The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-08-23
RAILROADING IN COLORADO.
Running an Engine Over fhe Mountain
Roads Nerve-W Wearing Work.

Running an Engine Over fhe Mountain
Roads Nerve-WeariDg Work.
One of the greatest difficulties of the
real mountain roads. like the Colorado
Midland, the Rio Grande Western,
and the Denver and Rio Grande, is in
getting engineers, said Charles A.
Davidson, passenger agent of the Rio
Grande Western road, to a reporter Of
the Butte Inter Mountain. Mr.. David
son is familiar with all the inter.
mountain 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
engineer, but they don't. Along some
of the prairie roads an engineer car
take a run on any new track almost al
we'll as on one he has Travelled fol
years and knows with his eyes shut.
But here in the west it is different.
Down in Colorado, where are some Of
the greatest monuments to the rail.
road builder that have ever beer
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 aquestion OF
engineering ability, merely one of ex.
perience.
1t is enough to take fellows nerve
to sw eep around some of those noun.
tain curves and passes for the first
time. Some good mem never take
more than their first ride. l have seen
no 81 "a
gilt edged character and ability, who
lost their nerve with the first trip and
took the first train for fiatter country.
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
horror to the newcomer, crowd in be-
wildering confusion on the view, and
unless a fellow is as stolid as an OK, OF
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,
a man does not last there as he does
on less picturesque, more prosaIc
run. It takes youth and strength and
courage of a rare order to stand it all.
The companies are the most apprecia-
tive 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 a sur
plus of the right sort.
The principal dangers are in the
heavy grades and in the sharp curves,
though landslides are far from I'M
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, a
runaway Car, or failure of the brakes
to work, would end in a smash-up that
would startle the whole country. The
hill might be glare of ice or frost
1t might be wet or snowy, and if you
set She air brake too Asf1S 30 al "a
start the wheels to sliding, down the
hill you go like gigantic tobogan,
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 educa-
ton in the mountains.
For my own part, knowing the
dangers as do, 1 feel nervous after
riding 100 miles over the widest parts
Of the roads, even as a passenger. l
rode though the Royal Gorge 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
proportion of losses as the d-lev ell
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 that
it is much heavier than passenger,
and is expected to make almost the
same time. All the heavy stock trains
going east, % to 80 cars, make passen-
ger schedule. A freight is SO loosely
coupled as to be very unmanageable
at critical points. The stock trains are
the terror of the engine drivers and all
the trainmen
A fellow isn't necessarily a coward
when he throws up his job as engineer
over the mountain roads, after seeing
Wudb uuc hangers are. NoL Ono pas
senger in 10. 900 would assume the
same danger. 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 ability to stand
the strain. No one stays any great
number of years. 1t is beyond one s
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 company, and they treat him like
a prince.