New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-09
AN ENGINE THAT RAN AWAY.
TEARING DOWN THE FoURTH-AvE. TUNNEL.
sToPPED SHORT DISTANCE FROM A sTRERT-CAR-
CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE.

CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE.
The locomotive drawing the Troy express
train which reaches the Grand Central Depot daily at
1890 tearing along the dark tunnel this side
of Harlem, as usual, Sunday. Engineer Thomas
Dougherty held the throttle open seemed
TO him to be all right when the train emerged from the
darkness into daylight, and with scarcely
diminished speed toward the flying switch just under
the footbridge at Forty-sixth-st. The flying switch s
the point where the brakeman uncouples the coaches
from the tender the engineer caps fresh seam and
the d'engaged engine, leaving the coaches 1ebnd, is
switched off to track that leads through Depewave,
the narrow street between the main building OF the de-
pot and the new addition is called As the engine and
tender pass off the main track, by q rapid move
ment OF the switchman the flying switch is re-
adjusted and the coaches roll on into the
depot, while the engine, reversed takes its
time ana steams back from Depewave. into the round
house at Forty y-sevenhst Every train that into
the depot goes through this performance when 1t
reaches the flying switch.
The brakeman the Troy express whom the train got
to the flying switch Sunday morning uncOuped the ten
derfrom the baggagecar Engineer Dougherty pulled his
throttle open wide and the big locomotive responded
to the impulse with fresh burst of speed 1t quickly
gllded away from the five coaches andlef the main
track for the Depewave rails the switchman jerked the
iron ra back into position and the passed smoothly
on into the depot Not 80 with Engineer Dougherty'
however, when bo tried his engine just after
leaving the main track he found the locomotive would
not answer to his wishes Something wrong
and he Jerked savagely at tho levers, but In
vain. workmen and employees looked up in as
tOnishment at the novel sight OF locomotive tearing
through Depew-ave. There were exclamations OF
whats the matterp "she's running away" "Wild
ongine" etc Tho Hight OF the engine through Depew
threw the big yard into fever OF excitement Men
from all directions toward the narrow street
Usually two reghtcars standing In the little
treet NJ "A coll he
a freghtcar with gled engineer and fireman, were
uppermost In oyerybody's mind.
The shouts and warning cries OF the men running
toward Depewaye heard In the depot and almost
a panic spread among the dsembarklng passengers
Some Of them said afterward that they thought that
the great building falling down. They fed
incontinently an indlscrimnate rout OF men, women
and children. toward the Forty.second-st. entrance.
Those who foremost reached there in time to see
the locomotive and tender dash across Forty-second-s
and the tunnel the east track. For
tunately Depewavc had been cleared OF freight cars
few hours before and there nothing to bar the pro-
gress Of the wild engine. Had II been week day, Forty
seconds where the locomotive crossed IT, would have
been ange OF trucks cars cabs and carriages. loss OF
life been the inevitable result The wheels OF
a cab that stood In dangerous proximity to the track
was grazed by the passing cow-catcher and the tire
knocked askew.
By this time the newly arrived passengers had poured
out INTO fOrty 5cOlidst, passing pedestrians caugh1
the fever Of the excitement and clamor filed the air
Guests poked their heads out OF the windows OF the
Grand Union and Murray lin hotels.
Meanwhile the engine followed by the tender dsap-
peared In the tunnel People around the depot asked
other whether the locomotive would stop before It
reached the Battery Tho fact that IL could not get far
without meeting Fourth-ave street car which
in tho narrow tunnel meant disastrous
loss OF lie. worked the excitement up again to the
irenzcd pitch and crowd OF nearly 400 persons rushed
down the tunnel after tho locomotive.
At Fortieth st. they came upon It Mt standstil The
engineer the gro und and streams OF
porspraon running down their grimy cheeks left lines
OF whito skin showing. Fifty feot OF stood a
Madison-ave car. The horses stared the engine be-
fore them unconscious OF the peril they had escaped.
but eight passengers vino had been IN II and the
engine bca:ing down them gathered round and Mt
tered ordinations OF Thanksgiving. Engineer Dough
orty, when he had thrown over the reverse lever
IN vain, shut oil steam and opened his
sand valves. sanding the rails thoroughly and by this
means he checked the momentum. William Furz flag
man a OF the tunnel with presence Of
mind had. the engine entered tho tunnel, turned
heavy beam that II lay across the track The beam
was brushed aside but with the sand IL checked the
OF the engine quickly enough TO the lives OF the
people Ia the strcetcar.