The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-19
A THRILLING ADVENTURE
On tho Livingston Division of the NP
in the Early Days.

ions OF our transcontinental railways
is runaway train earring down the
steep grade of the Sierra or Rockies
with a speed too graf to be controlled
by the power of brakes or steam, and
only stopped by deralment or a long
level at the foot OF the grade, where
friction gradually checks the momen-
tum. If the train crew stick to their
posts their lives al" usually sacrificed
If derailment occurs, and If another
train is on the grade the disaster be-
comes still more APPALLING,
The first experiencp of this kind in
which l figured as an actor occurred
on the Montana division of the North
ern Pacific, when ! was stationed as
train dispatcher at Livingston, the d.
vision point, in the early spring of
1887. With the coming of birds and
flowers and as a result of the periodi-
cal ouse-cleaning a railroad company
employs in it's depaI ments, a new SUI
perintendent arrived at Livingston. His
name or birthplace is not necessary for
the purposes of this story, which might
under other circumstances be his obit-
uary. l was informed of his advent
through the medium of note from the
chief train dispatcher received as I
came on duty at midnight as well as
the fact that the new old man. would
start west from Livingston at Z o'clock
on the following morning to view his
10 ,,nta 1,a,,+ mouIu t,. ~ ~ 3;
,isinn oeioi.ls 80, ~ ~ ~ o. e ~
cbanio ond oh;.f tu U' 'disnat ohar ~ ~
roalr,,ostars aa ,idan ,,,,.,,, ~ .t,e
ent.
West from LiVingSton the railroad
wound up spur of he Rockies, and in
this climb of IS miles to the summit two
ss ..bnas . oo,,i5 o h,, 10y ~"
fra;ot,t 80. I ,Uti o't!S iaul 10 ioaueo
,,,id,,-a, ~ 4hn ne e'tat " 'he siaoe was
~ i,,,rs+, w osn 'uniiel ieally nlile
na,t,i,7 VA ,dh a. VIII d ~ VI sun ul-
u.l,Ia ro1 ra,,s; tnat plahelileil
VIII" nol isiiiaih on up ~ llelSifl CARS
a ml.t,e s tiii"uSn us SMOKY re-
n.i dei ieaf OF 'aillilS rocks. AS
1,ah;t % 81 ..ia. eiasS nau an a"k"aru
ir ; VI pLeahlHs II! '"o "hei the en-
SIZE pltsi ~ over me hump IN tne
ta' .,, VI me tuill'eI' nVeiy scramble
a U - " anIs oileH lesli'eu Oh coming
'' '' ~ "as ilsht - avert runaway.
- me East porlal ol the tunnel was
ae tha apli oiiiee nd''lIu Null IN hohor
"a ,, .ilH enslneer VINO Planned TINS bur-
iom tiliu ,i5 me mountain . Top put no
~ oou.a We 1ectINGo tioiil trains at
.nI siiu un'h 1lfhperllne, Two
4iliSa 'es onu tne west portal, was
go H. :. o1ie VI t'le most important
| tr,in H., tL ~ - Su!uoiiSe u
on 's,t ,vhia 'cnens o' tnls uiVlsion, ana
tarh miil'ti always lalthlully observed,
ti,, pa''T NV W. tIails on me grace at one
1n4 "ele no telestaph oluc.S
| 49,. 81. MIL anu Livingston, thouSn
omS 81, ,.a1 .iachs, hnoWm as Hooper
,,:iI 10 10 spur, Wouho OH lhto the loot
,,,,,t , iine 'iasshhs shools from a Ia
~ VIC
| f, ~ tne iatelul moving "est-pound
-. .ne " section OF NO. 10 out OF
~ 80, Us SOIL oehole o:4o oclock: when
~ ,lie oiuiiiaiy running Tune OF frelght
- "oulu oiiis theil TO Ilmpefllne
! on5s 10 minutes pelore the special was
t,,,n 60 ~ ieaNe. noted however, ny
' ,Mu ,,a W I've tt engineers had oeen
iiiai heu up LOT the frelght ana felt con-
, ,;.i shes Mouiu make a good run, IN
h hieM VI me laGt mat the situation had
49, eNplaiieu 10 mem Wnen they
a,sheu .iis'l orueis. heard the Whls-
a,eS SUM- ~ crease 'he brakes, the
~ VS. u the engines as they started
| .ils ',aiil' anu theN as tne nfst ear
| passcu the oiice WlHuoW L feallzed The
t til Vi me lrelght mad not been
t taheil mo my consideration. The en-
alie IRAN Vi ~ cars was loaded with
i i, ana, TO make the matter more
ny, eatihs, edch car was or modern
onpac'ts anu cohstructlon' loaded with
an II couia stand. While the engines
| touiu easily take lS ordinary loads up
tne mn IN an hour such train as this
Moulu .dA theln 10 the limit and a
slislt oelay az least TO the special
seemed assured. gaining the operator
a. MUTT l toid MN TO let me know as
soon as 1ourth NO. IL was coming and
.ieh tuiheu my attentlon to ordering
!he engine ana crew Tor the o'clock
lhspect,on Trip. other duties presented
| themselves ana the sight of the yellow
| car puiled by a single engine passing
me Wlhao" ied me to REQ lie that moth
llls ,iau peefl heard from Muir. AS the
CONDUCTOR and engineer came to the
| WINDOW Tor orders | asked the operator
II ne coulu near the freight, but was
answered IN the negative. The chief
Tram dispatcher and new superintend-
eht came pushing into the office, the
| FORMER ihqulrln& II all was ready for
tne'f immediate departure His smiling
Nisase grew black as a thundercloud
| Wneh ne was told the special would be
delayed Tor few minutes. His anX-
| lety TO impress the superintendent with
the cloch-"ork regularity of his meth
hat