The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-06-12
CHASING A RUNAWAY ENGINE.
An Old Railroad Man Relates an Exciting
Experience.


Experience
Exchange.
The livelicst lime / ever experienced
was in chasing O runaway engine said an
old railroad man to a party of friends re-
Gently. Il was an engineer on the North
ern Michigan & Lake Superior line at the
time" he continued, and pulled a fast
freight between Michigamme anu MenOm-
once. We stopped at little station
called Maple Ridge one afternoon. as
usual. for water, but had to wait
, awhile tor an EN-. engine , W which was
on the tender guiding the spout from the
tank and the engineer stepped down from
the cab to do some oiling The engine was
ready to go out on passenger train and
had q high pressure of steam on. Suddenly
there was rush of steam, the smoke
beiched from the stack and the locomotive
gave leap forward as q horse would IL
prodded with sharp stick. The fireman
was thrown Oft and the engineer jumped
aside 70 see the engine start down the track
at an alarming rate of speed. -
1--WE knew instantly what had happened.
The pressure of steam had been so great
as to blow the throttle open and let the
steam into the cylinders full force. She
she would go on at that alarming rate of
speed Until the fire died out under her boiler
or she colllded with some obstacle. What to
do was evident. The runaway must be
caught, and every second lost was valua-
BILE, probably lives depending on it. The
operator had seen the engine start, and
was already pounding desperately on bis
key to clear the track and notify the
superintendent. Uncoupling our engine
from our tram; l pnll led the throttle
open, the fireman shoveled in the coal. and
we started in pursuit. We had enough
water in our tank to last for some time
and trusting in Providence to bring us out
safely. we began the fastest ride ever ex-
perienced. The runaway had about two
minutes the start OF us. and for the first
few miles at least would gain on us. Our
hope lay In keeping pace with her for some
distance. and then gradually closing up the
gap between us. IL We passed the first fe "
stations safely, Ii was quite probable that
tho track would be clear for us after that.
Campbell was the first station, and we
whizZed by at q rate of speed which made
the station appear like little streak OF
brown. Five miles had been covered, and
the exciting race. Three miles further we
sped by the little town Of Beaver, ana
Perkins, which is one mile further. seemed
to be a part of the same place, and thus
the race continued. AS we proceeded
about the stations, who cheered
us as We passed, but their cheers
scarcely reached our ears above the
thundelipg of our locomotive. After we
reached Narenta, thlrty-three miles from
Maple Ridge, we began to expect some
trace of the fugitive. We did not let mp on
our speed. and as there were no sharp
curves we had view of the track for
mile ahead. Finally. from behind q patch
of timber. We sighted her bowling along al
q very sharp rate. but knew we were gain
ing on her fast. A piece of upgrade wac
ahead and we now felt that our prey was
| In our grasp.
Gradually we drew up behind the run.
away until not more than one hundred
yards were between us. Both engines were
| going at speed of twenty-five miles M
| hour and | called to the fireman to take
| the throttle. Then / climbed down on the
| pilot and waited for US TO come up. WheL
| we touched there was q jar, and had q
| good opportunity to climb on board
| Crawling over the coal into the cab shut
Oft the steam and the runaway engine wa.
| q captive again.
The return trip was without incident
| During the chase neither my fireman nor
| had spoken up to the time we sighted the
| engine ahead of us. How long 1t took u,
| to cover those thirty odd miles we could
| only estimate, for neither of rs had time
| to look AZ our watches; but it was fas
| enough for 1t was afterwards figured
| ont that we trotted along IN the neighbor
| hood of seventy-two miles an hour"