St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-08-10
RUNNING A LOCOMOTIVE
Plenty 0f Nerve Needed By the Eoglooes
Of Limited ExDress Trains.

Plenty oe Nerve Needed By the Easisesss
Of Limited Exuress Trains.
Engineers at rest, sitting In the
narrow cabs of their engines. lying In
the depot waiting for the signal 70
start, often look to be a sleepy set OF
fellows" said the man, the other night.
who runs the limited to Alliance. '.Do
you know" he continued. addressing q
reporter, ''that engineers are always
wide awake when they seem TO be in
different to events happening around
them. There are few things that es-
cape their vigilant eyes. Many peO-
pie have an idea that engineers go it
blind and trust entirely TO the block
system. and the acuteness OF good tele.
graph operators; but il they did this
there would be wrecks and lives lost
every day.
"A good engineer is always on the
lookout We see plenty Of things
ahead of us that harrow our nerves
and make the hair stand up straight;
but, as long rs the passengers behind
us don't know it. and we all escape uu-
injured. we heave a sigh OF relief and
say nothing. / tell you. it is no
easy matter to hold q throt-
tie. shoot around sharp curves
and watch for obstructions. An
engineer looks down for moment
at the connecting-rods Of the lOcOmO-
tive. moving backward and forward
with lightning-like rapidity. He
doesn't know ut what minute pin may
break and one of the rods knock his
brains out as he leans out Of the cab.
"Some freight men are very reckless.
and they take desperate chances. They
know fast passenger train is chasing
them. and due in n few minutes. yet
they remain on tho main track to the
last moment. and often the rushing
train just grazes the freight cars rs
they move to a side track. Often these
freight men try to make another sta
ton IA few miles ahead before they get
of the track. and the result is usually
"a collision. Well. it always makes me
nervous when know freight trains
are running short distance before my
train. An inch is as good rs n mile
when man misses; but would rather
have a bullet pass mile from my head
than within an inch of it. Just SO in
passing other trains. We have to
make schedule time; the road is full Ol
curves, and We are just as likely to
bang into some Of these trains
rs pass them. Little do people
know how rasping it is on the
nerves to be continually making mar.
row escapes. and yet one invariably
feels that some day he is bound to
get it in the neck 1t is the uncer-
tainty of the business that is SO trying.
..NOw here is the limited, one Of the
fastest trains on the road. Between
Pittsburgh and Alliance there are a
number of heavy grades. usually.
Mt the top of one of these grades. open
the throttle wide and let the engine 60.
After l have had a good start. prob
ably running more than o mile q min
ute. l shut of the steam and leave the
rest to gravity and trust in luck. The
result is that the train attains fear.
full velocity. and the impetus is sufii-
cient to carry it half way up the next
grade. This plan helps the fireman.
and we make time.
Keeping up steam il one Of the
difficult things to contend with. Some
times the flucs draw all right and
the fireman has no trouble in raising
the necessary supply. Such an even,
always occurs when one is on time and
there is no need to hurry along; but,
almost invariably. it is an engineers
tough luck to lack the steam when he
is anxious TO make fast run. am
!! an hour late tonight, but can make
up the time il nothing happenA"-
Pittsburgh Dispatch.