Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-02-11
FASTEST RUN ON RECORD.
An Old Engineer Tells of the Greao
Time He Made on a, Railroad.

"A
Time He Made on a, Railroad.
Western roads have recently set up SO
MANY claims as to their ability to make
fast runs and break the record, It Is
possible the following story, told by an
old engineer, Of how he once broke al
records and pulled freight at the rate
Of 675 miles an hour, may END the con-
troversy for the time being.
Really, my son." said the engineer
as he oiled the drivers Of the huge 10
connective he had just backed into the
depot, 'sthe fastest time ever mace
was the fastest run ever made in this
or any other country. l was nauing
freight then, and running an Old Baio-
win mogul. We had started east WIFI
a train Of twenty-one cars, and four
Of them were loaded with powder. /
was little afraid of powder, ana was
pleased to note that the cars containing
the explosive was near the rear OF the
train. We stopped on a siding TO let
the west-bound express pass, and then
pulled out and let her go for all she
was worth, so that we could get over
the tunnel summit. The top OF the NIL
was Just at the entrance to the tunnel,
and as the track was not In very goou
shape in the tunnel shut off steam ana
eased her up little after getting start
ed down the hill. That was where
made mistake, for ten Of the cars had
broken loose, after the engine and first
eleven cars had passed over the sum
nit. and the momentum carried them
over the knuckle, and they came down
after us fifty miles an hour. just about
the middle of the tunnel they struck us
with terrible force, and then 1t was that
I made the fast run, for you see the
powder exploded and my engine and
all the cars that were left shot out OF
the tunnel just like wads out of big
gun. My breath was fairly taken away
by the speed, and had to hold tight to
the cab to keep from being left behind.
Old II kept the rails and shot out OF the
other end of that hole, going at the
rate Of 675 miles an hour; in fact, we
went so fast that the Waterman did
not see us pass, although he heard the
terrible report, and thought that the
tunnel had caved in When we reached
the little town of s. we were going
about $50 miles an hour, having lost
some Of our velocity. OF course, only
a few Of the cars kept the track, and
they all had hot boxes and fat wheels
when we finally came to stand. 1t
was 4:O3 when we entered the tunnel,
and allowing a minute from that time
till the explosion took place we ran the
eight miles in just forty-six seconds,
according to MY watch. Old Il lost her
side rods and connecting rods, and two
of her tires, and had her smokestack
carried off by the wind pressure, but
she was able to pull in on the side track,
and just at that moment the operator
received telegram from o., six
miles on the other side Of the tunnel.
which read:
sCaboose No. "a and two smoking
cars just few by, leaving boards in the
air, which are still falling. Rails are
red-hot from the friction
THAT, young man, was the fastest
run ever made, and I don't want to
break the record again" And then,
without even a smile, the old man
craWled up on the cab of the big ex-
press engine and got ready to pull out
with the limited-Boston Herald.