Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-08-05
ON \ LOCOMOTIVE.
a VETERAN RAILROAD ENGINEER RE-
lATsS = LITTLE EXPERIENCE.
Strange Circumstances on stormy
Ni.ht-Engines Easier to Handle Now
sday, I'm provement In Engineers
"A Few Fast Runs.
,Cnicayo News Interview

tCnicago News Interview
5'he other night a reporter sat in the mod
at parlor Of a modest hotel, talking to
modest though veteran engineer employed
on one of Chicago's leading railroads. For
twenty two years lac had pulled the lever OK
Q locomotive on the same road, ami but Tor
his modesty could reel of yarns Of thrilling
experiences by the yard.
"This reminds me- said ne, alluding to
tie storm which was prevailing. -Of a hight
a number Of years ago when very strange
circumstance happened on the train was
running. only mention ito illustrate the
extreme forethought which is continually
necessary for an engineer to exercise. As we
puilel out Of the depot l noticed a storm
gathering in the west. Before We had get
far beyond the city limits we were into it
1t was grussome night, with the lightning
flashing necessarily, the thunder crashing
and rolling. and the wind blowing hurri-
cane. suddenly thought that, ten chances
TO one. at some point on the road i would be
likely TO run across some stray freight-cars,
for the wind was strong enough TO blow
them from the switches on the main track,
The thou yht made me cautious, and l kept
O. sharp outlook ahead. My fears proved
correct, for we had not gone far when a
bright fash of lightning brought into bold
relief against the black sky a number Of
freight cars which the wind had carried of
side tract, and piled up promiscuously on
the main track. But being ready for just
such an emergency pulled up in time to
avert a catastrophe
do YOU find engines in these days easier
to handle than when you first took hold OF
the lever.'
.-Oh, yes There have been so many i'm
proven nts of late years that a locomotive
is much easier 10 run. 1t is much easier to get
up steam The use of Goa! instead OF wood
tends to this result; and then the patent In
jec.or is great Improvement over the old
pumn The automatic air-brake is a great
HELM, and there are many minor improve
ments being constantly brought forward
all of more or less utility-which tighten the
labor of an engineer. Some roads use
patent bell-ringer which is run by steam,
but never took kindly to it. 1t proved a
| source of annoyance mora than anything
else"
Il suppose there has been a great change
| of style in engines i'll the last twenty yearSf
YES, they are much heavier, for one
| thing In tho old days locomotive had to
pull only three or four cars One with 10
| inch cylinder and 22-inch stroke, weighing
IS t. 80 tom, was sufficient. Nowtrains are
| made up Of fifteen to twenty cars, and the
weight Of the locomotives has been increased
| to about s6 tons, with an 1S-inch cylinder
, and a 2i-inch stroke. An engine with the
| tank all loaded and ready to start ON rur
will weigh IS tons"
Have engineers improved as much as th'
enginssf
SDeci iedly, yes. In the old days an en-
| ", ba Urn Il
lows. He was expected to be Lail fellow
we'll met with every body. and the amount
of whisky frst-class engineer could con
sumo in a night was something fearful Il
| contemplate. Now. however, drinking i
absolutely prohibited. While the toys
were COOL in their DAY. there are many wh'
would not 10 for the times. They are 1
better educatsi class of men in these days
! than they were formerly, for they do moi
spend their spare time in carousals. But
still You will find them jolly set withal.'
as it necessary to be a ;ractical ma chinis
| to Ire a iirst-class engineer?
.By no means The very best engineer,
are t1ose who are first 'wipers' ut the round
hou e. next firemen, and are finally put N
charge Of tn, LOCOMOTIVES. By constantly
being about an engine they tecome familiar
tn the different parts aai soDa learn no"
TO handle il, provi lei, OF course. that they
take an interest in the buslnsss.'
-Wnat is the average time of an express
train in these days.
Including stops, about thirty miles o.
hour. There have been some remarkab!
burst, OF speed, however, but those were Oh
extra occasions Phil O'Nail, who run tn
Omaha express over on tie Northwestern
carries the horns in this resari. belIeve
With the Wabash h, brought paAy o.
| director, from Clinton. Iowa, to Chicago a
an average spsed of a mile a minute for IL
| milo. Tni, was in 1884. Preston, another
Northwestern engineer. made a record whei
he took the Jarrett a. Palmer troupe iron
Chicago to TIC Bluffs when they were Of
their way to San Francisco. He LETT Chi
cago at 1890 p. m. arriving at Clinton
Iowa. at l:I0 a. m: left Clinton at lib a
IN. and reached Boone at 6:3l A. NJ; lef
Boone at $50 a. m, and reached the Blur
at 10 a. IN That means that he made III
run o. ass. ) miles at al average speed 0
A. 40 miles per hour. That was great run