Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1907-07-11

4 W
| fry steak while en- route.
Such is the usual makeup of the
wreck special" as the railroadel
terms it. When called into service, q
big driver engine backe down to it and
couples on. There is no need of any
speed OF ders. Those are understood
in advance. On the straight track
the man in the cab opens his throttle
to the last notch. and the telegraph
poles at the side of the line fit by so
fast that they seem only dozen feet
apart. Only on, the shorter curves
and on the down grades and bridges
is the throttle again moved and the
air put on until the heap of ruins,
from which too often arise flames and
smoke, come into view.
The first thing to find out is if any.
thing human is underneath. Wheth-
er dead or alive il must come out, and
the gang needs no urging at the task,
even if they hear no moan or cry to
hasten their rescue. Then the next
| Job is to clear the tracks. Holding
up trains for even FIVE or six hours
means big loss to the company, and
they don t stop to save anything that
takes too long. When car has been
derailed it is Of course an easy mat
ter to replace 1t /; then it is run to the
nearest siding. Beams, wheels and
rods, perhaps entire cars, are thrown
down embankments if necessary to
open the right of way. But it is the
unexpected that happens in raildroad
accidents.
! A locomotive may turn bottom up
on the track, with the driving wheels
in the air. Then it must be turned
over and pulled to one side of the
railroad until there is time between
the passing trains to right it-if it
can be righted. Cars may be swung
directly across the track lying, on
their sides or ends, possibly ground
into mere mass of splintered timbers
or literally. reduced to kindling wood,
their contents scattered a hundred
yards about.
The wrecker who has bsen in the
business for any length of time eau
tell in a moment the most difficult
task before him and, if possible, goes at
that first. II a loaded freight car
prevents him from reaching the part
ly demolished engine, he sets it a6re.
One of the greatest delays, however, is
caused by the track being torn up,
for new ties have to be put in posi-
tion and perhaps dozen rails weigh
ing ton apiece cut and Strengthened
in order to form a foundation on
which to move.
Everything goes with a rush from
the first news of the accident. Once
the wreckers get busy there is no
stopping for rest or refreshment, al
though man may have to work all
night or all day. With the broken
and twisted mass of steel and wood
piled on one side of the roadbed, how /.
ever, there comes breathing spell
and the superintendent or other off.
Gals look over the debris to see what
is worth saving. Going from pile to
pile, they soon decide what to pull
out and block up, and then the wreck
ers get to work on this. If there is
an engine, it is generally secured first.
Perhaps it was imbedded in two or
three feet of mud or ten or twelve
feet down an embankment. Here the
little men come in handy. Worm
ing themselves under the boiler, they
scrape holes beneath, so that the steel
tendons of the crane can be passed
round it.
Now the crane goes into action.
If the embankmsnt is sloping the
usual plan is to drag the locomotive
along, allowing the earth and ballast
to assist in supporting it until the top
is reached. But there are place,
where it has to be lifted clear off the
ground, then swung over on the
track.
Machinery has done much to aid
the breakdown gang in recent years.
But away back in the early days Of
the way of steel they we're called
to many disaster, for then, as now,
trains sometimes buttsd 6ercelY into
each other on the same track. To
clear the road the locomotive of the
wreck train could sometimes be press
ed into service, but many derailed
car or engine was pulled back on the
rails merely by human muscle. Here
again the sailor man came in very
handy, as he knew SO well how to