Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-18
SUICIDE OF 326.
The Locomotive That Just Pinned Away
After Jim Cregan Died.


i've always contended that locomotive
was little less N human" said the fat en-
gfneer IAN that she always keeps little
coy corner in her heart for a man as is
good to her n don't boss her aroun' very
much My belief has been backed up by
recent happenin on our road.
Jim Cregan was one of the Oldest engi-
neers on our line n took great pride In the
machine he ran, m kept her bright n
shinin' or saw to 1t that the fireman kept
her so; never workin a locomotive any
harder than the actual business at hand
called for He had been runnin' old $50
about two years before his death, n in my
belief she got more firmly attached TO him
than she did to any train of cars she ever
drew.
"WeH sir, although 326 was one of the
best pieces of machinery in the roads
equipment while Jim had her, maxim fast
time with the heaviest trains of Pullmans
after hs death none Of the men could 90
nothn' with her. She wouldn't steam, n
her every exhaust was like the sob of "a
leadin' lady who has lost her pet dog. The
steel on her boiler m her trimmin's took
on CHASTITY, grayish hue.
''She wasn't worth her salt, nohow. The
road foreman of engines finally sent Tor
me m told me he'd decided to turn her over
to me N Murphy to see what we could do
with her, Murphy m meself bein' sort of
locomotive trained nurses n gettin' all the
lame, halt n blind locomotives on the road
to brace UP.
Murphy didn't like it, n just expressed
his opinion to me-
They might just as well put that 328
on the scrap heap first last, says Muir
ply ''Tain't no use wastin oil n fuel on
her to make her do work. She's just pinin
away for Jim Cregan, n that's all there Is
to It,.
II was of the same opinion myself, but
| wasn't goin' to give Murf the satisfaction
of havin' me sidin' with him
1--WE took her, but we didn't have any
success with her. 1t just seemed as If she
wheezed n snorted like an old woman at a
wake.
she had one of the finest soundin' chime
whistles as was a delight to the ear you
ever heard After Jim died the steam nd
seem to condense or suthin' Just as 1t was
enterin' the whistle bell m the whistle
would let out an awful Shrek, endn' up
with a sound like wringiR out dishcloth
Things went on this way until she laid
down on the road with me q couple o times
when we had an important train, n the
engine dispatcher, who was rather a hard
hearted man, not goin' much on sentiment
lost all patience. I was standin' alongside
of her seem that her Journals were cool
n everything was shfpshape on her after
finishin' trip when the engine dispatcher
came along by the turntable.
Well, Portly,' he says to me, I've given
up all thought of ever tryin' to reform old
326 n get her out of her slovenly ways.
After you come in with her tomorrow she
goes on the work train.
This was pretty hard lines, n you bet
If was a self-respectin' m tidy passenger
locomotive n was relegated to dirty,
slowpoke job of haulin' Dagoes aroun' like
that II would be the last straw for me.
Anyway. .twan't any of my ohsequies ia
done the best could to brace up $50. n
so moseyed along home,
1.-THE next mornin, 1 came leisurely down
through the round house q stopped min
ute by the pilot of 326 to pass few words
with the roundhouse foreman.
"'Yes,s says, it's too bad for such a