Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-29

Is az there cannot be more
~ than 300 of these EN-
pioyes, all told. They
invariably graduate from the ranks of
telegraphers and when the salary or sur
roundings do not suit them they resign,
but do not strike
The average traveller does not know that
there is such an employe on the pay rolls
of the railroad, and If ne does. the work
he performs is a mystery to him. Perhaps
he will notice while riding on a single
track road that there is very little delay
at the sidings while waiting for a train
going in an opposite direction, but he
hardly takes the trouble to think that a
master mind has calculated the running of
the two trains to such a nicely that they
meet and pass at a certain point with hard
ly a fraction of a minute delay. AS class
the train runners Of this country are far
above the average as to moral and physical
requirements. They are all picked men. who
have had an extensive railroad experience
and know every foot of the tracks from one
end of the division to the other. Absolute
sobriety, conscientiousness and faIthfulness
in the discharge of their duties are re-
quired of these men, the responsibilities of
the position being too great for the railroad
to appoint a man for such duty in whom it
had not implicit confidence. They must be
men far above the average railroad stand
ard and endowed with unusual clear-head-
edness, exceptional decision and great
nerve. Hesitation OF delay on their part in
moving the numerous trains might mean
death to hundreds of people and a great
financial loss to employers.
At the headquarters of each division will
be found four of these gentlemen. one of
whom is division superintendent of tele-
graph, while another will act as extra man.
Their hours Of work are eight with one day
on each week They have a sort of sliding
scale as to DAVIS of. and some times there Is
great figuring to who will be lucky
enough to catch Sunday. On that day
there is only about one-fourth the usual
work to co, which makes the time hang
slowly on their hands. and then Sunday is
the great lay-on day for railway men, and
they like to be with the masses.
His busy Time.
The busiest hours of the twenty-four are
from am. till 4 pm, and they are also
the most desirable, as night work is a great
bugaboo to the general run of railway en-
ployes. The train runner that comes on at
in the morning has the situation explained
to him In every little detail by the man he
relieves, where such and such a freight is
side-tracked; how many cars are on this
and that siding to be moved east or west.
AID now many minutes a certain train has
been given to reach a siding and clear the
passenger train following. These points are
all iotted down en- a tablet near at hand
and after assuring himself that he under
stands the situation, the train runner pulls
OH his coat and goes to work.
1t Is about $50. and the suburban trains
at each end of the division need attending
to. Two will start off simultaneously one
from point nifty miles up the road and
another from a station twenty-five miles
out These trains are valuable sources of
revenus to the railroad. and have to be
Gal raft tlx- of A..ls
temper of the "commuter" and II possibIe
make them attractive enough, both as to
promptness and cleanliness so as TO add TO
the already large army of suburban patrons
II through express is twenty-five minutes
late, these suburban trains will be given the
right of way, and should the express leave
the head of the division that late, calcula-
lions must be made as to whether any lost
time can be made up in the run of a hum
dred miles to the other end of the division
Then again, after orders to this effect
nave been given out by the train runner
The express loses ground instead of gaining.
an the work has to be gone over again
Each division has frcm three to six work
trains VINO generally run wild, and who re-
ceive their orders, generally, before starting
out Each train has about twenty-five men
on board. and TO keep them at work with as
little loss as possible also derolyes upon the
train runner If the work train gets onto a
siding near telegraph office all will be
well, Out, IL not. a loaf o. from thirty TO
n
ductor, of course, sends this loss into head
quarters in his reports, and inquiry is made
Oh the train runner as TO cause Ii fire.
quehtiy happens that the loss could not be
avoided. aid with good train runners a
plausible excuse is always forthcoming.
Checking the Trains.
The operator that assists the train run-
ner has a check sheet before him, and in
little ruled-on squares time Is kept of each
f~ain or Loo,
along the division. The train runner knows
perfectly the distances between the stations
and also the obstacles that may prevent
good time being made. In this way he can
tell to certainty where the trains are and
whether they are running on the schedule
he has allotted them. Mistakes, though
possible, cannot easily occur, as he IS also
an operator. AMI The little clicks that re-
echo through the room are as perfectly in
telligibie to MIN to the receiving operator
A dozen small worries may spring up at any
minute, such as the tariiless of an operator
along the line who is slow and neglectful: a
wire working badly through stormy wealth
er. or an engine refusing to make steam.
and, consequently. losing time
OF course, there is a certain amount of
easy routine in running trains, but every
day brings forward a new combination Of
events which taxes the alertness OF the dis
road, which is usually run under the block
system nowadays, the train runner does not
have to watch ont for the meeting and
passing OF trains as on a single track road.
and his duties are. therefore, somewhat
easier. But he still has to keep every ohing
moving, and IL is no slight task N lie has
many freight trains 10 handle which will
persist In laying OUT the important pas
senger and suburban trains. He has fire.
Quently to see that the locomotives of the
division are properly distributed. tha, sta
ton agents get all the cars they want; that
cars set a prompt movement and are not
undGly delayed. that an express train is
stopped at a way station TO let one of the
officers Of the road OF; that yarimasters
are kept Informed of the movement of
freight and passenger trains; that a doctor
Ereets train to attend 10 an employe that
has been injured. and dozen other that's
When "A Wreck Occurs.
But the greatest trouble and hard work is
given the train runner when a wreck &C.
ours. Expert rairoaders will say that |