The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-08-31
HARD ON THE NERVES
RUNNING TRAINS OVER MOUNTAIN
ROADS is RISKY WORK.


on One of These Brain WHEELING,
Nerve hacking Runs.
One of the greatest difficulties of
the real mountain roads. like the Colo
RADIO Midland. the Rio Grande Western
and the Denver and Rio Grandc. is in
getting engineers" said the city pas
senger agent of the Rio Grande West
ern road. This gentleman is familiar
with all the intermountain roads,
where the trains have to all but fly to
reach some of their destinations.
"One might suppose that all roads
would look alike to the experienced EN-.
gineer. but they don't. Along some of
the prairie roads an engineer can take
a run on any new track almost as well
Is on one he has travelled for years and
knows with his eyes shut. But here in
the west 1t Is different. Down in Colo
RADIO. 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
neers who know the track before he
will be trusted with train. 1t isn't
question Of engineering ability: merely
one of experience.
lit is enough to take fellows nerve
to sweep around some Of those noun
tain curves and passes for the first
time. Some good men never take more
than their first ride. have seen engi.
neers come from the east. men Of gilt
edge character and ability. who lost
| their nerve with the first trip and took
the first train for hatter country
Dizzy reverse curves. trestles that
seem to totter in the wind. precipces
that seem to yawn for a fellows life
| and grades that are a revelation of
horror to the newcomer crowd in be.
wildering confusion on the view. and
unless fellow is as stolid as an OK or
nervy as the mischief he is apt to lose
his head.
"You would be surprised ut the num-
Der Of young engineers who are Oh the
| mountain roads. For one thing. a man
does not last there as he does on less
picturesque. more prosaic run. 1t takes
| youth and strength and courage of a
l0IC OlACl W StuHu IL liz SOIlIpu-
| MES are the most appreciative in the
| world. for they realize how hard it is to
! get 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 un.
known. One must know his train and
his road like 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. broken wheel, runa-
way car or failure of the brakes to
| work would end in smash up that
would star1le the whole country The
hill might be a glare Of ice or frost it
| might be wet or snowy. and If you set
\ 'sae airbrake too hard so as to start the
| ~ h,els to sliding down the hill you go
f!te a gigantic tOboggan, with death
| I'd destruction at the end of the ride.
\ te management Of the airbrake and
I NOwing where the curves and danger.
4 W places are is the greatest part of an
1 ifgineer's education in the mountains.
-For my own part. knowing the dan
' a1ss as do. | feel nervous after riding
4 no miles over the widest parts of the
A,uds even as a passenger. rode
larocgh tire Royal gorge on the engine
u few weeks ago and was glad when
Qhe ride was over. 1t makes fellow
| feel t-embly 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 proper
ton of losses as the dead level roads OF
the plains. But it takes a man of nerve
to pilot train through some Of the
wilder regions.
"A freight train Is the worst. in thai
it is much heavier than a passenger
and Is expected to make almost the
same time. All the heavy stock trains
going east, % to 30 cars. make passen
ger schedule. A freight is so loosely
coupled as to be very unmanageable a
critical points. The stock trains are the
terror of the engine drivers and all tht
trainmen.
"A fellow isn't necessarily COW arc
when he throws up his job as engineer
over the mountain roads. after seeing
what the dangers are. Not one pvlsen
ger in 10000 would assume the same
danger. The position calls for abb Dilute
~ steady nerve. and or" who fec s tina
he is likely to get ratified is dai yerou!
to himself. to the company an to al
who ride behind him. A ma mus
think and act like lightning in 70 face
of so many dangers that he II nst b.
sure of his ability to stand the strain
No one stays any great mum Yer o
years. 1t Is beyond ones powe to d!
so and be safe. A man may h hrav'
and willing and all that. but tht So arr
not enough. He must be sure aud proc
against stampede. Such man is wortl
everything to the companies. aud the.
treat him like a prince" Butte Nter
Mountain
Black Flower.