The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-05-26

FOR ROAD men
AIR BRAKE CLASSES TO be CON-
TlNuED AT Y. M. G. A.
N. P. INSPECTOR HERE
M. e. Draper, Who Is IN Charge Of In
atruction Car Will Speak This AZ
ternoon at ". M. c. A.-Method Of
Securing Efficient Employees.

AS a result of the visit to this city
Of the Northern Pacific instruction
car In charge Of M. e. Draper, gen
eral air brake instructor Of the rail-
road company, it is probable that
classes In mechanics and air brake in
s%truction will be conducted at the
local Y. M. G. A. for the benefit of
the railroad men making their head
quarters in Billings and all others in.
%terested.
The officers Of the Y. M. G. A. have
set aside a room for these classes
and this will be fitted up with charts
and other equipment to be used in
the work. Mr.. Draper will deliver an
address in the assembly hall of the
building at 2:3O this afternoon, out
lining the work Of instruction followed
by the Northern Pacific. 1t is proba-
BILE that after his departure and the
classes are organized, the travelling
engineer and road men making their
headquarters in this city will act as
instructors. Every employee Of the
company is furnished with an in
struction book which is in itself a
good instructor.
Educational Campaign.
Although thousands of people daily
entrust the safety of life and limb to
the dirt and grease covered men clad
in overalls, in the operaoting depart
mens Of the various railroads Of the
country, few realize the knowledge
and scientific training that is re-
quired Of these men. A visit to the
Northern Pacific instruction car,
which has been in the local yards for
several days past, not only shows the
educational campaign the railroad
company is conducting to provide for
the safety and convenience Of it's pa
irons, but cannot fail to impress the
visitor with the fact that engine and
trainmen are required to possess a
practical knowledge of mechanics
and some branches of physics such as
few graduates of technical schools
are equipped with.
Men Of Long Experience.
Mr.. Draper and his assistant, Mr..
Purcell, are not only railroad men of
long experience but are thoroughly
versed in every branch Of operation
and maintenance of train service. Be
sides this knowledge, the faculty Of
imparting it to others in as clear and
concise form as possible Is required
of them.
MI. Draper has been with the
Northern Pacific for the past quarter
Of a century. He vas engineer OF
one of the Golden Spike excursion
trains and during the greater part OF
the last rs years has worked on the
mountainous divisions Of the road,
His home is in Missoula but he
makes his headquarters in st. Paul.
Method Of Instruction.
Mr.. Purcell has been with the
Northern Pacific since 1889 and Is
lalso an engineer. He has worked the
Igreater part Of this time on the Min.
nesota division and makes his home
at Grand Forks.
The method used by the railroad
company in fitting their employees fo1
the vast responsibility placed upon
them is interesting. All employees OF
the train service including enginemen
are required to pass rigid examina,
lions on operation of air brakes and
mechanics showing that they thor
oughly understand construction
maintenance and operation. These
examinations are given at intervals
to every employe connected with the
train service, as the air brake system
and the working parts Of an engine
are being constantly improved.
Three Examinations.
A new employee is required to take
an examination each year for three
years before he is promoted. Thus u
may be seen that the men who fill thu
responsible position of locomotive en-
gineer must be thoroughly versed IL
matters pertaining to their vocation
in order to properly and economical.
discharge their duties.
The instruction car in charge o
Mr.. Draper is equipped with sectiona
models of the air brake equipmen
used on freight and passenger train
and Of working models representing
q 1N-car passenger train with trail
air signal apparatus together witt
equipment representing a 50-ca
freight train.
Full Sets Of Charts.
In addition to this equipment til
air brake company has furnished tn
car with full sets of charts ~illustrat
ing air brake equipment. Simila
charts will be used in %instructing tn
classes at the Y. NJ. G. A.
The car has been equipped by tn
railroad company at great expens
and, is one Of the most up to dat
ones on the road. The latest i'm
proved models Of working parts of al
classes and types of engines are cor
tanned in the car for use by the II
structors in giving instruction t
road men and giving oral tests 4