The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-27
RAILROAD NEWS.
II. q. Nudge Says Big Engines
Are All Right.
More Economical and Less Likely
to Cause Wrecks.
M'CULLY is MISTAKEN.
Missouri Man Has Wrong Idea
About Decapods.
Decapods Endorsed By Santa Fe
Engineer of Tests.

W. E McCully, chairman of the board
Of Missouri railway commissioners,
made several statements recently which
were derogatory to the usefulness Of the
big type of freight locomotives as com
pared to those of the smaller type. Mr.
11cCuIly's remarks were to the effect
that the managers Of all of the big
trunk lines with whom he had con-
versed. had expressed themselves as not
being satisfied with the big engines for
freight service. He also said that the
new type Of engine does not make the
time required of it, that they consume
an enormous quantity Of coal, and that
they are hard on the fireman
The managers OF the other big roads
who now have the big engines in use
on their lines may be dissatisfied with
them but not so with the Santa Fe.
For the past year the Santa Fe has had
some of the largest engines in the world
in use on its lines and so far the Off
Gals Of the road have had no objection
to make regarding the manner in which
the engines have been handling the
work required Of them. In fact Santa
F'e officials are ever ready to say
word in pBaise of the big type of en-
CINE and consequently Mr.. McCully's re-
marks have resulted in considerable
comment among the local officials of
that road When asked today for his
opinion of the large type of engine,-H.
U. Nudge, general manager OF the Santa
Fe, said:
The large engines are entirely satis-
factory They do not burn more coal
than some engines of smaller size al
though they do haul larger trains and
thereby reduce the number Of meeting
points and delays.
The Santa Fe has larger engines in
use on its lines than most roads and
its through freight trains, and particu-
larry fruit trains. are making better
time than ever before and several days
better time between the coast and Chi
cago than any other road
LAS to the statement that the big
engines are hard on our hremen, all 1
have to say is that, as far as the Santa
Fe Is concerned, it is not true. 1t is
easily to be seen that if a smaller
amount of coal is burned the work is
not heavier on the f1remen- At the re-
cent conference with the fremen that
was one of the questions which came
up for discussion. It was stated that
more coal was burned but we had rec
ords which showed plainly that less
coal was burned during the last year
than was burned during the same time
when the smaller engines were in use.
Another advantage in the use of the
larger engines is that they obviate the
difficulties which result when a large
number of trains are running on the
road. The larger engines can haul so
many more cars Indn the SInalier ones
that it is no longer necessary to run
many trains and consequently we have
lessened the danger of wrecks and mis-
haps.'
Mr.. Nudge is not the only one of the
local officials of the Santa Fe who is
loud in his praise of the big engines.
F. W. Thomas, engineer of tests for the
Santa Fe says:
The small engines are not to be
compared to those of the larger types.
Any one of the engines now in use on
the lines of the Santa Fe is capable
of hauling more tonnage at a less ex-
pense per mile than any of the smaller
engines. Consequently they are
great deal more valuable to the road
than the engines of the lighter class"