The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-06-28
WITH WRECKED TRAINS;
HOW TO HANDLE AN ACCIDENT
v TO ALOcoMoTlvE.

HOW TO HANDLE AN ACCIDENT
v TO "A LOCOMOTIVE.
out and It's Methods Are Not Com
monty Known Hard Work for the
Men Who Man 1t.
In railroad life many incidents are
accidents. When a man is hurt on
a railroad we know pretty well what
is done to the sufferer. All of us UNI
derstand more or less thoroughly
how bones are set and cuts are
sewed up. But unless we are rail-
road men we have no very clear idea
as to the method Of operating on a
wrecked train. And few of us know
what s'dead engine" is, although.
we may easily guess.
The wreck train is the train that
carries the men and wrecking appli-
ances to the wreck. A good, strong
engine with a tank holding plenty of
water is needed, for it cannot be
spared at a critical moment to run
some distance to get it's drink, there
by losing much valuable time. The
derrick car, with it's fifteen tons
capacity crane that can be turned
around in every direction, always
approaches the wreck in the van. A
couple of tool cars to hold ropes,
blocks, tools, men, ETC., completes
the train.
The men who go with the wreck
tran work along the track or in the
shop when not engaged in wrecking,
says the Philadelphia Times. Weeks
often pass by without even pair of
wheels being off the track and it is
jokingly suggested that the wreck
train be. sold to some less fortunate
railroad.
Then, perhaps as the men are
| peacefully pegglng away at a bad
piece of track or opening up filed
in ditch, a messenger will run to the
| conductor of the train and hand him
a telegram which reads as follows:
To A. L CAMPBELL, Conductor Wreck Train
| Go at once to extra 999. North wrecked just
south of Extown. Both track blocked and
! track badly torn up. +
| ~ A. B c.. Superintendent
Then there is rush. The con-
ductor gets his train orders and
they make for the scene of disaster as
rapidly as possible. Pretty soon
they get close to the wreck, but are
stopped by the danger signal at a
block station. The train dispatcher
gives the conductor more orders. so
that he can work his train about the
wreck, and they go on, tuning over
the slight but necessary delay.
The wreck once reached the pow
ers that be make careful but hur-
ried survey of the situation. A plan
of attack is mapped out and then &C.
tive work begins. Some of the cars
may have only truck derailed,
which remains on the cross ties.
Small blocks of wood, iron bound
wedges and wrecking frogs are placed
in front of the derailed wheels, the
wreck train is coupled on to the cars,
and they are put on to the track
again in ten minutes
The cars that are pretty badly
smashed up require more work. In
bad wrecks there is always a core Of
broken car bodies, tangled-up trucks,
and thick packing, to make every
thing snug, of the lading :of these
cars. It is wonderful how the long
iron brace rods of car hook them
selves, octopus-like, around every
thing within reach. This conglomer-
ate mass has TO be shaken up. Heavy
drag ropes and wire cables are
brought out of the tool car and
finally fastened to part of the
wreckage. Then the engine of the
wreck train tugs and strains, the
driving wheels slipping with every
| turn. Perhaps a steady pull does
not do any good, and the engine lets
! tho rope slacken and takes running
start. Biff! The rope breaks and
its two parts snap like rubber bands.
A heavier rope is brought and the
wreckage stirred up. Parts Of it
are dragged here and there out of
the road; some of it rolled down a
convenient embankment. No time
is lost in uselessly trying to save
cars. The tracks must be cleared as
soon as possible and trains allowed
to proceed. Empty cars are rolled
over out OF the road with the help of
block and fall. Wrecked coal or
coke is shoveled out of the way as
fast as the men can work.
I remember one wreck which hap
| pened a few years ago. to which I
was called about 5 p. m. It was a
little cloudy, and after little
thought concluded to take a rubber
coat. A telegraph operator went with
us to open up telegraph Office at the
wreck. He was quite young man,
dressed very nicely, but he thought
an umbrella would do for himself.
We got to the wreck about Cookbook.
An empty freight car in the middle
of northbound freight train had
broken down and fallen across the
south bound track, where it was run
into by a passenger train going
seventy miles an hour. The freight
car was Knocked into pieces about as
big as your hand. One pair of driv.
ing wheels on the engine of the pas
II senUer train were derailed hl1t the