The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-08-04
Great Railroad Record,

s. A. Moss Of Montpelier, who has
had practical experience in railway ser.
vice, was much interested in learning
particulars as to how the Central Pacific
railroad handled the Christian En-
deavor trains from Ogden west on a
single track road, and wrote J. A. Fill
more, the general manager of that line
for information as to certain points.
In reply Mr.. Moss received the follow
ing letter from Mr.. Fillmore:
81 have your favor OF 9TH instant in
which you ask the method adopted by us in
handling the seventy trains carrying the
Christian Endeavorers from Ogden to San
Francisco in about the same number OF
hours. We ascertained that, on account OF
about ninety-hve per cent OF the Endeavor-
ers intending to remain at Salt Lake City
to attend morning church service there on
Sunday, the 4th, the procession of trains
would begin to move west from Ogden
about / 30 P. M. that day, and we arranged
to have tifty.six engines and crews on hand
at Ogden. These engines were run through
to Carlin, taking a little coal at Terrace.
AT Carlin we had six engines stationed, and
beginning with these, the engines were run
first in, first out, so we had at all times
six engines at that point to allow OF suffi-
Gent rest for the men. AS soon as the first
engine arrived at Wadsworth and men had
to Carlin, and simultaneously the same
number Of engines were started back from
Carlin to Ogden; this after we had brought
out OF Ogden between thirty.ive and forty
trains. The same method was pursued be-
tween Wadsworth and Sacramento and
Sacramento and Oakland Pier. In this way,
as you will see, we could have kept up for
almost an indefinite time the movement Of
passenger trains coming to US at the rate
they did.
There was little or no delay to our east
bound passenger trains, but of course it
was necessary to tie up our freights gen.
orally except fruit and stock trains: The
fruit trains were delayed about forty-eight
hours, but it was arranged that this delay
should be at Truckee and Boca, where the
cars could be kept under ice.
All these .westbound passenger trains
were blocked station apart; that is to
say, no two trains were allowed between
stations. This we considered advisable on
account OF having to press into passenger
service many of our freight engineers, and
in blocking them in this manner it pre-
cluded any possible chance, almost, for &C.
cidents due to collision.
OF course, we had helping engines sta
toned wherever necessary to assist trains
over steep grades. For instance, helper
would assist train from Truckee to Sum-
init and return light, meeting second train
with helper at Tunnel 10 (about midway
manner, trains were kept about forty to
forty-hve minutes apart on that side of the
mountain.
In getting the engines back from sacra-
mento to Wadsworth they were coupled
four or five together, generally, and run as
first section OF an eastbound passenger
train.
My first arrangement was to have the
trains made up at Salt Lake City in the
manner which we desired to take them out
OF Ogden; that is, in ten or twelve car
trains, according to the weight Of the cars.
This the Rio Grande did to certain extent.
but they did not carry out the programme
as fully as we had wished.
The matter that gave me the most con-
Germ was the possibility Of our water supply
running short on the desert, and to guard
against this we distributed twenty-five or
thirty water cars along the line at the
weakest points and had an engine with a
hre-pump attached, 30 that at any point
where there might be scarcity OF water 1t
could be run to it and the water-tank
trouble whatever in this direction.
We arranged for additional eating houses
along the line, 30 that with the regular
eating-houses we had fifteen in all. We
built tables alongside the track and when
there was greater number Of people to
eat than could get inside the regular dining
room they were provided for at these out.
side tables, the restaurant keepers OF the
towns having been allotted space thereat
and were kept advised as to when to be
ready to serve meals. In addition to the
eating. houses, we had five extra dining
cars plying between Ogden and Wadsworth,
and in this way we fed the passengers with
out any difficulty whatever. Naturally,
with such heavily-loaded trains forty per-
sons to the car in most Of them) there was
more or less delay at neutrality-suspicious.; and
as we were very particular that the cars
nj o,.A Ill
terminals, realizing that large quantities
would be consumed on account of the warm
weather, considerable time was taken up
doing this work, although we had on as
large force OF men as could work to ad-
vantage Many OF the cars were old.styled
and had small tanks, thus requiring more
attention than usual with a train of the
same number of cars. This part OF the ar
rangement was carried out 80 successfully
that we have been the recipient OF many
words OF praise in consequence.
We brought out of Ogden from the 1st to
the 9TH of July 24,S00 people, about two
thirds OF whom left after 1880 P. M, OF the
4th; and with what came from our other
connections = Portland, Los Angeles and
Mojave-and from the interior of this state,
we had here in San Francisco from Al, 900 to
0O,OOO strangers, and all these were carried
over our rails within that space OF time
without the slightest injury to anyone.
This movement OF passenger trains from
Ogden in no way in erfered with our local
passenger train service between here and
Sacramento. In addition to the usual
heavy local traffic due to the Fourth OF July,
we had Mr.. Bryan in our State at that time
and many special trains were run from
nearby towns to Sacramento to hear him
speak.
Taking 1t altogether, we are very proud
OF the ,superintendents and employees con-
nected with the movement OF this traffic
over their respective divisions, and / en-
close you copy OF letter which 1 sent to
each superintendent concerned. Would
particularly call your attention to that por-
ton Of same wherein make mention OF the
handling one of the overland passenger
trains over the "mountain" without deten-
ton in the face Of q procession OF eighteen
specials, meeting no two Of them at any one