The Arizona champion. [volume] (Peach Springs, Mohave County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1883-1891, 1889-09-14
NERVE m RUNNING AN ENGINE.
Comparative Capabiiity Of Loc"mot'
Engineers and Msehinists-

Comparative CapHbility Of Locomotive
Engineer. and M.ehinists-
Comparing the capability Of locomotive
engineers and machinists IN the actual run
ming OF an engine, an old and experienced
railroad official the other day said:
TIA bssl engineers we have are those
who have been advanced from the fire.
mans side Of the engine 70 the coveted seat
on the right-hand side Of the cab. They
know how TO handle the machine as well
As an experienced horsenan can handle his
Ger and are imbued with spirit foreign
TO fear. They don't know the weak points
of an engine NJ well US the machinist
might, but this fact In an argument In
their favor and one against the claims OF
the mschinist. Ihave seen the experiment
tried. and the result is an almost invariable
failure on the part of the nlachinist to meet
the requirements They lack the nerve,
and knowing that locomotive has weak
points. do not dare TO take the risks the
fireman, who has been promoted, knows
nothing Of, nor does he. as rule, care to
know IL would be utter folly to take a
machinist out Of the shops and put him on
fast train. He couldn't pull 1t. His
nerve would fail him and he would be COM
PEELED To give it up, while the engineer
who has gained his knowledge In the cab,
readily assumes his new duties and handles
the throttle without thought Of fear en-
tering into the discharge Of his duties"
-Csn you cite incidents'" asked the re-
porter
aYes,n responded the official. ut would
he manifestly unfair 70 give the name OF a
man who made failure, but there Is an
incident | yIyidly recollect where ma
chinist was ambitious 10 become an engi-
neer. He finally succeeded in getting a
freight run, and did so well there that he
was transferred to a passenger. The change
was marvellous. His train was nearly
always behind time. the conductors
were fretful, and inDumerable complaints
were made. The machinist-engineer, q
good. reliable man, by tho way, was finally
brought before his superiors, and when
questioned. frankly admitted that he was
afraid of his machine. Il can't do it, he
said, his expression Of couptenance verify
ing his words. 1t makes me dizzy. and
lose my confidence every time attempt 10
make time. III have to give II up. ]
woulda't run locomotive forty miles an
hour for fortune. couldn't. 1t would
make me gray in years time"
-Isn't 1t q little peculiar that the
man who builds an engine can not run u
n well as one who has learned merely the
operating of the machine in the cab"
Not at all. The machinist knows how
delicate the mechanism is and knows just
where the weak points are. II Is this knowl-
tdge that unneryes him. On the other
hand the fireman gazes with pride upon
ais powerful courser, and all he cares to
know is'the delicacy of control which will
induce the iron steed to make the best
time or pull the heaviest load. He sees
only the strength Of the engine, and does
not permit the weak points to prey upon
and unman him. II Is like any other bust
ness The machinist knows how II ought
to be done, but the engineer who was once
o fireman by his experience has learned
how 1t is done, and feels as much at home
with his hand on the throttle as the ina
chinist does in grinding his lathe. Chi
caco Times