The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-07-03
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Modern Railroad Wrecking
Crew..

1--WE give them a clear track and s
seventy or seventy-fve-mile- an-hou1
engine and the wrecking master does
the rest" said the yardmaster, knock
ing the ashes out of his pipe and lean
ing com fortably in his old revolving
chair. Cali the wreck-master knows
is that at such and such a point on the
road such and such a train, with sc
and so many cars, has been smashed
It's his business to get to tie place as
fast as steam can carry him and to
clear the main line quick as Providence
will let him.
"See that sireen sticking up just
over the roof of the engine house next
to the repair shops? When that begins
to bray and squeal and screech three
long, unearthly toots there is trou
BILE somewhere up the line. Ever heal
one of those new.fanele led whistles:
You'd never know it was turned on
by the hand of man. At night it
would make your skin creep the first
time you heard it. But you're apt to
hear it for miles around, and that s
what it's there for-to collect the
wrecking crew on run.
"Wherever there's repair shop
along the line there you're sure to find
a wrecking train. The crews are
picked men from the shops, for a rea.
son III tell you presently. It's hard
life they lead and a strenuous one, but
they get paid we'll and they like the
work, just as I've yet to see the first
man in city fire department who is
not in love with the excitement and
uncertainty Of his job. In time the
strain on the wrecker tells. While the
work lasts it is heart-breaking, and
men age under it, and after ten years
service on the crew are rarely fit to
continue in that part of the service.
Every member of the crew has to live
within hearing distance and running
distance of the wrecking train. Dur
ing the daytime the men are at work
in the repair shops, and if anything
happens they have merely to jump
aboard while an engine is made fast
and starts on a mad race for the scene
Of the trouble. But at highland
most wrecks happen nights-the men
must be prepared to tumble out of bed,
to run through wind and weather, and
to be prepared to work anywhere from
twenty-four to thirty six hours with
out break.
HOW THE CREW TRAVELS.
"A wrecking crew consists of sixteen
or eighteen men, which is exclusive of
a conductor, pair of brakemen and
the two men in the engine. The wreck
ing train consists of only four cars.
Everything that would add to the
weight of the train without being abso-
lutely necessary is left behind. The
first car is the one in which the wreck
ing crew travels. In this part of the
country this car is not so important;
but on the long stretches of road in the
West the car is fitted up completely
for the living accommodations of the
men The car is painted red, and, in
general, is huge caboose. In the
front part of it The kitchen is located
A cook accompanies every wrecking
crew on the modern railroads, just as
cook accompanies our long distance
palace trains. Everything Of the best
is chosen for the wrecking crews meals
during its long siege Of work. Ice is
provided on which things that should
be kept cool are placed, and continual
ly stock of provisions is on hand as
ready for instant use as the train itself.
"The rear section of this car is fitted
up as living room. No carpet is on