The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-03
RUNAWAY ENGINE,
Interesting Bit of
Early Railway
History.
THE MASSACHUSETTS"
Its First Trial Trip From
Worcester to
Springfield.
(From the Boston Transcript.)

| rum the Boston lrdnScrlpt.)
1t was proud day for Reuben Finch
when he was selected as engineer of the
Dig, eight-wheeled freighter Massachu-
sets. Back in the forties, when rail-
reading was young and innovations
We're regarded with an interest not
1aded with many inventions and contri-
Vances of modern science, the news
that the Western railroad, which now
forms a part of the Boston G. Albany
system, had put on mammoth freight
engine, larger than any yet tried, ex-
cited widespread curiosity, not limit
ed to the circle of railroad men, which
! was then much smaller than it is now.
among the engineers and f1remen. how
ever, the curiosity had something of
excitement mingled with it. born of the
desire to be put in charge of the great
engine And SO Finch was an envied
man the day his appointment was made
known. Not less fortunate than Finch.
in the estimation of the brotherhood,
was james Marcy, who was selected
TO run with him as fireman on the
Massachusetts. 1t was something to
be placed in charge of mighty mon
"eNA "AAlOb lllolut all the OIneT engines
on the road look like children's TOYS.
Early in December the Massachusetts
was brought up from the shops at
Lowell, and was sent up and down the
road, While Finch adjusted every little
part until she was in good working
trim. The test of the engine was
awaited with great interest as fabulous
tales were told of the number Of cars
she could haul. The test was a severe
one, but there was one thing that in
terfered; there were not cars enough
around to make it interesting. In those
days the freight traffic was very limit
ed. Each road kept it's own cars on
its own iron, as the railroad men say.
and the variety from every road in the
country could not be seen on each
track, as it is today. So, to get enough
cars. a tribute was levied on each
passing freight train It DELAYED the
traffic few days, of course, but goods
sent by freight in the forties were not
perishable.
The test was to be made over the
track from Worcester to Springfield,
and on Dec IS, 1910, thirty-five cars
had been collected, enough, it was
thought, to give the engine a most tho
rough test for thirty-fve cars was
tremendous load, as loads were then.
In the afternoon Finch and Marcy
oiled up the parts anew and made ev-
erything ready for the triumphaI trip
to Springfield
A couple of toots on the whistle. a.
changing Of the bell and Finch. opening
the throttle, felt the great engine roll
out on to the main track with seeming
~ as little effort as though there were
not string of freight cars behind her
nearly quarter of mile long. There
We're two or three men in the cab with
Finch and Marcy, among them Wilson
Eddy, known the country over in later
years as the veteran master mechanic
of the Boston & Albany railroad. Ma
Jestically the Massa chusetts swung
along and there was nothing to mar the
smoothness of the machinery's motion
1t was brisk winter day and the rails
We're covered with frcst, but the great
wheels did not slip. Railroad accidents
We're new thing then and it was as
yet an undiscovered fact that an engine
could run away, with its engineer
powerless to control it. There were but
two brakes on the train, but this caused
no uneasiness, particularly as there was
that great engine to be depended upon
In tnose days the railroad had not yet
been extended across the Connecticut
River at Springfield, but the abutments
for bridge were being built. Before the
handsome Boston & Albany station was
built at Springfield there was a steep
grade which swept down into the city
from the east. Beginning about a mile
back from the city the track dropped
quickly down past the station and came
to an end at the river bank, three hun
dred yards below. This was the jump
ing off place, for the tracks had not yeti
been built out on the bridge. To the
right, diverging slightly from the main
track, a spur led to the roundhouse,
which stood on the river bank, not far
away 1t was here that the engines We're
faced about for the return trips.
AS the Massachusetts, coming in tri-
from it's 50-mile run, APP
preached the brink of the hill a mile
back from the river. Finch began to
slow down and as he did so he began
to realize that the heavy train had con-
siderable impetus. He was afraid to
risk going down the grade with so few
brakes, and decided to stop and block
the wheels, seeing that the track was
very slippery. So he shut off the steam
and applied the brakes. To his sur
prise they seemed to have no effect on
the heavy train.
Watch out, Finch said Marcy,
"or you'll have US on the grade. It's
pretty slippery today"
Finch made no reply, but nervously
the throttle, sending the
wheels spinning backward over the
greasy rails in spite of the weight Of
the engine, but not staying in the least
the movement of the train. The dip
in the grade came nearer and nearer,
and at last Finch cried:-
MY God, boys, l don't believe l can
stop her"
Then suddenly the engine leaped for
ward as it felt the sleeper grade, and
the speed increased each second in spite
of Finch's efforts as car after car swept
over the brink and pushed forward
with a force that was not to be resist
ed. The occupants of the cab could do
nothing but cling to the engine with a
helplessness which became despair, as
they saw that the big engine was en-
tirely beyond control. But as the Mas
sechusetts came rushing down toward
the depot the full horror of the situa-
ton burst upon her occupants, for
there seemed to be no way to escape
plunging straight into the abutments
of the new bridge.
There was a scramble for the side Of
the cab. Eddy made the first jump,
and he rolled off the tracks just at the
station, unhurt. Moore, the conductor,
and Nichols, fireman, who was fiding
in the cab jumped next and were not
seriously injured, while back of them
the train hands were jumping to the
right and left for their lives, Finch
brsvely stuck to the Massachusetts, do
ing ali he could to stop the headlong
rush and planning to jump at the last
moment at the river bank, and Marcy
stayed with him.
A few seconds more and the whole
train would be piled UP in the river,
but lust then curious thing occurred.
AS the Massachusetts reached the point
where the spur track led Off to the
round house, Finch felt sudden Jerk
sidewise that told him the engine had
taken the switch. and realizing that
il must plunge into the round house,
instead Of the river, he Jumped without