St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-09-16
A RUNAWAY LOCOMOTIVE.
The Engineers story.

uOoS HOG Apply W
engineers, or there would not be a
head of black hair in any locomotive
cab in the country"
The speaker was a well known
though modest engineer on one of the
roads running out of Newark, and his
hearers were nearly all railroad men.
every engineer has had his scare" he
continued, as he turned sarsaparilla
box on end and comfortably seated
himself upon it. "I've been railroad
ing for seventeen years, and L guess
I've been frightened badly at least
once in every year. If suspense and
fright will turn mans hair white,
mine ought to shame an-tailed
pigeon now, instead of being as black
as the Lehigh valley ballast"
whats the worst scare you ever
had, Van 2" asked fireman, who was
vainly trying to push a broom wisp
through very black briar pipe.
81 was just going to say that the
when suddenly saw the Blue creek
draw off and no signals up, the time
of the big gale in IT, but the recOllec
ton of another fri ght knocks that
plumb out of sight, and it makes me
shiver to think of it, and yet it wasn't
my life that was in danger either. 1t
was only the idea of killing or Grip
ping two or three dozen people"
"Tell us about it," said chorus of
voices.
"Well, Fll try, but l know l can't
give you any idea of the mental agony
| suffered for about three of the long
est minutes | ever experienced. |
was running a solid train of oil tanks
on the p. & V. d. one morning in jan
uary, and we were numbering along
through the mountains, when | got a
flag from half crazy operator at Dali
ley's Mills station. L knew something
was wrong the moment | saw him
dancing on the track with red rag in
one hand and paper in the other.
"'Take this and don't STOP he yell
ed, as he ran along side of the engine
and showed the yellow slip up to me.
| grabbed it and read Runaway en-
CINE from Tartartown. Throw it into
quarry switch at Tunnel No. g. Moth
ing more than this, but this meant de-
lay, and l was billed to lay on the sid
ing on the other side of the tunnel to
let the express pass on time. L was
sure that the express was between
Dailey's and Centreville before the
message was sent, and this meant
another danger. | pulled her wide
open, and [ don't believe anybody
ever saw oil tanks humping along as
fast before. | knew that had at least
two miles to run to the quarry switch
and that | must not let the runaway
go to destruction against the rocks,
but must hold my train on the siding
behind the wreck and let the express
pass, because / knew that l would not
have time to run through the tunnel
and take the regular siding. All this
flashed through my mind in second,
and cooked my eye over my shoulder
and looked across the big bend just in
time to see the runaway pop out of
tunnel No. 5, which appeared no big
ger than a mOusehOle at that distance.
When | was within half mile of the
quarry got another glimpse across the
valley, and | saw that the loose engine
was pounding along about twice as
fast as | could go, but L felt sure of my
ground and knew that | would have
four or five minutes to spare at the
switch. | didn't slack up on that ac
count though, and l breathed easier
when | ran over the switch, stopped
within two hundred yards of the tun-
mel, and sent brakeman ahead with
flag to hold the express in case it was
necessary. | thought, of course, that
Bob Hustled, my conductor, would turn
the switch and that there was nothing
to do but wait and see a good engine
go to smash against the rocks and to
look out for steam and splinters, but it
broke me all up when Bob came run
ming forward and told me that the
swith was frozen solid in two inches of
ice and that he couldn't move it. |
felt as if he had dropped some of that
ice down my neck and was paralyzed
for a second. There was the express
ahead and the wildcat behind. There
was just one chance, and that was to
thaw the switch before the runaway |
hit us. 1t was betting on time and
giving big odds, but it flashed through |
my head that it could be done and that
it was worth trying, so l backed down
until the ash pan was right over the
switch, and Tommy Cross, my fireman,
commenced slashing hot Goals through
the CRATE bars.
"FOr two minutes we raked and
shOveled red hot Goals on that switch,
every minute to see that
runaway engine right on top of us.
Then l jumped up and pulled her
ahead, while Bob and Tommy stood
by the switch, and as soon as the last
tank was over began to strain at the
lever. 1t was deep lever, and even
that was frozen fast to the ground.
They tugged like all possessed, but
the blamed thing wouldn't move, and
the runaway could be plainly heard
through the cut. Nothing to
10, says, | to myself but to stand clear
and let her hit our train. Then |
thought it would be good idea to
throw a tank down the line and meet
her. | was just ready to do so, when 1
saw her coming, and knew it was no
use. l was thinking pretty fast then, {
md the last thought that came into t
ny head was to jump for my life and {
OOk out for burning oil. | jumped, i
md as soon as l looked back over my c
| saw Bob fall over Tommy,
md both roll over and over down the {
lill Then | saw that the switch had /
moved at last; and that the engine was a
IN the siding. / gave a wild yell, and c
umped on the pilot of my engine to I
ret better view of the smash that 7
vas coming. l was crazy with joy,
md paid no attention to the whistle of S
he express in the tunnel, but kept my a
yes riveted onto the spot on the face
f the quarry cliff where the track
The engine rocked and =
lunged for an instant on the loose e
nd soft track, and then sprang for il
Tard against the rocks; a crash, t,
ense cloud of escaping steam, and T
5000 worth of the eOmpany's proper 81
= was a shapeless wreck. When y
my eyes from the seething b