The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-04
ENGINE II29'S SUICIDE.


LFrom the Memphis Scfmitar.J
Mr.. Henry. AIquist. a prominent rail-
road man, who is stopping at the Clar-
endon for a few days, relates the story
of curious wreck, the facts in which
he will vouch for.
1T is such a remarkable thing" said
Mr.. Alquist to a reporter this morning,
that fear many will be inclined to
brand it as pipes 1 have been rail
roading now for over twenty years and
never in all my varied experience have
seen such a unique and complete
wreck as the one ] speak Of-that of en-
gine 1929 of the Rio Grande Western
Railroad men will tell you that loco
motives seldom explode nowadays, but
1929 did, and in a very peculiar way.
'Au the time this wreck occurred
was holding down the job of train dis
patcher at Soldier Summit, Utah, and
a tough old job it was. Never been
there, I suppOse2 Well, Soldier Sum
nit is a station on the top of one Of the
Wasatch divides. A bleak and lonely
place where the Rio Grande Western
has a round house and coal chute To-
Gated. At the summit are long snow
sheds covering the tracks. These sheds
protect the line from the heavy SHOWS
which fall continually there in the win
ter. And it is only due to this method
that train ever gets over the noun
tain. On both sides of the mountain
the line winds down in a succession Of
winding curves to lessen the grade.
Running off from the railway are
H.
grade run up into the hills and grad
UalIy come to a dead level These
sWitchbacks, as they are called, are SO
constructed that they can be thrown
from any point on the grade. And If
a train breaks in two while ascending
the steep grade, the track can
be switched on to one of
these spurs, where it finally stops after
it has run UP the spur as far as the
momentum attained in its descent will
take it.
''Au heavy trains have an extra 10
cOmOtiVe before the grade is tackled
These are called helper engines and
are kept in roundhouses at each side Of
the mountain with steam up.
zone night 1 got word from Clear
Greek, a town in the Western valley,
that the 9:20 freight would be thirty
minutes late on account of having TO
pull. out a crippled engine. 1929. She
had burnt out her flues and had to be
hauled to Grand Junction for repairs.
THAT night about 10 o'clock, after
had passed down the Salt Lake express,
1 heard the freight coughing up the
long grade from Clear Creek There
was a snOwstOrm raging and the wind
howled around the station like the
devil. When the overdue 9:40 pulled in
to the shelter of the big snow sheds
on the wind-swept Summit, the first
thing asked was Where's the dead
engine?
" Behind the doghouse,' shouted the
con; but as 1 held my lamp above my
head I failed to see it. 1t was just
about to call his attention to it when
during a lull in the storm we plainly
heard the familiar rattle of the rails as
the runaway engine flew at lighting
speed down the mountain. No 1923 had
broken loose and was tearing down the
grade to destruction
Il jumped and pulled the lever which
opened the spur switches. This I knew
would prevent a smashup, as the engine
would run up on the switch back and
come to a stop. But I was too late.
Almost at the same instant threw the
lever a terrific explosion was heard
from far down the mountain. The run
away had exploded"
I thought you said a moment ago,
Mr.. Alquist,' interrupted the Scimftar
man, that the locomotive was dead
one If she had no fire under her boil
er how could she explOde2'
That was the only thing I couldn't
understand myself" the railroad man
replied. Il could easily see how the
dead engine could break loose on that
grade, and 1 could understand not hear
ing its descent during such bowling
blizzard, but the explosion hOOred me.
The only theory which in any way
solved the mystery was that the old
kettle was blown up by compressed air
You see, when the engine broke loose
from the freight and started down the
mountain the pistOns in the cylinders
ing the rough trip up her throttle
probably Jared open and as the speed
increased with every revolution Of her
drivers her boiler was soon filed with
those flying pistOns had worked up a
pressure Of nearly 500 pounds to the
square inch, which came in faster than
it could escape by the safety valve. and
before the old machine reached Clear
Greek her boiler let co.
Bodily pain loses its terror If you've
bottle of Dr. Thomas Eclectric Oil
house Instant af in Of