The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1900-03-07
BETWEEN TWO FIRES
A TRAINmAN's CAusTlc COMMENT ON
RAILROAD RULES.

hftNhOfNp fNOELO
TO Obey Them All, lie Says, Means 10
Lose Time and Win a Discharges.
To Brcak Them and Rave m Acct
dent Means IA Discharge Also.
1t Is an interesting position that one
finds when studying the relations that
connect the railroad employee with the
road itself with regard TO the rules
and regulations. II has ring of
''heads | win, and tails you lose" in
favor of the road when 1t comes 10 de-
Gliding where the responsibility lies
when an accident occurs. An old rail
road employee, member of Il train
crew, was conyersing with the writer
recently. and in going over ii the stun.
ton might be better and moro readily
understood if he We're to be rather
closely quoted from his standpoint and
In his language
ION our line" lie said. 1--WE have
many n good mile that eomposes the
whole road, but | Will confine my
knowledge ana experience of working
under rules and regulations as stand
Ing between the general managers
office and the actual operation of
trains. To follow every rule and regu-
latlon to the letter would make travel
far safer than lying in bed. but it
would be so slow and tedious 70 the
passenger that the time made in the
old days Of stage lines would appear
Hers tine of these days
"fo ma%c frem even 20 miles per
hour up 10 the 81 reached these days
and TO live up to everything pertain
Ing to slow ups. grade crossings. say,
ing of coal oil and material, slow stops
and starts reduced speed over switches
and turnouts and hundred and one
things to be remembered, would be The
worst kind Of folly If making time was
a consideration
Take my run. Loo miles. which is on
the card TO he made In hours and 81
minutes, not such swift gait, to be
sure, although 10 winter, with snow,
ice and bad weather. 1t Is some little
kind of n Job to get around on time.
To live up to every lronclad rule those
In the book. on the card and various
specials Issued every day, you could
not pull that run through In ten hours,
and you might eeunt yourself lucky IL
you went through upon that time
"A trainhand las tie choice of ell
ther making his time, for. II he IS fire.
quently late, he Is either set back sus-
pended. fuel or dismissed or living up
to every rule. and. If not found doing
30 In case of accident, being dismissed.
OF course where no accidents occur
the rules can he tempered with and
the management he blessed with ban
daged eyes, but let mshap occur,
and In order 10 protect themselves
they jog out the thousand or two
rules. and II you are found guilty you
receive an early dismissal So the
trainhand takes his desperate chances
by playing at luck, by using discretion
In obeying his rule. as he keeps his po-
sition longer than he would through
strictly carrying out every one and
eventually being dismissed when the
first salary day arrives.
'ln one book OF rules upon large
road appear nearly 600 regulations for
the employee to familiarize himself
with, or, rs one Of the general rules
says: The head of each department
must be conversant with the rules,
supply copies of them TO his subordl-
mates, see that they are understood, Ell
force obedience TO them. No one viii
be excused for the violation Of any of
them. even though not included In
mill h1n q, ic damn 4 n To-
norance is no excuse for neglect OF
duty
"Then follows n most remarkable
clause or rule which reads. Every en-
ployee while on duty connected with
the trains on any division OF the road
is under the authority and must con
form to the orders Of the superintend-
ent of that division Now II the em-
ployee has n certain order from the SUI
perintendent that conflicts with those
of the book. the road has him double
headed.
"To obey the superintendent and dis
obey the rule means discharge, as 1t
distinctly states that no one will he ex-
cused for the violation of any OF them
while Oh the other hand 'he must con-
form TO the orders of the superintend-
ent,' SO he IL apt to become discharged
either way. but the road stands I'M
blamed In either case. Besides these
800 regulations there are numbers of
rules. about 20 forms Of train orders.
hand and lamp signals. II manner Of
using signals according 10 the train
rules. besides nearly 100 special rules
on time card.
"Tlen comes the changing occasion
ally of rule or from day TO day the
time Of some new rule. With this the
employee nIust learn by heart the
scheduled time of some % regular
trains. not TO mrnion as many spe'
clals Is il wonder not more acct
den;a occur when one employee mag be
en- duty IS o. % continuous hours and
happens t. forget just one Of these
things to be remembered T'-P0rtland
(MeJ Argus
Dniled Salt Meats.
The inAigcstiblc properties Of boiled
ham, Cognei betf and other salt meats
may. according TO Mrs. parioa, the
cooking expert. he eliminated If the