Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-04-21
A FORT ON WHEELS.
An Express Car That IL a Perfect
Arsenal
One Train That Is Safe from the At
tacks Of Road Agents A
safe Carrier of MIL
Lions of DOllara

The best guarded treasure train in
the world is made up of eight express
cars and On arsenal, which u a roll
ing fortress This train is run as n spe-
cial between Chicago and New York,
over the Michigan Central and New
York Central railroads.
No attempt has ever been made to
modest his train, which pulls u of
Chicago every night at 0:25. carrying
argos of currency, gold, silver and
valuables that generally exceed $1,000
600 in value.
The arsenal" car has been a feature
of this express train for six years, n
was build by the Michigan Central to
the order of the American Express
The arsenal" is hooked on
behind the messenger local car, which
is next to the engine of the train. The
crew of the arsenal is composed of four
men, who carry strapped to their per
sons six-shot 4S-caliber revolvers, and a
belt with so extra cartridges.
In addition to these, each guard car
ries what is known as a riot gun, being
a six-shot repeating gun, discharging
cartridges made up of IL buckshot.
The car does not differ materially
from an ordinary express a in APP
p~earance, but it is of special construc-
ton. The idea is to carry in this car
n guard for the entire train. The car
is bullet proof, lined with steel plates
half an inch thick. There are doors al
either end of the car. There is in each
of these a peek hole" through
which n gun can be ranged and fired
On either side of the car is a steel pro-
lection a foot wide and extending from
the level Of the w~indow-sill to the roof.
At each end at the sideof This arrange
ment n port hole is provided, so that n
rifle may he used TO sweep the side of
the train, front or rear, or To shoot from
the side hole in my direction. There is
again within the car n bomb-proof
chamber, to which the guards could re-
treat in the event of a determined and
organized attack.
This bomb-proof room extends above
the roof of the car, and in the cupola
formed there is room for two men
armed with riot guns, who, through APP
ertures made for the purpose, keep a
constant watch upon the top of the
train.
On racks built in the bomb-proof cal
are six extra riot guns, n mail caissor
containing ammunition and n rapid-fir
ing Hotchkiss gun, which would, wher
brought into action, a~nnihilate a brig
AIDE Of train robbers.
The engineer, fireman, brakemer
and conductor nf this train and theil
crews are men selected for their known
bravery, and they carry heavy revolver:
and cartridge belts.
There is but one on the
train. All the cars are sealed excep
the local EAR, which contains two safe:
that weigh 1000 pounds each. One o
these safes can he unlocked only at on,
place between Chicago and New York
The other, which is called the local, j:
opened Mt some sin Dr. eight importan
cities en- route.
The va.uables are placed in the safe
at Chicago by an agent. who locks TIN
safe and then removes the combination
dial. At the points where the safe i
to be opened the local agent appear
with n duplicate of the dial, and work
half of the combination. The messen
ger knows the other half.-N. Y. jour
nal.