The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1901-04-19
he calls, then hurries back to his

The towermen can Judge with
tolerable accuracy the workings and
movements of their outbound trains,
but tho inbounds Ike "p them guess
ing and the signals along the hun
! dred block. tunnel are watched mar
rowly. With the specials and extra
assignments to be considered there
can be no invariablo rules and some.
times even the least used lever Of the
ITO odd is brought into requisition.
"After making 17th street, got in
as soon as you can," is the station
yard order that tho engineers go by,
but the gotting in is apt to be modi-
fed by various happenings.
Tho picked towormen have the
switch combinations so at their fin
gors ends that if there is a single bit
OF tackle or apparatus not boing
worked for all it is worth they can
suggest resource for the yardmas-
ter when ho is in tight place.
From the tower windows one gets
view Of the patch work Of tracks
without the trains and and locomo-
tives being shifted about at the bid
ding of the lovers. Up at the mar
row neck Of the yard waits an in
bound train painting to get homo, but
locked fast until track can be clear
ed for it, Two trains stand ready to
start out at just minutes difference
in the starting time; the engineers
waiting neck to neck like racers
strr lining to be off. On the right
locomotive is making the flying
switch to be off from the train it
brought in and scudding away to
grooming ground, while the sleepers
and passenger coaches roll into the
station shed to unload.
A local train is being backed into
the station only to reappear on an
other track a moment afterward, and
a shining, bright locomotive comes
putting out of tho roundhouse where
it was despatched to be coaled, wa
tered and turned round. It's fresh
appearance makes the shabby push
or, onesof the drudges Of the yard
that is being switched about on or
rands, appear all the more humdrum
and neglected.
The long distance trains, pets of
the road, are started off, their tenders
piled with coal and every bearing
and surface shining as if assured of
high priced business. All hands
take interest in the start of these gilt
edged flyers, and tho levers that Sc.
cure the track to them sink back to
place with gratifed thud as if do
ing something worth while.
The switch operators arc always
chosen from employees about the sta
ton; sometimes trainhands or assist
ant baggage men or general helpers.
Familiarity with railroad and engin-
eering matters is good foundation
for the studying of the combinations
in the switchman's text book, and
employees look forward to a berth in
the tower force just as statesmen in
shop aspire to the place of buyer or
stockk'eper IN their departments.
Although many apply to be switch
mon few are chosen and fewer still
become experts. The switchman
must be strong and able to endure
fatigue, for some levers arc exceed
lngly heavy and are used continu-
ously. A retentive memory and nim-
bleness Of movement are essential,
and ovon if with these recommenda-
tions tho applicant has not presence
of mind he cannot fill the post. A
nervous man is out of the count.
The foreman of tho tow,r gang
has genorally had seven or ton years
apprenticeship. Sunday afternoon
is the chosAa time for the beginner
to practice. Ehen only half the
usual quota of trains are running,
and he can apply tho theory learned
from the text book to>\practical adj
vantage, experimenting with the less
working levers and making the re-
suits, as we'll as taking lessons in in
terpreting the bell signals. ,
The hours along from midnight to
4.35 a. m, are the slack time ih the
towar Tho lonor distanca tro. ,aNoro