Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-10-08
A RAILROAD
EXPERIENCE
BY cY w ARM N
Copyright. by J. B. Lippincott Co..


Dick Haynes introduced me to Far
ley. Jack said he, this is my
friend; be good to him, and God will
be good to YOU
Farley turned kindly, sunny face
! upon me, and made me welcome to
the town. Haynes had q main line
| passenger run. Farley was running
freight over the hill where road had
just been opened. Farley was fairly
drunk. In those days the company
had to do the best 1t could to get
freight over the road. Presently the
caller came into the hotel and Jack
| signed the call-book, where he was
put down for second 81, which was to
leave at $40. 1t was then $780,
''Will he be sober in so minutes?" I
asked, when Jack had steamed into
the dining room to have supper.
NO." said Dick; "he won't be plum
sober in so years, but he'll go out and
come in on time"
Can he run a train with load like
that?"
We'll, he can take the train orders
to the engineer. SCOTS ahead of him
an Scoville's behind him-they'll
check, and register him at the juno
ton points, and the engineers will get
over the division"
After supper my friend and I stood
watching the men make up the trains.
The first section had pulled out, and
the second section stood waiting or
ders at the station. Presently Farley
came from the telegraph office with
the orders, handed two copies to the
head brakeman to take over to the
two engineers in front, passed a copy
to the driver of the pusher, to which
the caboose was coupled, and said
cheerily, "All right; let FER go!" Turn
ing, ne saw me, and asked impulsively
II | would like to take ride over the
mountain. thought the man was iok-
ing, but as the train moved Off HAYNES
pushed me towards the caboose, say
ing, Sure, get on" and before | could
realize what it all meant was stand
ing on the rear platform of the way
car
When Farley had fooled with his
Way-bills for few moments lit was
all through freight) he called me into
the cupola. When the big engine be-
gan to climb the hill began to realize
That this was to be an interesting trip.
ana as We climbed, and darkness set
tied over the world, l could see the
electric lights of the little mountain
town sinking slowly in the narrow
valley as we mounted to the clouds
There were three sections of 81
that night, with three engines each. It
was glorious summer night, star-lit
and still, and now the engineers began
playing tunes with their. whistles. a
thing that the driver of a passenger
engine would not think of doing. AS
we rounded the countless curves the
headlight of the following section
shone full upon the flushed fiorid face
OF Farley as he lounged, bare-headed.
IN the open window, as happy and ap-
parently guileless as town boy on a
load of hay.
Presently Farley began to talk. and
as we climbed the hill he told me the |
widest, strangest stories of runaways. |
wrecks and ghost trains that I had !
ever heard. Subsequently I learned |
from Haynes that these were only TO- |
mances OF the rail, for Jack Farley. in |
addition to being a great drunkard.
was one OF the most resourceful, cheer
ful and entertaining liars that it has
been my good fortune to fall in with. |
AT the top Of the hill, while the con-
ductors were getting orders, the fire.
men putting out their signal lights.
and the engineers oiling round, I came |
from the little caboose to have a lool,
ABOUT. Now the flare of the torches
Of the enginemen and air inspectors.
the green and white lights. and the
glare OF the headlights, the smoke in
The snow-shed, the burr of running
nJectors, the blowers and pops" and
The changing of bells as the pushers
were switched round to the front so
oeW1ldered me that l lost my place. I
asked an engineer whese Farleys ca
ooose was, and he pointed into the
darkness and yelled - something
Presently saw Jack standing in the
blaze of headlight wearing a little
chip of straw hat, no coat, and per-
'piring like prize-fghter, while I
stood shivering in fall overcoat.
A few moments later we had tipped
'ver the crest of the continent and
we're falling down the hill. We were
line sections now-six light engines
md three with trains-and to see
hese black, wild horses of the hills
'lunge with shrek into dark shed. |
'nly to burst out at the other end as a
'rojectile leaps from the mouth of a
was an event in the life of a
lovice
There were six engines running
lght, the driver of each being his own
onductor now, looking out for him
elf; then came the three engines with
rains, each man holding Is loads
own the mountain with little lever
bout as big and not much longer than
mans finger. At intervals along the
ops of the three trains sat IL brake
len punched like owls, ready to grab
he brake-wheels if the air should give
ut, and in each of the cupolas sat the
aptain OF the crew overlooking all.
'nly in my caboose sat alone,
AS we tipped over the hill Farley
brew himself upon locker and fell
sleep. Presently he sat up, took off
is boots, and lay down again. The
ngines, going down the hill, made
cry little noise. / heard a creaking.
luealing sound occasionally, as the
heels of the loaded cars ground on
ne curves, the loud breathing of the
lr-pump on the engine over ahead,
Id Farley snoring on the locker be-
W. Suddenly Jack leaped from his
'uch and yelled: Look out there!
ok Quit"