Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-30

OF snow.
The disagreeable features of freight
life are chiefly those depending
upon the weather. If he could perform his
duties in southern California or Florida in
winter, and in the northern States in sum-
mer, his lot would ordinarily be happy
one, though the annoyance of tramps is al
most universal in mild climates, and in many
cases takes the shape of positive danger
These vagabonds persist in riding on or in
the cars, while the faithful trainman must,
according to his instructions, keep them off.
In some sections of the country they will
board train in gangs Of dozen, armed
with pistols, and dictate where the train shall
carry them.
The hardships of cold and stormy weather
are serious, both because Of the test of en-
durance involved and the added difficulties
in handling train. The Westinghouse au-
tomato air brake, which has served so ad-
mirably on passenger trains for the last flf
teen years, has only recently been adapted
and cheapened so as to make 1t available for
long freight trains, but it is now so per-
fected that in few years the brakeman
who now has to ride on the outside of cars in
freezing condition for an hour at time
will be privileged to sit comfortably in his
caboose while the speed Of the train is gov
erned by the engineer through the instanta-
neous action of the air brake. On the steep
roads OF the Rocky mountains, and a few
other lines, this brake is already in use.
''BRAKING BY HAND"
But ''braking by hand" is still the rule In
running on ascending grades or at slow
speeds the hrakemen can ride under cover,
but in descending grades, or on levels when
the speed is high, they must be on the tops
of the cars ready to instantly apply the
brakes, for the reason that there are gene
rally only three or four men to long train
weighing from 800 to 1000 tons. whose mo.
mentum cannot be arrested very quickly. In
descending steep grades only the most con
slant and sklllful care prevents the train
from rushing at breakneck speed to the foot
| of the incline, or To curve, where it would
be precipitated over an embankment anc
| crushed to spiinters
As soon as the whole ira in has got beyonC
| the summit, and the speed is reduced to ,
proper rate by the application of the brake
| on, say, one-third or one-half the cars, it vii
r,o,,,, ho,,,. -, - w
r,,r,,;;nar 20 -. '''-,l Ia ''ie u an
,bo,, hs Ioos.,od a.. ,rha,,s 80 tuuo
>, t;,,,,,l,- th,, ~, f-;,,;or, - ~.
nndnIv or f,a,ses them 70 sid .Ior, 81
| track instead Of rolling. then rboaa brato
must I've released and some on other oo,.c ~
| n,iad instead. and all tbis ,,,,., bo al,
isornati,,as fo. A., how, W., tb,
tnra is % dars baIovy vs,,a or Tho - :;
bIoxirs, goie. in. ne ,,,,da,. No.. ~
circumstances
AN rNptEAs,ST srrr.rrox
4 train moving AT twenty miles an hon
against n wind with a velocity Of tb;-+
miles increases the latter to tiftv so far
tho brataman is copce,,ad. ar5 II roin =
sleat is fslli,, rho forcs of II or, bis I,.DG
and face is very severe IF wa add ,o n
the dancer attendant mo, stenniner from a,
car IN ,nofbar or..r can ,f +ran,..-sa,,a,, :,
tbi-t,, inches u, a ,,arl niytt ,yhar ,Ia 90,
arc corstan,Iv ,nnvin, nm md doxr o,, The
snr;nes and are s,vaving TO ona side or n
otber every few seconds we yet some ide. n
tbouo,l, We cannot realiza tha sorsa,;o,
that must. at s,,ch times fiI Nc n,;,ds ~ :,
men whose pleasant berth seems % on iov.b
|