Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-05-31
TROUBLES OF his OWN.
o"e Railroad Man Tells Few Trims Ab,u,
Iron Clad Rules.

u IS an interesting position that on,
''''"s when studying the relations tina,
connect the railroad employe with tn,
io'u itScii with regard to the rules ~ nd
ies"i'tiohs. 1t has ring of "heods
: WIN ana tails you lose" i'm favor nr ,be
4 road when it comes To dncidin. ,yhar.
the responsibility lies when an occiden,
occurs. An Old railroad employe. y
member Of n train crew ont side n,
/ state. was conversng with a rcporter
recently. ana in going over tho s;,u,
| 'io't might ne better and more readjly
Understood if he were to be rotbe,
closely qnoted from his standpoint and
In his language.
oh our line" he said, Eve have
| many good mile that compoees the
VINCE ROAD, hut ] will Conline nv
""oWcdge and experience of working
under rules and regulations as stand
ing between the general mana gers Of
nee ana the actual operation of trains.
10 I"iioW every rule and regulation to
the letter would make travel far safcr
Than lying in bed. but it would He so
slow and tedious to the passenger that
the time made in the old DAVIS of stage
lires would appear n "nycr's' time of
these days.
TO make from even 20 niles per
hour up to the so reached these DAYS
ana 70 i've up to everything pertain
ing 10 sloW-ups grade crossings. saw
ms OF coal, oil and material. slow stops
ana starts, reduced speed over switch
ei ana turnouts and Il hundred and one
thlnGs to be remembered would be
the worst kind of folly If making time
was a consideration.
Take mysrun. $50 miles. which is on
the card to be made in four hours and
81 minutes, not such swift gait to he
sure. although with SNOW ana ice ana
winteriSh weather it is some little kind
of job tn get around on time. To live
up to every ironclad rule. those in the
book. on the card ard various specials
issued every day. you could not pull
that run through in 10 hours. and you
might count yourself lucky if you went
through upon that time.
"A train hand has the choice Of eth
or making his tine. for if he is fire.
quently late he Is either set back. sus-
pended. fined or dismissed. or living
NJ to every rule. and. If not found do
ing so. in case OF accident. being dis
missed. OF course where no accidents
occur. the rules can he tempered with
and the management be blessed with
bandaged eyes. but let mishap occur
end in order Ia protect themselves they
jog out the Thousand or two rules and
if YOU are found guilty you receive an
early di miSsal. So the train hand takes
his desperate chances by playing AT
luck. by using discretion in oiieyinc HIS
rule. IS he keeps his position longer
than he would through strictly carry
ing out every one. and eventually being
Dismissed when the first salary day
arrives.
In one book of rules upon large
road appear nearly 500 regulations for
the employc to familiariZe himself with
OF. rs one Of the general rules says.
The head of each department must be
coavers5nt with the rules, supply cop
les Of them to his subordinates. see
that they arc understood enforce
obedience to them. mo one win
he excused for the violation Of any of
them. even though not included In
those applicable to the department.
= I,-nora nee is no excuse for neg
let of duty
clause o. rule which reads: Every en-
plnyc while on duty connected with the
trains IN any division of the road is
unIrr the authority and must conform
20 the orders of the superintendent of
that division Now. if the employe has
certain order from the superintend
cnt that conflicts with those Of the
book. the road has him dOuoleheaded.
ITO obey the superintendent and dis
obey the rule means discharge, as 1t
distinctly states that no one Will be
excused for the violation of any of
them. while on the other hand he
inuet conform to the orders Of the SUI
ntendent.' 50 he is ape to be dis
charged either way. but the road
stands unb!a mcd in either case. Be
eide these $50 regulations there arc
numbers of rules. about 20 forms OF
train orders. four hand and lamp sig
nails. Il manners Of using signals ac-
>ording to the train rules. beside nearly
100 special rules on time card.
Then comes the changing occasion
,lIy OF a rule or from day to day the
time of some new rule. With this the
.rapIoye must learn by heart the sched-
Me time Of some - regular trains. not
| TO mention as many specials. Is IL Il