Gilpin observer., 1907-01-24
when NO. 270
Ran AWAY

engineer. THAT was back In the days
of the Jimmy coal cars n handbrakes
Il was runnin' extra at the time,
not havin' been assigned to a regular
engine yet. Hen Morris, an easy 60
in fellow, was the regular man on
the 270, m l always contended that
he was too easy with her. Engines
are just like hosses, you've got to let
'em know who's master.
"One night Hen Morris was taken
sick n l was called to 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, l 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, sutin' the action to the word,
/ dropped her down in the corner N
put it to her for all | was worth.
However she didn't DO any extra
work n Jagged n hung back al! the
way.
WELL | says to myself, when we
get goin' down Pine Hill I'll just keep
the throttle open awhile n make her
go. The, weight of this train behind
us will make her perk up bit
"Accoruin'ly, when we went over
y the pitch at the top of Pine Hill just
left her wide open n KEEP the steam
on full head till we were flyin' down
by Copper's Crossin'. Then l thought
I'd better shut off, as the 270 would
get a pretty lively clip down the hill
now n l had no hankerin' for goin'
down the bank OWN to exceedin' the
speed limit on the grade.
so l showed the throttle in to shut
off the steam. Imagine how l felt
when the 270 KEEP right on exhaustin'
lust as II the speed was all to her
lkin'.
"Somethin' had gone Wrong In her
steampipe somewhere inside n the
valve didn't shut her of. So the 270
had taken the bit in her teeth n was
goin' to see how l liked ridin' fast.
Here was a pretty predicament.
My engine goin' down Pine Hill under
a full head of steam with a heavy
freight train behind her. 1t wouldn't
have been so bad If l had not known
that Ras Cole was only about five
minutes ahead Of me with train Of
4. al jimmies.
Il attempted to put the reverse
lever in the back motion. but the
steam was on such full head that
couldn't bulge the thing. Then | 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 him to shake a
leg or he'd get spifiicated.
In an ALMOST incredible time we
swung around by the Gate station n
what / saw ahead made me wilt like
a fat mans collar on a hot day. Not
more than a quarter of mile ahead
of us was Ras Coles train. Maybe
that little caboose of hts 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 headway. but he wasn't in our
class. l could figure out that we would
just about meet up with his caboose
around the ten degree curve below the
Gate.
..as' train was now goin' at ter
rife speed, too. n 1t was question
whether either train would keep the
rails goin' 'roun' the sharp curve.
could almost reach the tail lights on
that caboose ahead. In second |
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 l
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
, m true.
Il opened NY 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, talin' 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 is 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 It's normal beatin'. as we were