The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-07-29
WHIMs OF ENGINES.
AN ENGINEERS NARRATIVE SHOWING
THEIR PEcULlARITlES-

Balky Spel1S-Ih0 AnClcs OF some Il a.
NOUS NIachines-Old 400" Killed the
Engineer in a Fit of Rage.
at sounds queer to say that 1ocomo-
tives have their likes and dislikes,"
Said a veteran engineer, ''but it actual
~ 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-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
I 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 a new locomotive
was turned out of Paterson shop for
the Erie, and Josh Martin wanted her
the worst way. He ran on the Della
ware division, from Port Jervis to Sus-
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 provoeatien 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 sulky as ever, though,
and at last the superintendent ordered
her to the scrap cap.
Josh Martin heard of the fate the
locomotive had been sentenced to, and
he came down the road a-fying. He
begged to have the engine, for he liked
her, and said he was sure she would
do all right with him. The superin-
4endent 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 her up she went like
a bird. She made the trip to Port Jer-
Wis quicker than any locomotive had
ever made it before, and Josh Martin
fan her for years on the Delaware di-
vision after that, and always on time
as easy as could be. The locomotive
was the old II. and she is remembered
yet by all the old engineers, and is
well known to the younger ones by the
tradition Of the road
When Cad Lyman gave up that To-
connective because she wouldn't work
Under him, he was put in charge of
another new locomotive. This loco
motive was a favorite of President
Loder of the Erie She behaved the
best kind, and Cad was tickled all but
10 death with her When the date came
fouhd for the opening of the railroad
through to Dunkirk Cad and his loco
motive were chosen for the distinction
pf pulling the first through train from
the Hudson to Lake Erie. The occa-
sion was to be a historic one, and Cad
tMAs proud. But what did that locomo-
tive do but just get the sulks. I don't
know why. Neither did Cad. She did,
though, and acted up so outrageous
that she was an hour behind schedule
time when she logged into Port Jervis
With the train only seventy miles from
the start. Cad Lyman was the worst
feeling man, Tspose, that ever had a
locomotive kick with him, and he felt
worse when he was ordered to take his
balky engine off and saw Josh Martin
hook onto 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 have been when he hook
cd onto another train to run back to
Piermont to find the engine that had
baked and sulked so outrageously
with him on what ought to have been
the greatest trip on record, just turn
in and let herself out SO cheerfully and
lively on the way back that it was all
Cad could do to hold her in! Now, how
do you account for that? It is true,
and a matter of record. Cad was so
ne.4 NV te - a.