Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-15
THE sPEED MANIA.

unQer tne Act OF Congress OF March 0,
THE SPEED MANIA.
while we are anxious, of course,
to have all trains run as nearly as
possible on time, still this further
thought should be kept in mind, that
FIRST CONSIDERATION SHOULD
AT ALL TIMES BE GIVEN TO THE
SAFETY AND COMFORT OF PAS
SENGERS. THE ENGINEER WHO
CAN MAKE THE REQUIRED TIME
AND AT THE LOWEST MAXIMUM
OF SPEED, is THE MAN WHO Elk
GELS AS A RUNNER"
This is a portion of the general Or
der issued by Daniel Willard, second
vice president of the Burlington to the
engineers of that road, an order that
was called forth by the appalling
wrecks of the last few weeks. 1t is
a proof that the Burlington will do
what lies in its power to minimize the
fatalities on that line.
The Burlington management would
rather have it's engineers use caution
even if they are to be blamed by their
fellows for having lack of nerve. The
management is willing that the en-
gineers of other roads may boast of
terrific speed and hair breadth escapes
but it is not willing that it's engineers
fall victim to the speed mania, one
of the factors in the hideous death
record of American railways Mr..
Willard in his order direct to the en-
gineers said:
After the train Is started the en-
gineer should know how fast it Is
necessary to run in order to make
the required time, and he should en-
deavor to attain that speed as soon
as possible and proper, and then run
his train at uniform speed (condi-
lions permitting) until it is time to
begin reducing speed in order to make
the proper stop.
The practice of favoring the engine
up grades, to the extent of losing time,
and regaining time so lost by running
train at high speed on descending
grades, is wrong and is the cause of
frequent criticism by passengers.
The rule given for starting a train
should also be observed when stop
ping it-that is to say, perfect stop
would be one so made that the pas
senger should not know by feeling
that the train has stopped, but he
] should discover the fact rather by
sight as he looks out of the window.
This would, of course, be perfect
stop, and while it is not always posi-
BILE to make perfect stop, it is pos
sible to do so very large percentage
of the time and it should be the aim
OF engineers to make the best stop
possible at all times.
Another feature of great impor.
CHI no rant cfo ~,
mind by the engineer handling a pas
senger train and that is this: While
we are anxious, of course, to have all
trains run as nearly as possible on
time, still this further thought should
ton should at all times be given to
the safety and comfort of passen-
gers.
There is hardly any piece of main
track on the Burlington line that will
not ride smoothly at some certain
rate of speed, and it may probably
also be said that there is hardly any
piece Of track on the Burlington or
any other railroad which would not
ride improperly-if run over at too high
q rate of speed. Engineers who are
constantly running over the same
piece Of road soon learn it's character.
istics and they should regulate the
speed to suit the conditions.
The engineer who can make the
required time and at the lowest maxi
mum rate of speed, is the man who
excels as a runner, and tie accom-
plish this it is necessary to get the
train quickly in motion after stops
maintain speed to reach the next stop
at the proper time, and do all that
rests with him to do to reduce delay
at stations to the lowest possible limit
While, as above stated, it is desired
that trains be run at a uniform speed
SO far as practicable, it is of course
/ understood that there are times and
places where speed should properly be
reduced. For instance, during and af
! ter severe storms and in foggy wealth
er, speed should properly be reduced
in places; and there are curves on
some divisions around which a train
would ride more smoothly if a slight
application of the brakes were made
There are also obscure places which
ought to be approached at reduced
speed.
The engineer should understand just
what ought to be done with reference
to such cases as those above men
toned, keeping in mind all the time
the fact that safety Of operation is the
thing first desired and above all 9th
ers; next the comfort of the passenger
and next in order, but always subordin
ate-runctuality.
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