The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-07
IT TAKES NERVE.
Running Trains Over the Mountain
Roads Is Risky Work

Roads Is Risky Work.
One of the greatest difficulties of the
real mountain roads, like the Colorado
MIioland, the Rio Grande Western and the
Denver d Rio Grande, is in getting en;yi-
neers, said Charles A. Davidson, city
passenger agent of the Rio Grande West
ern road, this morning. Mr.. Davidson
is familiar with all the intermountain
reads, where the trains have to all but
lily to reach some of their destinations.
one might suppose that all roads
would look alike to the experienced engi-,
neer, but they don't. Along some of The
prairie roads an engineer can take a run
on any new track almost as well as on
one he has Travelled for years; and knows
with ms eyes shut. But here in the West
1t is different. Down in Colorado, where
are some of the greatest monuments to
the railroad builder that have ever been
erected, an engineer has to travel over
experienced engineers, who know the.
track, before he will be trusted with
| tam 1t isn't question of engineering
ability; merely one of experience
1T is enough to take a fellows nerve
TO sweep around some of those mountain
curves and passes for the first time Some
good men never take more than their first
ride. 1 have seen engineers come from
the East, men of gilt-edge character and
ability, Who lost their nerve with the
first trip up, and took the first train for
fatter country. Dizzy reverse curves,
! treStleS that seem to totter in the wind
precipices that seem to yawn for a fell
! lows life, and grades that are a revela-
ton of horror to the newcomer, crowd
In bewildering confusion on the view,
| and unless fellow is as solid as an OK
or nervy as the devil, he is apt to lose
his head.
You would be surprised at the num-
Der of young engineers who are on the
! mountain roads. For one thing man
does not last there as he does on a less
/ picturesque, mere proSaic run. 1t takes
| youth and strength and courage in order
| to stand it all. The companies are the
! most appreciative in the world, for they
realize how hard it is to get a good man.
! and they treat good man right royalty.
But even this does not attract surplus
of the right sort.
1.-The principal dangers are in the heavy
grades and in the sharp curves, though
| landslides are far from unknown. One
! must know his train and his road like a
book to get through with his life on the
Marshall Pass, for instance, where you
| seem to plunge headlong down the
mighty hill. A rock on the track, brok-
| en- wheel, a runaway car, or a failure of
the brakes to work, would end in a
smash-up that would startle the whole
| country. The hill might be a glare of ice
| or frost; 1t might be wet or snowy, and
! if you set the air brake too hard, so as
| to start the wheels to sliding, down the
| hill you go like a gigantic teboggan,
with death and destruction at the end of
the, ride The management of the air
! brakes, and knowing where the curves
| and dangerous places are, is the greatest
! part of an engineers education in the
| mountains
For my own part, knowing the dan.
| gers as 1 do, l feel nervous after riding
| 100 miles over the widest parts of the
| roads, even as a passenger. l rode
through the Royal George on the engine
/ few weeks ago, and was glad when
| the ride was over. 1t makes a Fellow
| feel trembly-like to think what might be !.
| though the worst rarely happens Such
| is the care taken in equipment and in.
| getting the best men that the mountain
| roads have as small a proportion of loss
! eS as the dead-level roads of the plains
| But it takes a man of nerve to pilot a
/ train through some of the wilder regions.
| "A freight train is the worst in that
| 1t is much heavier than passenger, and
| is expected to make almost the same
| time. All the heavy stock trains going
! East, twenty-five to thirty cars, make
| passenger schedule. A freight is so loose
| ly coupled as to be very unmanageabIe
| at critical points. The stock trains ars
| the terror of the engine-drivers and all
| the t1Ninmen.
"a fellow isn't necessarily coward
| when he throws up his job as engineer
| over the mountain roads, after seeing
what the dangers are. Not one paSsen-
| ger. The position calls for absolutely
| steady nerve, and one who feels that he
| is likely to get ratified is dangerous to
| himself, to the company and to all who
| ride behind him. A man must think and
| act like lightning in the face of SO many
| dangers that he must be sure of his abii-
| ity to stand the strain. No one stays
any great number of years. 1t is beyond
| ones power to do so, and be safe A
man, may be brave and willing and all
| that, but these are not enough He must
| be sure and proof against stampede
Such man is worth everything to the
| companies. and they treat him like a
/ prince. Butte InterMountain.