The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-10
A PHASE OF R~A|LR0AD|NG
How One May Secure a Train and
Ride in 1t All
The Way in Which the Specials
Are Made Up and Run
Through.
They Come Mt = Good Round Figure, but
They Must He Had at Any
- .N.+ @# Price.

II isn't every man who finds il necessary
to charter q special train, and it's a mighty
good thing for his purse-strings that it
isn't. 1t il a luxury of the first water, and
comes high. It's all very we'll when a
bloated capitalist, with a great big AK to
grind, hires . special train to convey him
and a small army of friends to a given
point. Hes pretty sure to get the long end
of the stick. But when q man has to "buy"
a train for an emergency, such az getting
to the bedside of a dying relative, or flying
home for a visit out of town to save HIM
self from the sudden and imminent dan
gers of a bad break in the stock exchange,
there is a different interest in the perform
nnce.
Few, if any, railroads are over anxious to
charter emergency trains. While they are
expensive enough to the charterer they sell
dom repay the road. They have to be made
up in such a short space of time and have to
dash off to their destination with such
lightninR-like rapidity that the wear and
tear, suspense and risk are too great to be
"healthy." 1t is not once in a month that
the ordinary railroad hires out an emer-
gency train. says the New York News, but
when it does every employee along the line
is on pins and needles while the wheeled
palace is in motion. The cost of these
trains varies. All depends upon tho dis
tance to run and the number of cars to be
hauled. AS rule an emergency train is
composed of a locomotive and a single
coach.
A trip to Washington from Jersey City
would cost from $3.50 to $500. All depends
on the circumstances. The man wanting
IN emergency train to keep a pressing en-
gagemsnt is generally too glad to get it to
barter about the monetary consideration.
In the case of an urgent call for a train by
a DISTINGUISHED government official, the
road seldom accepts payment. During the
illness of Preside nt Garfield and Gen. Sheri-
dan the railroads had emergency trains
ready at all hours for the medical atten-
dants. There was no charge for these, of
course. Any well-squipped road can place
an emergency train in readiness night or
day inside of twenty minutes. 1t requires
great deal OF CELEBRITY, it is true, to do
this. but a still greater duty surmounts the
dispatching of the train.
In the first place the officers of the road
have to telegraph to every station on tho
route notifying all operators and agents of
the object Of the train, the number of the
engine and car, the speed 1t ia supposed TO
run on. IN extreme CASES tne engineers ana
conductors OF all passenger trains running
ahead are instructed to use all possible
means to assist in the safe and speedy travel
of the special. and in a lumber OF cases they
are instructed to sidetrack their trains SO
as to give the emergency a clear path. The
freight trains have a standing order to use
a siding to let the special pass. At each
station the conductors of the regular trains
are supposed to inquire and keep posted as
to the position OF the special. They must
act according to Judgment in switching Off
to let it go by. A disregard of these orders
would certainly result in the delay OF the
special and perhaps in a serious accident by
collision.
The shortest time in which a train wss
ordered and prepared for tbs journey WAS
six minutes. This was on the Pennsylva-
MIA railroad, on the OCCASION of President
Arthur's sudden call from the capitol to
this city. The run was made in the eN-
t~raordinary time of five hours and thirty
minutes, including change of locomotives
A abker of Wall street had occasion two
years ago to go to Chicago on business.
He missed the limited, which left Jersey
City at 9:15 a. M, and which was due in the
Windy City ut . tho next morning.
The next train did not leave until tho
evening. 1t was absolutely necessary for
him to be i'll Chicago at the opening of
change the next day. He was given an
emergency train, started out twelve min
utes behind the flyer, and reached
Philadelphia at 11:l6, or four min
utes before tho regular train left
that Town to continue oa it's journey to
Harrisburg and the west. 1t WAS a closo
call, and to connect the special had 10 run
the ninety miles in 100 minutes. That
train cost this banker 500, and he divided
500 among the crsw.
When the cruel disaster befel the home
of Secretary Tracy u year or 20 ago, Frank
Il. Tracy, son of the aged statesman, WAS
on route from his nome on the Delaware,
LackHwana Il Western. With commondu-
BILE foresight the Pennsylvania rail Dad
made up a special train OF a locomotive and
one car, intercepted the young man at
Mnnunka Chunk, n. j., brought him to
Trenton md landed him in Washington in
six hours and twenty minutes. II was not
an unusually quick trip, bnt it WAS much
quicker than he could possibly have lone
it under ordinary circumstances DIR. Will
lam Pep or made frequent trips in EN- r.
gency trVins TO attend Gen. sheridan in
hiB illness. On one occasion he wus called
unexpectedly to the bedside of the dying
soldier.
He went to the RAILROAD station and
learned that the crew OF his special train
had gone home for the night. hoy could
not DO reached that night, but tho train
dispatcher made "a haSty tour OF the yord.