The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-30
Santa Fe Engineers Have a Joke
on Vice President Kendrick.
Made Test Run with 5OO-Class
Engine.
so MILES AN HOUR
kendriek Thought That Fast
Enough aud Set the Air.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
i'm Railroad Circles.

A ''slow order has been issued by
the Santa Fe railroad to the passenger
engineers on the line. The SLOW order"
reads. Passenger engines viii not ex-
coed so miles an hour"
The SLOW order is effective now and
in this connection it is related that the
engineers are enjoying q good joke on
J. W. Kendrick, third vice president of
the Santa Fe system in charge of op-
Grafton, who is the author of the order,
issued from the general managers Of
ice.
The STORY" is one that will no doubt
live for years and years. The engineers
will doubtless be telling the story to
their grandchildren long after a lot of
n others who know the story are
h Santa Fe has been buying a
number of new engines, which are
known after they are placed in service
as the engines of the 500 class. The
company is now operating SO of these
engines. and the road has never yet
peen able to get an absolute test on the
utmost capacity for work or speed of
the engines.
Last Monday Third Vice President
was returning to Topeka from
the west with General Manager H. L.
Nudge Mr.. Kendrick had never had
an opportunity of watching the per
torrance of one Of the new engines,
ana he expressed a desire to ride be-
mind one Of them. So at Dodge City
General Manager Nudge asked the
OFFICIALS there to give them one of the
best they had in the round house and
an engineer who was thoroughly IA
miliar with the line, in order hat they
could make a run which would be in
the nature of a test run.
The Dodge City officials picked out
No 81 and tipped it off to the engineer
to let her out" while the dispatchers
IRIGaE rod tho fan n.d -Z-A 49,
under cover
Mr.. Nudge and Mr.. Kendrick took
seats in Mr.. Hendricks car and pre-
pared to watch the speed indicator dur
ing the trip. The engineer opened up
his throttle and the engine began pick
ing up speed with every succeeding
revolution of the drivers. The big en-
giEe was not long In settling down to
a steady speed of about go miles an
hour with the light train of three spec
ial cars. The engineer was not satisfied
with that speed and he soon had them
going along at a 65 and shortly at a 10
m"iles-an-hour clip. The run all the
way from Dodge City to Hutchinson
was kep up at an average speed of
more than 20 miles IN hour. Getting
out of Hutchinson, the engineer soon
settled down to the neutrality-suspicious.
gait, but he didn't stop at that. He
was not long in working it up to IS
miles per hour. then 80 miles, and more
gradually now he worked it up to "a
and then IS miles an hour.
1t was an interesting period for the
two officials sitting in front of the
speed indicator. But the worst was yet
to come. The engineer had in view a
beautiful straight piece of track, which
is known as one Of the best stretches
in the west with it's heavy rails and
heavy ballast. He was banking on that
portion of the line for his fun. AS he
approached it he let a little more steam
into the cylinders. and the steady gait
of So miles an hour began to quicken.
Soon the indicator recorded Sc miles an
hour; now it was 81, and look! it vas
So; another instant and it recorded SO
miles an FOUR. The point began waver-
ing around 80 next, and to the officials
who sat intently watching the indicator
It began to appear that it was going
to record a still greater speed.
It was a tense moment. General Man