Sharp County record., 1906-10-19
LEARN NEW TRICKS
ENGINEERS TAUGHT HOW TO
GUIDE ELECTRIC CARS.
Men on One Great System Being
Broken In for the Change to Come
Work Neither Hard Nor
Unconqenial.

The metamOrphOSlS OF the fdllTodu
engineers of the New York Central
aas begun, says the New York Globe.
# is here with the electrificatiOn of
he system, and it will continue stead
| .ly. The school is without text books,
and lacks all of the frills and furbe-
lows so dear to the modern educator
heart. The men were taken in batches
Of six and sent right over the ROAD
n the new double ended electric en-
zine that can draw more and draw
t faster than any steam engine that
ever was built.
The process of change from engi-
neer to motOrman is not so long as
)ne might casually suppose. In the
irst place, the engineer does not need
to be taught anything about signals
and general rules of the great iron
highway. He has learned all that.
The engineer who, being far-sighted
and anxious to keep abreast of the
improvements in the service, decides
that he wants to be motOrman, ap-
plies to the chief engineer through the
superintendent of his division, and he
is given preference over all other
applicants.
The application of the engineer be-
ing favorably passed, he is ordered to
report to the professor of electrical
engines" at Kingsbridge. If you were
to ask for him under this title, you
wouldn't find him, because he has
no actual denomination. The engineer,
1875 of him, went to Kingsbridge one
day and waited around eXpectantly
Every one was dressed in ordinary
garb, as the electric engine is not so
oily and grimy proposition as his
former pet the steam locomotive.
The first class of six pupils climbed
up the iron ladder in much the same
way that a passenger boards steam
ship from a rowboat. The sensation
is about the same, except that there
IS no chance to drop into the water.
Inside he found himself in compart-
ment about the size, perhaps a trit1e
larger, than the average fiat. The
main compartment is as big as bed,
room.
There are oilcloth covered seats
in two of its four corners. Beside the
seats are the controller and the
brake. Up above is the whistle cord
and bell rope. The whistle is produc'
tive of a sound that is cross be-
tween the foot of self-respecting au'
tomobile and the din of fog horn
gone amuck. The sound is deep, per
vadng, and audible for perhaps two
miles and half if the wind is right.
First of all the novitiate is taken over
the motors, the condensers, and other
sections of the complete mechanism.
The explanation of these parts is
only superficial, and by the way OF
introduction.
Then the professor and that's
lust what the new men began to call
him within an hour after the start OF
lUS CLASS, SldSpo IiC SohIloliSi "hN
brings ii back a notch. The notch
is one of a series of teeth, like things
that have to be touched in turn, as
the lever is brought backward to in.
crease the speed. If this is not OBJ
served, to drop into the vernacular
of the professor, things burn inside.
The big engine, noiseless, as though
its wheels were shod with felt be
gins to slip slowly over the track.
Then more notches are let out, and
the speed increases until it fairly
bounds over the rails. This continues
for two hours and return. On the
return the motorman does not send
his engine to the turntable, as he
did in his steam days He merely
changes his seat to the other side Of
the compartment, for the electric en-.
CINE is double ended and runs just
as well one way as another.
After two or three of these trips
the pupil is permitted to take a turn
at the starting and stopping. Then
the minute explanation of the intri-
cacies begins. This same process
is gone through with on succeeding
days until every part and its use is
thoroughly familiar to him.