The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-04-14

We're attending to their own business
He was not driving his machine by will
power, but machine like, yet with his
brain and senses so constantly on the
lookout that they would react like
clock-work to any sign meant for
them. And there were many he him.
I self forgot to mention. Thus, while we
were talking, when he was interested,
he let her off Il little. and l asked, as
if by the way, whether We were on
time. Three quarters of Il minute
ahead" he said; but he had already
acted before put his mind on it. Just
as i'll any other art. it isn't industry.
but inspiration, that counts.
AS l climbed back on my seat and
took the rush Of air and the roar of
sounds, looked across at the man who
| was doing it and thought how little Of
it was his dolng-how much was his
parents. File was simply a well-madc
human being. perfectly adjusted to his
craft-a part Of his locomotive. He
and the machine together were like Il
great mum IL serene soul possessing
Il powerful body. and directing forces
out of all proportion 10 his effort. Celt
of The Colts:
When we stopped in the station. our
pilot three feet from the buffer the
recalled what this man had said the
| first day met Linn, when l asked what
was the art, the trick of running an
engine.
You've got so many miles To so in
so many minutes. There ;ire so many
, SLOW downs. sulc--so many clear
strcaks OF track. You know your en-
CINE and your track: you know jus,
what you can do-wllcrc. when and
your train up to Il certain point. IL
you use too much speed here, she'll
run down on you later, so you keep
her balanced Oh Il fine edge till you're
near home. then you can draw her down
all you want"
THAT'S the thing you feel, them"
Exactly; and that's the fun of the
job. It's easy when YOU do it by feel
ing, and 81 pleasure
Any danger?"
Never think of it. There isn't any
not so much as there is walking along
fremont street
But some engineers say there is"
r "'rhcy'vc los; their nerve"
whats that"
That's what I don't know"
The next day is the off day for those
two engineers They sit around, sleep,
walk idly about. read a little. They
don't talk much, but they like to listen
to stories. They are types OF many
, scores Of Irish American engineers TO
he found in tie employ of the great
railroads. On the Fitchburg division
of the Boston & Maine there are two
Dohcrtys, three O'Neils and five Kel-
/, lvs.
! The men who actually run the flyers
| reach this cnVi;,ble distinction by the
process of seniority. The Oldest crews
have the pick of the trains. ana for
the best trains these crews draw lots.
The faster Il train the more desirable it
! is from the viewpoint of the crew. \
train that gets over Il division in two
gives the crew taking it out IL decided
| advantage in the lay over. Then. too.
Il flyer, aus n matter of course, makes
the fcwcst possible number of stops
| "omhatible wiki good rairu.dng. and
the fewer the stops the less the strain
of responsibility and work demanded
of the crew.
The seniority method is humanity GER
tain of insurin:, the best crews to the
fastest trains. 1t takes years for an
| engineer to crawl up among the seniors,
he having first to prove his fitness as
| brakeman, fireman, engineer on Il
switch engine, later on various kinds of
freight trains then on accommodations
and so ON. So with the conductor,
starting as the mennest of freight
| brakenlen: and with the trainmen un-
der him.
| Thoug, the ileetncss of the train
| lessons II crews responsibility in some
| respects, the strain is by no means
light, and especially in the case OF the
engineer. AS II result. after he has
taken out his train. had his lny-nvcr at
the other end of the, division. there
hooked on to and taken back the flyer
bound in the opposite direction, he lays
off the next ,iav for the good Of his
| nerves
/ The men WHO run the flyers have
seen all the way from thirty to fifty
years of service With their respective
rotlds. Eoth b. reason of their long
experience and the rigid tests they have
| had to meet time after time, they arc
the Very best r.c,i to ba obtained any
where for the Work in nand. .\fte,
they have risen 10 flyer runs. they arc
still subjected Mt stated intervals tc
sight and color tests, among others, and
to keep their high posts they must pass
all tests with tying colors The story