The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-10-05
OLD RECORD RUN.
A Race Against Time For Railroad
Contract and a Surprise.

a
Contract and a Surprise.
CF'rom the New York SUM-
when I first started in on this pike
back in the eighties said the gray
haired chairman of the Engineers
Stove committee. lit was only a pin
feather. and didn't have hardly any
freight traffic to speak of. It was only
a little branch connection between the
B. & H. and r. & L. roads. was put
on firing for Bill Kennedy, on old 10.
hadn't been firing here very long when
the B. & H. and r. & L. people hit upon
a scheme to try and use our line for
short cut for perishabIe stuff from one
line to the other instead of taking it
down to Burlington, few miles further
south, where these roads had a juno
ton, and sending it back again. Ac-
cordingly, they decided to give US one
train for trial trip. We were to see
how fast time we could make with this
freight, and If it very materially less
ened the time of the old route our peO-
pie We're to get a permanent contract
which would mean considerable money
in their pockets. There was quite a lit
tie excitement among the engineers as
to who would be the lucky man to make
the trial trip, as it would be quite n
feather in the successful ones cap. 1t
fell to Bill Kennedy, with No. 10, 10
siderably elated and determined to do
our best.
The night for the fly run was very
dark, but there was a good rail- and
conditions were all favorable for quick
time. Bill wasn't used to night run
ming; in fact, no one was, as it was
very seldom necessary for a night crew
to be put on our road. For that reason
there were no night telegraph offices
open to keep tab on the train; but the
train dispatcher at this end had been
ordered to stay on duty till we arrived
at Rutland Junction, which was the
other end of our line then. When Bill
and 1 got around we found that we
were to have company on the engine, as
Mr.. West, the super, wanted to go along
to see how we Jared. This put US more
on our mettle, and I tell you we were
the real thing when we backed over to
the R. & l. siding to wait for the spec
ial
about 9 o'clock she rumbled in and
you bet it didn't take Bill long to get
No. 10 around and hooked onto her. Elv
erything was ready and we We're soon
humming along toward the B. & H.
junction point at record breaking speed.
Bill was just aching to make star run
and going up Cheechung Hill about 10
miles out he gave her couple of more
nOtches on the throttle and we fairly
seemed to jump forward.
:" You're doing excellently, Kennedy,
said West, looking at his watch; I'VE
have made the first fifteen miles in
I y
| cellent with thirty cars.
bill never eased off on her at all and
| at 10:45 we were whistling for the
! junction, having made the run of forty
| five miles in an hour and forty-f1ve
minutes, which was about the top
| notch with a, train of thirty cars for
| those days, and Bill's head was nearly
| busted with pride when West said to
| him:
Mr.. Kennedy. you made an excel
| lent run
'As We stopped at the tank, the B. &
| H operator came running up breath
| lessly and said to Bill: Here's a mes
sage from Smith. your conductor. You
| left him behind at Cheechunk.
Bill looked dazed and read the mes
| sage slowly while Mr.. West held a Ian
:. Bin Kennedy and Superintendent
| West:
a good soldier never looks behind.
! You left the caboose, seven cars, myself
| and the crew behind at foot of Chez
| chunk Hill. I had to walk four miles
| to get the agent to send this message.
| Please come back after us
! THE message was dated from Chez
/ chunk. In pulling her out going up
the hill Bill had broken a coupling pin
| and left the tail there. You never
/ saw any one fall fatter than Kennedy
| and the super did. Bill never said a
/ darn word, but give the twenty three
/ cars we had to yard crew of the B. &
] H, and lit out backward for Chez
| chunk, thirty miles to the rear. 1t was
/ 4 o'clock when we got the tail end to
| the junction and our road didn't get the
| contract that year.
/ IF you want to cause a small riot
| you just ask Bill Kennedy the next
/ time you meet him about the record
| goods train, but don't tell him I told
| you"