Wadsworth semi-weekly dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1901-10-25
THEY LOSE THEIR NERVE.
DIZZY Curves and Steep Grades too
Much for RaiIroaders.

VI AAiS
real mountain roads, like the Colorado
Midland, the Rio Grande Western and
the Denver and the Rio Grande, is in
getting engineers" said Charles A
Davidson, city passenger agent Of the
Rio Grande Western road. Mr.
Davidson is familiar with all the inter
mountain roads, where the trains have
to all but fly to reach some of their
destinations.
Zone might suppose that all the
roads would look alike to the experience
ed engineer, but they don't. Along
some of the prairie roads an engineer
can take a run on any new track al
most as we'll as ons he has travelled
for years and knows with his eyes
shut. 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
the roads sometimes for weeks with
old, experienced engineers, who know
the track, before he will be trusted with
a train. 1t isn't a question of engln-
eering ability; merely one of expert
ence.
at is enough to take a fellows
nerve to sweep around some Of those
mountains curves and passes for the
first time. Some good men never
take more than their first ride. | have
seen engineers come from the East,
men of gilt ledge character and ability,
who lost their nerve with the first trip
and took the first train for home.
Dizzy reverse curves, trestles that
seem to totter in the wind, precipices
that seem to yawn for a fellows life
and grades that are a revelation of hor-
ror to the newcomer, crowd in bewi.ld-
ering confusion on the view, and unless
a fellow is as solid as as OK or nervy as
the devil he is apt to lose his head.
"You would be surprised at the num-
Der Of young engineers that are on the
mountain roads. For one thing, a
man does not last there as he does on
a less picturesqe. more prosaic run.
It takes youth and strength and courage
Of a rare 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
a good man royalty. But even this
does not attract a surplus Of the right
sort.
The principal dangers are in the
heavy grades and in the sharp curves
though landslides are far from un-
known. 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 plunge headlong
down the mighty hill. A rock on the
track, a broken wheel. a runaway car
or a failure Of the brakes would end in
a smashup that would startle the whole
country. The hill might be a glare Of
ice or frost; it might be wet or snowy,
and as you set the air brake too hard,
SO as to start the wheels 10 sliding.
down the hill you go like a gigantic to-
boggan, with death and destruction at
the end of the ride. The management
of the air brake and knowing where
the curves and dangerous places are is
the greatest part Of an engineers ed
ucation in the mountains.
"For my own part, knowing the
danger as | do, | feel nervous after rid
ing 100 miles over the widest parts Of
the roads, even as a passenger. |
rode through the Royal Gorge on the
engine a few weeks ago, and was glad
when the ride was ove 1t makes a
fellow feel trembly like to think what
might be, though the worst rarely hap
pens. Such is the care taken in