The Garland globe. [volume] (Garland, Utah) 1906-191?, 1907-01-12
when NO. 270
RAN AWAY

OF those class b engines" said the fat
engineer. THAT was back in the day S,
OF the jimmy coal cars N mandrake 3.
II was runnin' extra at the Ilme,
not havin' been assigned to a regulNr
engine yet. Hen Morris. an easy go
in fellow, was the regular man on
the 270, n / always contended that
he was too easy with her. Engines
are just like bosses, you've got to let
EN- know who's master.
"One night Hen Morris was taken
sick n | was called ia take his run
out. n we were hardly started
through the freight yards before she
started up her tactics with me. | Just
talked to her like Dutch uncle.
Now, look here, you old scally.
wag. | says, you're dealin' with no
spring chicken this trip. You just get
down to business or I'll pound the life
out of you
AN, suitin' the action to the word,
I dropped her down in the corner n
put 1t to her for all | was worth.
However, she didn't do any extra
work n Jagged n hung back all the
way.
WELL | says to myself when we
get goin' down Pine Hill I'll just keep
the throttle open awhile n make her
CO. The weight of this train behind
us will make her perk up a bit
Accordingly, when we went over
the pitch at the top of Pine Hill just
left her wide open n KEEP the steam
on full head till we were fiyin' down
by Copper's Crossin'. Then | thought
I'd better shut off, as the 270 would
get pretty lively clip down the hill
now n had no hankerin' for goin'
down the bank OWN to exceedin' the
speed limit on the grade.
80 l showed the throttle In to shut
off the steam. Imagine how l felt
when the 270 KEEP right on exhaustin'
just as II the speed was all to her
likin'.
"Somethin had gone wrong In her
steampipe somewhere inside n the
valve didn't shut her off. So the 270
had taken the bit in her teeth n was
goin' to see how | liked ridin' fast.
Here was a pretty predicament.
My engine goin down Pine Hill under
full head of steam with heavy
freight train behind her. 1t wouldn't
have been so bad II had not known
that Ras Cole was only about five
minutes ahead of me with train Of
coal jimmies.
lever in the back motion, but the
steam was on such full head that
couldn't bulge the thing. Then l gave
the high sign on my whistle several
times to let Ras Cole know / was
comm down the hill out OF control n
1t would be wise for hire to shake a
leg or he'd get spiflicated.
I'm an almost incredible time we
swung around by the Gate station n
what saw ahead made me wilt like
fat mans collar on hot day. Not
more than n quarter of mile ahead
of us was Ras Coles train. Maybe
that little caboose of his didn't look
as big as a summer boardin' house.
"Ras had heard my warnin' whistle
n was doin his best. He was gain
in Roadway, but he wasn't in our
class. | could figure out that we would
just about meet up with his caboose
around the ten degree curve below the
Gate.
"Ras' train was now goin' at a ter
rife speed, too, n II was question
whether either train would keep the
rails goin' 'roun' the sharp curve. |
could almost reach the tail lights on
In l
thought we would be into them n
would be rollin' down the embank.
ment amidst the wreckage OF twisted
iron, coal n miscellaneous freight.
Then came an awful crash n
thought could feel my engine goin'
down the bank. But my engine KEEP
goin' n could tell by the lurchin'
that she was takin' the curve all right
n true.
81 opened my eyes. The red lights
of the caboose had disappeared. In
the ravine below me | could hear
crashin', rollin' sound n see dark
shapes tumblin' down.
Il realized what had happened. The
excessive speed at which the train
ahead had taken the curve caused the
last Is or 20 coal jimmies to jump
the track clean, takin the caboose
with them, just like string of boys
playin' snap and whip. Thus when We
Strengthened out on the curve Ras
train, by losin those 10 cars, had left
that much space between me n death
THE train ahead was movin' at
equal speed with me now n would
probably keep the Is cars distance be-
tween us. Under her full head of
steam my engine was leapin' n
boundin over the rails, n when she
settled back from an extra severe jolt
she stopped exhaustin',
THE terrific jar had shaken the
valve back on its seat again n shut
off the flow of steam, My heart re-
sumed its normal beatin', as We We're
most down the hill now, n | soon had
her under control.
They pulled 270 in the shops after
that run, N she never came ont again
--leastwise unless they changed her