Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-11-17
HERO OF THE RAIL.
DANGEROUS DUTIES PERFORMED sY
THE LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER.


to DO When There II Danger Ahead.
Quick Dscislon--Ths Cloud which Hangs
Over Engineer and Fireman.
Tho locomotive engineer Is the popu.
lar "hero Of the rail-" and the popular
estimate In this respect Is substantially
just. Others have to brave dangers and
perform duties under trying circum-
stances, but tho engine runner has to
rido in tho most dangerous part Of tho
train, take charge Of steam boiler that
may explode and blow him to atoms,
and OF machinery that may break and
kill him and try to keep up vigilance
which only q being moro than human
could successfully maintain. He must
DO tolcrnbly skillful machinist
--he cannot be too good--and have
nerves that will remain steady under tho
most trying circumstances. II running
fast express through midnight dark
ness over a line where similar train has
been tipped of q precipice (and q brother
runner killed) by train wreckers the
night before, no must dash forward with
the same confidence that he would feel
In broad daylight on an open prairie.
But he does not "heroically grasp the
throttle" in the face Of danger, when tho
throttle has been already shut, nor does
he "whistle down brakes" in order to
add stirring element to tho reporters
tale, when by the magic Of the air brake
no can, with turn Of his hand, apply
every brake in tho train with the grip
Of wise In less time than it would take
him to reach the whistle pull.
When there is danger ahead there Is
generally just ono thing to do, and that
Is to stop as soon as possible. An in
slant suffices for shutting of the steam
and applying tho brake. With modern
trains this Is all that is necessary or can
be done. Reversing the engine Is neccs-
sary on many engines, md formerly was
on all; this would, In fact, be dono in
stinctively by old runners, In any case,
but this also Is done In second. After
taking these measures there Is nothing
Tor the engineman to do but look out for
his own safety. In some circumstances,
as In the case Of partially burned
bridge which may possibly support the
train even In O weakened condition, it
may DO best to put on all steam. The
runner Is then in q dilemma, and right
decision Is q matter OF momentary inspi-
ration. Many lives have been saved by
quick witted runners In such cases, but
there Is no ground for censure OF the en-
ginccr, who, I'm tho excitement Of tho
moment, decides to slacken instead of
quicken his speed. Tho rare cases Of
this kind arc what show tho value Of ex-
perience, and Of men OF tho right tenn
perament and degree Of intelligence to
acquire experience lessons readily.
PROBABILITIES OF ACCIDENT.
But the terrible cloud constantly hang
ing over tho engineer and fireman of q
fan Avat L.. Al,n nka- 49,
an obstacle which cannot possibly DO
avoided, and which leaves them no alter
native but to jump for their lives, II in
deed IL does not take away even that.
To tho fact that this cloud is no larger
than il is, and that these men have sturdy
and courageous natures must DO attri-
buted tho lightness with which 1t rests
upon them. On one road or another,
from washout, or inefficient manage
ment, or q collision caused by an opera
tors forgetfulness, or some one of n scoro
of other causes, there arc constantly oc-
curing cases Of men heroically meeting
death under tho most heartrending cir
cumstances. Every month records
number of such, though happily they are
not frequent on any ono road.
On tho best Of roads freight train
wrecked by broken wheel under bOr-
Ao"Su StA Auuy DO tihoWh Ah tuo Dsttil VI
q passenger train on another track Just
as the latter approaches. This has hap
pened more than once lately. No amount
of fidelity or forethought Except in tho
maker OF the wheelsl can prevent this
kind of disaster. Therti Ia constant
danger on most roads Of r,,nning of tho
track at misplaced switches, many
switches being located ut points where
the runner can SEQ them only few sec
onds before he Is upon them; but the
chance is SO small-perhaps one in ten
or hundred thousand-that the
average runner forgets it, and it
is only by severe self discipline
that he can hold himself up
to compliance with the rule which re-
quires him to be on the watch for every
switch target as long before reaching It
as he possibly can. He find the switches
oil right and tho road perfectly clear 30
regularly, day after day and month after
month, that he may easily fall into the
snare Of thinking that they will always
bo SO. But, like other trainmen, the
cngineman finds enough moro agreeable
thoughts to fill his mind, and reflects
upon the hazards Of his vocation perhaps
too lttle.-B. B. Adams, Jr.. In Scrib-
ner's Magazine.