The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-09-15
RAILWAY WRECKS
Quick Rescue Work the Rule
When a SmaShup Occurs.
SAVE LIFE" IS FIRST ORDER.

To Accomplish This Every Effort Is
Strained. and When That Work Is
Done "Clear tho TracI<s,' Regardless
of Property Loss, Is the Next Task.
Maryelousiy efficient is the system
of wrccl,ing machinery in use in these
days for quick work when n smash
rp occurs on one Of the great rail-
roads. Some Of the latest inventions
and appliances for clearing tracks aft,
or a wreck are described in the Popu-
lar Science Monthly The magazine
says
"GrccIing trains are located on
every division Of important railroads, /
standing idle in Tie yards waiting for |
calamity ~ crane car, with sufficient
| power TO lift a freight car as n child |
lifts toy; supply car, contalnine
ropes, cables, chains, jacks, crowlus
tools, lanterns, fire apparatus. dyna-
mite rails, tics; cab9cse for the
vrccklng crew
"Wheu the word comes over the wire
that the express ahd the fast fIcighr
hive tried to see which could butt Tie
other Off tue track the wrccl,ine crew
assemblies in hurry They are pick
cd men these miuutemen of Tie rails
each with his speciality Mechanics,
tmclmen, men skilled in explosives,
strong men, slender men, at least one
small hut muscular man. they come
from roundhouse and shop. freight
yards and Office at the supreme call.
The wreckiug boss takes command, the
best engine available backs down, and
with clear track the wreckng train
gets to the disaster, often ahead of the
special containing doctors and nurses.
There is only one order to be oheyed
when the wrcckng crew gets into ac-
tion-'sQvc life But once the victims
are cytricatel-and they are taken out
in remarkably short timc-the order
changes 1t IT not, as might be expect
ed, save property 1t IS clear the line
1t makes no difference that five jun
hcd freight ears contain expensive
automobiles, or pianos, or monographs,
or fluit, which might be saved by care
full work If the contents cannot be
saved IN less than an hour there Is
only one thing to do. The big steam
, crane IS backed down to the mess;
long, tcntacle-like hook descends, chains
ana ropes are brought into play. and
slowly. surely. almost daintily, the
Z, crane swings the wrecked freight car
and it's contents to ono side.
, Sometimes the easiest way to clear
thellinds * 90 burn the wreck or blow
it uptaTragks can be quickly rclaid if
/ damaged. but nothing can replace lost
y time. The price of the cargo Of auto.
mobiles Is nothing against a five hour
!, delay, FOR the price Of delay mounts
in stunning geomculcal progression.
\ few hundred dollars for the FIRST
hour, it may be many thousands OF dol
lars in the second or third hour. A
stoppagc Of the lines may mean q stop.
:, page of the whole railway system. with
= hundreds Of thousands Of dollars
4. worth Of freight tied up, confusion,
- loss. waste
n "And wen he knows his work-th
4. crane for tins ear, the jacks for that.
N This engine looks like q scrap, hut
v. probably will run; put her on thr other
20 track. That engine looks all right but
A is vitally wounded: throw her on This
r. ear Is too incXtriW5ly tangled with
@. another IN loving embrace to take 10
it pieces, part by part; burn It up and
N throw the trucks 10 one sllc. The
~ small man, Il necessary factor. cruwls
ne into and out of holes too small for his
III stronger mates, attaching chains aad
ls ropes, reporting conditions. doing work
of as valuable MS that OF the llerculc,
who with q crowhar hcaves up n tan
ot gle of wheels that a Jack may be slip
%. pod into position.
ge "The doctors and the nurses and Tho
ye relief train have come and gone. nowr
or the lire stands an impatient express
nj behind It Il long freight. In the Other
he direction local Is filed with fumiu.
Sc commuters, and perhaps the president
is special Is close behind. M along IN,
lr' division and soon to spread through
SIS The whole system is delay. stale,
az trains. trains waiting orders, tram
NJ costing the company thousands of dol
lars minute.
over the tangled debris one maj
stands supreme, swapping his order
like the crack Of whip. utterly m
mindful OF the property he destroy
that other property may move An,
as II 10y magic the lines clear Tn
last OF the bent aud broken ears ar
turned ON their sides and alidc dow
the bank. The llmpng engine goes oI
en- behind switching engine sent for "a
purpose. II the delay looks long,
nd temporary sldelrack has been swift
ely built aud the several waiting train
ca pun slowly by. The wrWking trail
al whistles. It's crow. driving the las
spike to make the track Secure. pu
out jimmy pipes. The hig crane fold
S-J ils single arm and rests. Thcmcn phi
into their caboosc. The wreck Is III
n the lines time, ilrtynyc minutes. m
= wreckng train has finished It's work.
Ton
A straightforward Answcr