Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-07-28
WHIMs OF ENGINES,
AN ENGINEERS NARRATIVE! SHOWING
THEIR PECULIARlTiES-

They Very Often Fall Into Queer SY1ky ap3
Balky Spells-The Antics of Some Faa
NOUS Machines old 400" Killed the
Engineer in "a Fit of Rage.
at sounds queer to say that locomo-
tives have their likes and dislikesj
said veteran engineer, "but it ACTUAL
ly does seem sometimes as If they
had, and all old-time engineers believe
it. I've seen locomotives when they
acted as if they were human beings,
They get the sulks and have balky
streaks, and when they're in such
moods you can't make time with them,
do what you may. Then, again, they'll
be as clipper and willing as trOtting
horse, and you actually have to hold
'em in place to keep -'em from running
into stopping-p places ahead of time.
There isn't an engineer of any expert
ence at all who can't tell you of in
stances by the dozen of engines that
positively would not make time with
some engineers, but which would get
there every time in charge of some
other engineer. You might say that it
was the fault of the engineer that such
engines did not make their time, but
l have known as good engineers as
ever mounted a footboard who have
been transferred from locomotives
placed in their hands to run because
the locomotives would not make their
time, but which. under the hands of
another engineer, neither as skilful nor
as experienced, would never run be-
hind.
Take the case of Josh Martin and
Cad Lyman, two of the early engineers
on the Erie Railroad. and neither of
them with a superior in his craft at
that day. One time new locomotive
was turned out of Paterson shop for
the Erie, and Josh Martin wanted her
the worst way. He ran on the Della
quehanna. The superintendent,
though, wanted the engine for the
Eastern division, between Port Jervis
and Piermont, and so he put her in
charge of Cad Lyman. Cad ran her,
or rather he tried to run her, but she
had made up her mind about
something, and she wouldn't make any
kind of time for Cad. She would stall
without provocation and acted con-
trary generally Cad, tried her for a
week, and then reported the locomo-
tive No good, and she was condemned
to run the gravel train She worked
as balky and suAly as ever, though,
nt laS h.sc ,arip N ptor
her to the scrap heap.
Josh Martin fheard of the fate the
locomotive had ybeen sentenced to, and
he came down the road a-f1ying. He
begged to havetthe engine, for he liked
her, and said 'he was sure she would
do all right with him. The superin-
tendent yielded to-, Josh's appeal, and
told him to take the locomotive and
give her trial. Josh did so. He
mounted the cab. at Piermont, and
when he opened lner up she went like
bird. She madesthe trip to Port Jer-
Wis quicker than any locomotive had
ever made it before, and Josh Martin
ran her for yearSton the Delaware di-
vision after that. .and always on time
as easy as couldhbe. The locomotive
was the old II, and ,she is remembered
yet by all the, Old engineers, and is
we'll known toithe younger ones by the
tradition of the road
When Cad Lyman gave up that To-
comotive because she wouldn't work
under him, he was; put in charge of
another new locomotive. This loco
motive was al favorite of President
: iLoder of the Erie. She behaved the
best kind, and Cad was ,tickled all but
to death with her. Whensthe date came
round for the, opening of the railroad
through to Dunkirkt Cad and his loco
motive were chosenjfor the distinction
of pulling the first stHhroughttrain from
the Hudson to L.itse Erie. The occa-
sion was to be al historic one, and Cad
was proud. But'what did thattlocomo-
tive do but tjustjget the sulks. don't
know why Neither didt Cad. She did,
though, andl,acted up SO outrageous
that she was an hour. .hehind schedule
time when she jogged4into iPort Jervis
with the train only seventylmiles from
the start. Cad LYMAN wasAthe worst
feeling man. I'spose. THAT ever had a
locomotive Rick withshim, and he felt
worsetwhen he; was ordered to take his
balkyiengine off andysawiJosh Martin
hook'ont the train with ,old II loco
motive that Cad had TURNED in as no
good. Josh and old II yanked the
train'through with. bells on.
And what do YOU think Cad Lyman s
feelings must haveibeen when ne hook
ed onto another train to run back to
Piermont to find the, engine that had
baked and sulked so outragedusly
with him on what ought to have 'been
the greatest trip o9 record, just .turn
in and let herself out so cheerfully,and
lively on the way back that it wasNall
Cad could do to hosd her in! Now, how
do you account for that? 1t is true,
and matter of record Cad was so
cut up by this con lilct of the locomo-