The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-09-30

IhreS or four powerful new locomo-
uves were recently put in service be-
tween Philadelphia and Atlantic city by
the Pennsylvania railroad. They are OF
the class type. high and deep-chestad,
Out or the long. 1.-the build OF the gray
mound. graceful and as speedy as the
wind Their driving wheels, of great
height yet apparently light. suggest the
iimos OF the neetest OF canine breed.
specially constructed for the Commute
'hyers," they have pcen proving their
quality on those stretches of the road
where they encounter the Reading fly
ers.
There Is a certain excitement due 10
swift passage which makes a ride on one
OF these Atlantic City flyers, on both
roads. the fastest trains In NE world.
pieasureable to those I'm the cars The
more the wayside scenery becomes q
blur the greater the exhilaration. 1t is
not quite the same with the man In tho
cab, who is responsible for the safe con-
duct of the train. The passengers think
little In the comfort and enjoyment OF the
dash TO the seaside of the severe strain
put upon the engineer by the trains
swift flight, strain that tells In the end
more seriously than would the hardest
manual labor. Slight Is the muscular
work demanded by the moving OF the
throttle and the applying of the brakes.
but after that leap of less than co min
utes from the Delaware TO the Atlantic
the engineer descends from his cab with
the heavy step of exhaustion, the elias
ticity and agility of the start all gone.
IL Is upon the nervous system that the
work of the engineer OF the flyer bears
heavily and II Is the nerves which first
make sign when the burden becomes too
onerous. The engineer becomes tirnorous;
he can no longer hold his engine 10 her
work, keep her up To tho schedule speed.
His train persistently fails behind, at
first perhaps not minute In an hour.
but surely the time stretches until IL be-
comes apparent 10 the engineer that his
days at the throttle CT the flyer are near
an end A Reading official gives an in
stance OF this curious mrnifostation of
loss of nerve. After service of 26 years
a certain engineer was observed regu-
larry TO bring his train IT. behind time,
and the time lost on his rurs stretched
until he had to be given a slower train.
There. too. he fell constantly behind.
and finally he had TO be taken OF the
road and was given place in tie shops.
As a rule. however, engineers realize
Wnen tney are losing snefr nerNe, ana
then they AK for a slower train This
loss of nerve is suffered ultimately by
the stoutest heart. hut the time greatly
varies. Superintendent Beach. OF the
Philadelphia division OF the Reading. who
IL now. owing 10 the illness OF Super
inten6ent McCausland. acting superinteud-
ent OF the Atlantic City division. says
that some engineers last on flyers 20
years and more. some not that many
months. An engineer Is selected for a
flyer. not because Of his experience on
an engine, although some experience Is,
OF course, necessary, but sometimes men
commend themselves before they are long
in the service by a certain spirit and by
the manner in which they handle an en-
gine. Such men are advanced 10 the cab
of the flyer sooner than men OF much
longer experience who lack the qualif-
cation of nerve.
1t is fact, said Superintendent Beach
yesterday. that the very fast trains are
less liable to accident than slower trains.
The latter are more prone TO leave the
rails than the former. Science, he added.
explains this by pointing out that greater
friction was engendered by faster flight.
Then. too. the fast train is not more ex-
posed TO collision than the slow one,
but this has no weight with the engineer.
The greater strain imposed by the flyer Is
greater than by the slower train and Is
more wearing. What though he knows,
~ 70 ih' i''Aiie Nhi'h tpuhts' aNu hc
feels that his place is less Secure on IN
90 minute train than on the two-hour
train. Every time he mounts to the cab
his system is exposed To strain. aad in
the long run that strain makes him tim
i'll and forces him 10 give way.
What are the sensations experienced
I'm the cab of fyer?' Mr.. Beach said
repeating a question. THE veteran en-
gineer has no unusual sensations; he be-
comes hardened II Ia very much like
looking upon the moving picture OF a
landscape which train is approaching.
To the green hand the country ahead
seems rushing upon him and the track
TO be swallowed up, but when he finds the
rushing landscape fall In order as II
approaches and a few rides teach him
that the danger Is nothing like as great
as appears at first. he begins not 10 mind
and to take things as a matter OF course.
Philadelphia Ledger