The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-25
LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS WORK.
The Pay of the Position and How 1t
Is Attained.

John G. Taylor, in New York indie
pendent.
A locomotive engineer begins to learn
his work as a wiper" he is employed at
the round-house, where the engines are
taken to be cleaned. AS lad of l6 or II
he does this work. Then he becomes a
"hostler." The word suggests a man who
takes care of horses. The work of the
'hostler' in the yard of a railroad COM
pany implies that his employment is some
what similar to that of a man who cares
for horses; it is his duty to take care of
the locomotive before it is attached to the
train. He sees that plenty of coal and
water are supplied. From this position
he can be promoted to that of fireman.
Then he accompanies the locomotive on
its journeys, GOALS up" the engine as
often as may be necessary and assists
the engineer under his direction. A fire.
man must work about seven years before
he is eligible to the position of engineer.
The pay of wiper is 1879 cents an
hour, Of a "hostler" 10 cents. a fireman
is paid S1.9O day, provided he travels
100 miles, if he travels greater distance
he Is paid at the rate of 10 cents mile
During the first year the pay of an engi-
neer will be $3.50 a day for 100 miles, the
second year SO a day, and the third year
$500 a day. 1t is considered that days
work must not be less than 100 miles; IL
1t is more than that the rate is by the
mile, either 2IA. or 9ia cents. AS 100 miles
or less, constitutes a days work, of course
the railroad company sees to it that the
men are given the maximum amount OF
work to do. A young man may not nee
essarily start as wiper" II he is
bright, intelligent and seems to have in
him the making of an engineer, he may
obtain at once the position OF fireman. He
will be placed on a freight train TO learn
the work When he is competent his
name is put upon the extra list and he
waits in turn for job, ana will earn $lo'
$50 $50 or $50 a month"; according to how
often his services may be required. An
extra" man receives no pay unless he Is
actually on duty.
All of our leading railroads are separated
into divisions. Thus, on the New York
Central there are four divisions-from New
York to Chatham, Chatham to Albany,
Albany to Syracuse, and from syracuse
to Buffalo. The length of these divisions
is from 100 to 40 miles. The pay of the
engineers on the Central will average
about $50 a month, though some earn as
high as $500. The rate of mileage paid
engineers In the west may be higher
than that mentioned here, but their runs
will be so cut up that their gross earnings
will be about the same. Each company
has it's own basis of pay, depending much
on the lay of the road. Where the track
runs straight and through a comparative
ly level country. the rate Of payment will
be less than 1t is in the west, where the
country is mountainous and where an en-
gineer cannot make so many miles in
day. In that section Of the country en-
gineers are sometimes paid rate per mile,
sometimes stated salary per day. An en-
gineer working on a western road may
work all day and make a run of only so
or 60 miles, while on an eastern road he
I .I-N- o
m. until p. m, earning about SO.
The locomotive engineer must be a man
of fair education and possess good judg-
ment. His eyeSight and hearing must oe
good, and he must have some knowledge
of mechanics. He must be something of
a machinist and in the initiatory stages
! of his vocation, after working around
| a locomotive for seven or eight years. he
will naturally become familiar with it's
construction and be able to repair on an
| emergency any slight accident that might
happen to the machinery. Before enter
| ing upon his duties he must pass an oral
| examination by the master mechanic, and
a written examination under the direction
| of the superintendent Of the particular
division on which he is employed. In
matters relating to the care and use of
| the engines he receives his instructions
from the assistant superintendent of mo-
| tive power, or the master mechanic. En-
gineers must obey all orders of the train
master, and when at the engine-house
they are under the direction of the engine
dispatcher. They must obey all orders
of station masters and yard masters as
to shifting and making up trains, and
those of conductors as to starting, stop
ping and the general management Of
trains, unless they endanger the safety
Of trains. or are in violation Of the rules
The engineer, with the conductor, is gen.
orally responsible for the safety Of his
train.
Engineers must see that their engines
are supplied with certain mechanical an
pliances-Jack-screws, chains and other
tools necessary for immediate use in case
Of accident. In the cab of the engine
where they stand, there must be provided
at night lighted red lantern with three
torpedoes attached, the light so placed
that 1t cannot be seen by passing trains
but is ready for use, If necessary. They
must report by telegraph all switches or
other signals not properly lighted, keep
the hampers OF ashpans closed while cross
ing bridges or trestles; must not permit
ashpans to be cleaned over switches or
frogs, In front of stations or on crossings:
they must ring the bell or blow the vhis-
tie, at least eighty rods from a railroad
crossing, travelled road or street on the
same level. In the book Of rules, with
which engineers are provided there are
|
be placed on the engines, these Lights indi-
eating how the train is running, whether
forward or backward, with or without
cars.
The vocation of a locomotive engineer
Is desirable one, provided the man is
qualified for the work. Their pay is larger
than that Of most any other class of la
borers. Once in while, II is true, when
business Is dull-passenger traffic small
and little freight business being done-an
engineer may have to work for a time as
fireman; but this only occurs with the be-
ginners, who are the first to be laid off
during a slack season. A man who has
served three years as an engineer will not
have this experience.
Engineers, unless there is some good rea-
son to the contrary, either on the side Of
the railroad or the man himself, usually
remain with a company for a long time
on one Of the large railroads running out
OF New York there are engineers who have
been connected with It for fifty years, and
quite a number who have been in It's SER
vice for quarter Of a century.
The man who seeks a position Of this
kind knows that he must work hard. ane