
but sometimes the defect is in the bumper
Not a few pins travel great distance2 Well
/ should say they did. In the West Albany
yard l have seen pins from Omaha, yes. and
from California, too, and would not be afrait
to bet that there are some here now. We OTTER
get the pins Of Canadian roads, as well as
those from southern roads. The other day saw
a pin which was marked in q way Indicating
that it belonged to the Denver and Rio Grande
II person will give the matter q thought, 1t will
not seem strange. Say q train comes In here
from q connecting road. It Is broken up to have
the cars billed In different sections placed on
other trains. The pins are dropped on thu
ground, or put on cars OF other trains coins
further or In another direction They keep beinl
transferred SO that they stray from home anJ
never get back again. would not be afraid to
wager that lots Of pins made in the Central shop,
have been used by the road In the first Instance
on an outgoing train, and have never come
back again, but been worn out by other roads
We use the pins Of the different roads In tn,
same way-Im of, here comes work for me.
and jumping on section OF moving cars beina
made up into q train the brakeman was gone