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

express
train. The train runner knows OF a siding
near that spot that will hold the freight
and he orders IL backed onto the same.
Then the express receives orders to run
ON the opposite track until a switch north
OF the wreck is reached and thence back
again to its proper rails Trains coming
south VIII be held at this switch and n inn
portant ones. VIII have the right OF way.
Further up the road freghts will be ORDER
ed on sidings, so as not to delay through
passenger trains or extra trains ordered
out TO the relief of the injured, should the
wrecked train prove TO be a passenger-car-
rying one. Wrecking trains and work.
train crews are, OF course, ordered TO the
wreck, and have, or are given, the right
of way. With this mix UP. IL does not re-
1uire the eye Of a railroader to see that
the work of the train runner is not only
important, but of the most complicated
character
Take the case of the wreck up on the
Northern Central road the Gay after the
last Inauguration of President Cleveland.
Two engines were coming south. coupled
together to carry the heavy travel west
Al Hanover junction the engines ran into
the rear end OF freight and smashed
Things generally. The wreck could hardly
De called a bad one. yet at the time. was
as troublesome as could well be imagined.
Inc engines were pushed sideways and
blocked both tracks: hundreds OF cars were
coming into Baltimore every hour for the
west, laden with passengers; the engines
That were crippled were badly needed. and
a freight train. Such times are the ones
that call for GOODNESS and nerve, and Il
very seldom happens that these essential
quahties are not fully exemplihed In the
train runner Oh duty.
IL Is no wonder that eight hours seem
long days work TO these men, and the
strain after that time almost unbearable.
Yet 10 casually observe them at work In
the office, one would Fever suppose that
they had a care I'm the world. They will
joke and laugh and chat with the operators
ana seem never to give thought to the
TACT that they stand between the passen-
gers of the railroa and death They are
simply a good illustration of the statement
that man can grow accustomed to any,
thing.
In conversation with several OF the train
runners. majority Of them have stated to
reporter Of Tine Evening Star that when
hrst intrusted with the important post
they occupy they felt conscious all the time
or the tremendous responsibilities imposed
upon them. But as time passed on, this
feeling wore of just they became used
| TO the strain. and they all agreed that
when this time arrived they found they
could do better and more satisfactory
work.
Made Him Crayy
An interesting story has been handed
down by the train runners Of the Erie
railroad. an3 will bear printing. as it has
| not before appeared in a newspaper. IL
relates to the big wreck some years ago
near st. Mary's and the mysterious dis
appearance Of Mike Brady. a bIg-hearted
fellow. and one of the best train runners
| in the country.
On the night of the wreck Brady was
on duty. About II O'Clock the operator at
| st. Mary's reported that Conductor Ho-
gan of extra No. ~. loaded with frdit.
west bound. wanted to know IL he could
have ten minutes on the time of No. 3. the
east bound night express, to make Jelico.
Brady cast his eyes down upon his train
sheet, which told him at a glance where
| every train out upon the road was. Then
he looked at the clock. Jelico was
enteen miles from ST. Mary's. II he did
not allow Hogan to use ten minutes Of the
express trains time the fruit train would
surely be delayed for an hour or more.
All the train runners had orders from head
quarters to give the fruit trains as much
show as possible, the roads being bound by
a contract to get them through in a speci-
fed time. So Brady sent the order asked
| for, which permitted the fruit train to run
to Jelico for the east-bound express He
made the mistake OF not sending an order
first 10 the express.
Conductor Hogan signed the order and
the operator at st. Mary's repeated Il back,
according to the custom Brady % IA q"
it. A minute or two later the operator at
St. Mary's reported the fruit train ar
irving at 12:10 and leaving at 12:l5 Brady
jotted the time upon the train sheet, and
| then began calling the operator at Warren.
three stations west OF Jelico. where the
1
send a duplicate Of the order to the express
| train. so that IL would wait al Jelico for the
freight The operator at Warren did not
answer, and after a minute or more OF
steady calling Brady stopped. Train Rum
ner Donnelly, who worked the second trick.
was i'll. and his work had fallen upon Brady
and Wiers. the third train runner. And
then, to make matters worse, Wiers had
been taken suddenly IN early In the fore
neon, and Brady had been pulled out of bed
to keep the road from being clogged up. He
had sat at the desk since early in the
morning. and with the terrible strain Of the
position was In no condition for duty that
night.
When he failed to raise the operator at
Warren he dropped his head and stared at
the train sheet on the desk before him. He
was not asleep, but there was a temporary
lapse In his mind. The express had passed
Kane, and the operator there had reportea
IL. This made IL absolutely necessary 70
get orders to Warren before II ran by thaa
station. as there was no other telegraph
station between that point and Jelico. wherS
the freight was to meet II, open at night
Suddenly the wire opened. and tick tick
came the words. mo. 3 passed on time,
VIZ" Wr. was warren's telegraph call
Brady Strengthened up in his chair his
face wearing an expression startling and
Wild. He reached for the key of the instru-
ment. and his fingers shook as he asked the
operator at Warren TO repeat the report
There had been no mistake. Brady jumped
up from his chair with a weird cry. Up
hands and sobbing: My God, what have I
done, what have I doney'
The other men In the Office gathered
about Brady and one look at the train
sheet told them the whole story. II was
perfectly plain that only a miracle could
prevent the heavy fruit train. running on
fast time. and the flying night express
from clashing together. II the operator at
St Mary's had reported Hogan's departing
time correctly the two trains would meet on
the fats several miles west of Jelico. But
the chances were that Hogan had not pulled
out Of St Mary's for five or ten minutes
after he was reported. That was a common
thing when the operators and trainmen
were on friendly terms. 1t was called
stealing time" IL Hogan had stolen any
time Brady knew that the two trains would
meet on the curve a few miles west without
a moments warning. Nothing could save
them in such event
Brady had really become deranged. and
was talking TO himself, but I'm tones loud
enough to be heard by every one in the
room. Look at No. sailing through Jel-
leo. Why, she should stop, But IL won't
matter. Everybody knows enough TO keep
out of her way" Then the poor fellow
subsided for a moment. but in a minute
Was on his feet and shouting, Look look
boys There's Hogan flying around the
curve just beyond the fats from the east
and No. 3 from the west Dop'f ,ro,, g..