The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-03
JUST west of Helena the tracks of
? the Northern Pacific and Montana


Z ! the Northern Pacific and Montana
Central railways cross. Every train
on each road must come to full stop
before passing this crossing, and
those who have travelled on either
line are familiar with the short stop.
followed by the short, sharp whistle of
the locomotive and the kissing releaseof
the air brakes, that interrupts the jour-
ney at this point. 1t is one Of the trifl-
ing incidents in an overland journey
that attracts passing notice and then Is
forgotten. The passenger looks out
from his window to see what sort of
station he has reached now, and seeing
none, assumes that it is a stray COW
or tramp on the brakebeams that has
caused the stop. The delay is of such
brief duration that in a few minutes he
has forgotten all about it and settles
back into his seat. But all railway
men know the crossing, and if they are
going toward Helena, over the Northern
Pacific, they do not regard it with any
degree of favor. ".M
,, From the crossing to Helena sta
ton there is slight up grade and with
one of the long freight trains that run
over the Northern Pacific these days,
no trainman or engineer likes to stop
on grade. 1t is hard enough to make
hill with running start, but it is
douby difficult when the climb has to
be made from a standing start Every
coupling must be a good one and every
. drawhead must be solid to stand the
test@of start up even so slight rise
as this from a standstill. There is
many man who will tell you that this
crossing is hoodoo, and will mean it
when he says so.
Among the conductors who run trains
into Helena over the Northern Pacific
from the West, there is none who IS
better known than Ike Harpster. He is
one Of the younger conductors, but he
has had plenty of experiences in all
kinds of railroading, and this Montana
Central crossing figures prominently in
one of his recent adventures Ike is
built for heavy work. He carries 200
pounds of bone and Drawn and knows
how to use it to good advantage. If he
did not, this story would never have
been written, but, instead, an accident
and delay would have been reported at
the railway division headquarters. Con-
ductor Harpster used to run between
Missoula and Wallace, and his services
in those days were in great demand for
tug-of-war contests. He used also to
be one of the crack players in the Mis-
soula star baseball team, and those who
followed the career of that organiZa-
ton in the days of the old state league,
remember the precision with which he
used to line out three-base hits. He is
also handy with the gloves in a quiet
sort Of way. This much is offered in
explanation of what follows. Without
this word of explanation the story
might seem to some incredible.
One night. not very long ago. Conduc-
tor Harpster, in charge of a long east
bound freight, was nearing Helena. The
run down the mountain from the Null
Ian tunnel had been made without in
cident, and the engine away at the
head of the lengthy line of cars had
whistled for the Montana Central cross
ing. The brakemen were out on the
'A''tAh SAAu 'iie SoiiuuSloi Steppeu TO the
front platform Of his caboose. De-
scending to the lower step, he leaned
out and looked ahead The track was
clear and in minute he heard the sharp
whistle of the locomotive and the re-
lease of the brakes. AS the rattle of
links and pins was heard from the front
end of the train he knew that the start
had been made, and he stepped back
upon the platform. In another moment
he felt the jerk that denoted that the
whole train was moving, and then he
heard sound that he knew meant a
broken coupling.
- -rt There, was not much time to think.
To stop the train would mean a delay.
as it is slow starting on the grade from
the crossing. The stopping of the train,
the backing down to the caboose, the re-
placing of the coupling-all this would
take more time than could well be
spared at that time, for No. 2. the east
bound express, was not far behind and
it would not do to delay that train. The
conductor did not stop to mediate up
on the situation. There was no time for
that. If he had taken time to think the
ing on the track and there would be the
annoyance of an official delay report
That is something that no conductor