The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-12-02
OF THE MIDDLE BRAKEMAN.
stopped the Powder Cars Of the Freight Train
That broke In Three Psrt.

-One night last week. said the middle brake
man. we we're coming Fast with the grab
train. the train that picks up all the cars Mt
way stations, N We had n heavy train. too.
The engineer stopped at Peepunk water tanl.
lust at the top OF the mountain, n Ike Carey.
the conductor. n the rest Of the boys look ed
tho train all over for bad drawheads. hot jour
nal. and so forth. Ike says TO me Just before
we started. Now. Billy, you keep your lamps
peeled goin' down the mountain tonight. for
We have a heavy train n what's more, there's
several cars OF powder near the head end n
If wo should break in two n come together
again there I'D be n bad jam-up.'
Il save. AN right. Ike n took my place on
ton of "A box car to tee that everything went
along O.k Il. A couple Of miles do wn the noun
tain there is a place We call the thank eema'sm,
that is a sort OF q bump in the hill where the
grade is agin a train comm East for about
three-quarters OF a mile, n then IL drops at q
greater pitch over the other side OF this knoll.
This Is n bad place for q break -in-two. ms the
engineer has to give the engine steam In order
To- pull the train over this knoll. n the strain
on the cars Is very great. After you come over
this knoll the tracks run In "A curve along a
hlsh embankment IA you can then look back
m see If the train IL al together.
Jest aitcr comm over the top OF the Knoll
| kinder felt something give n luoRin' back
Jaw that, sure enough, We were Dibh Cil IN TWO.
give the engineer inc broke-iu-two signa!
lie WAS on the watchOut n seem my signal,
gave the engine fun steam. We commenced
ia gain more speed with the head 'ld But
tho uart next to rs kept right on comm faster.
too. "a by comparin' the marker nghts on the
Caboose and the mead chr Of IA" part neat Ia
Us. IL didn't take Ile long to md out that tho
ptrt OF the train foIuwM Us Was separated
IRON the hind end of the train IA was comm
down the hill at an incredsin' speed with 10
one on to control IT,.
Here was a nice mess. There Was a train
left the top of the mountain shortly ahead If
US accoruin' to the train sheet ~ the water
tank. n We we're supposed 10 50 down tho
mountain "A little easy, On the look out Tor them,
m here was the middle section Cha~in' ~ To-
beat he band. To max" matters worse, there
was a west bound passenger train due along
here about his time, "a II We should come to-
gcther the cars OF powder would Toe apt TO sN-
plodc.
We'll, ! turned the matter over IN my mind
n decided that there was pnIy one thing TO
be- done had TO drop on the head section
wa, on, which was soIn' AZ between twenty
m twenty-five nile an hour. n catch the
middle part - the train by a ruDniu' jump
In MAS a dark night n strange ground. bt.
IL was the only thing to he done. to my thinkin
m II WAS certainly worth the try MY de-
cision In the matter was hurried a little hv
the appearance II a red lantern down the
mountain Eways ahead Of US which must be-
long ia the fagman Of the train in advance.
that had evidently stopped for some reason
or other.
Il set my lantern on top Of the car. maxim
up my mind To leave II there, 30 as not 10 he
n went down the iron ladder on the end Of