Evening star., 1926-11-14

Dul nG was ready eAaCIlE ~ ScC
onds later when j. r. Donohue, con
ductor and master of all things on
the hind end" pulled down twice on
the bell rope that runs through the
cars and the little whistle in the cab
responded with pair of toots.
Clear" yelled Bush.
Clear" echoed his fireman, II. l..
Phelps. pulling open the fire-boX door
and carelessly throwing in about 81
worth Of coal
Bush eased back on his throttle.
no. 3749, the big. black passenger
locomotive that pulls the Congress
honal, stopped painting and snorting
like O drowsy horse that's been tickled
IN the flank with a spur Bush pulled
back his throttle another notch or so
and No. 3749 spouted steam like a
geyser and nervously spun her driv-
ing wheels around on the. slippery
rails.
Bush showed his throttle in and cut
off steam, then drew it gradually out
again. No. 3749 seemed to catch the
idea. The wheels bit into the track.
1er Snorts gave way to slow, earnest
puffs. and she moved smoothly out of
Washington Terminal, dragging her
long line Of high-hat coaches behind
her. Some unseen hand guided her
through the maze of switches and set
tried first one, then another. weaving
in and out of the yards like Il big
snake
Bush turned his reverse wheel
around two or three revolutions and
set It. He fixes the stroke Of the DOW
srful pistons that way, not unlike the
driver of some puny automobile set
ting his spark. Leaning out of his
cab, he caught the semaphore that
n n I'M Hn
short block.
Clear he yelled
Clear echoed Phelps. throwing
open the fire box again ana adding to
the operating expenses Of the Penn
Sylvania Railroad with another 81
worth Of coal.
No. 3T49 Is an aristocratic lady of
the rails, but she's a hog for coal.
She can't seem to get enough. Phelps
feeds seven or eight tons into her red
mouth between Washington and New
York, and she runs III" distance in
five hours fiat. That's fast eating
There's a slight upgrade out of the
Yards above the Sh"o- of the Wash
!ngton Terminal. but now that No.
314S had got h"r load in motion. she
quit stalling and fruitloss spinning of
her wheels and went 10 work in ear
nest. Bush watched her ike a Jealous
under way, turning a valve here
pushing lever there. caressing her
lovingly until she got the hang Of
Things and went To work. Phelps
wiped his brow on his sleeve. opened
the fire box ana fed her co9i. Be
tween his !unges AT the coal riIa and
the fire box he never spilled a ump.
resolved to try his system va / the
furnace. BraCing his feet firmly on
N n iF1cy NI..ff :
nc digs his shovel into the coal and
brings II around easily without chang
ing his stance, throwing the load far
and accurately into the fiery bowels
Of No. 3749.
NO. 3749 Kisses with pleasure She
sends clouds of white, damp
steam back into the cab AS her
wheels clank over the joints in the
rails, she lurChes crazily. finally top
ping the grade out of the yards go
Ing good clip, and making an awful
racket, She moves swiftly down
grade toward a sharp curve The OBJ
server In the cab, holding on for dear
life TO a narrow window sill, fairly RI
dates pleasure a. he recognizes the
purpose Of Bush in reaching .for hts
.tr brake ana applying the pressure
hat slows. down the train.
Phelps stops SEUVeiiinG a minute t
come over and explain. Testing hi
brakes he screams, for 0nt mus
..UnverSe in screams II one would b
heard ahov" the rattIa and the bang
and the hiss and the roar Of No. 3749
It's n rule" Srreamlngly explains
Phelps. Every train leaving the
terminal must test its air before the
run gets under way. We know ou
brakes. are Q. X. because we lacked
the train down into the station. But
its a rule.
"One time a fellow forgot To test
his air. When he did throw on the
brakes he found he didn't have any.
Ills hose connections had been coupled
wrong. He managed to stop all right.
Eut IL might have been serious. You
always oughter be able to stop youI
'rain.'
This, the observer agreed, is sound
rRjlrnadinG
Bush evidently was satisfied with
the test. So was No. 3749.
Clear" yelled Bush.
Clear" echoed Phelps, adding tC
the cost of operating the Pennsylvania
railroad.
Rattle, bang. bang bang. bang, sang
30. 3149 her nose now pointed down
The main line. released from Bush
restraining air brake, and ready to go.
She went.
Up In the cab one gets the senSa
tion OF undulterated speed and powsr
with all the noisy accomplishments OF
the manufacture of high speed. No
3749 lunges forward, her drivers max
ing a terrific CIatter, steam kissing
hi iY,I. \
sends more water into the boilers for
Phelps fire to boil. The big locomo
tive shivers throughout her frame of
steel rs she gathers speed. The track
Cp front ruSheS toward her. Cross-ties
and roadbed merging in gray. liquid
anass that SurgeS forward in a torrent
Back in the long line OF swaying
p&rlor cars, the passengers settle
themselves comfortably in easy chairs
and stare out on the panoramic land
scape Of Fall. Protected from dust
steam. smoke, flying coal and the
Swtshing rush of air, they might as
we'll be at home in their front parlors
Up in the cab it's another story
There's action here. The force of the
wind cuts your face, II YOU lean far
out TO look at the flashing rails ahead
Bush sits at his throttle, motionless
except for the lurch of his body as
the engine he rides lurches, eyes fast
ened somewhere ahead to catch the
next signal. Phelps keeps an eye or
the big steam gauge over his head
The hand OF the gauge has a way OF
wanting TO slip back under the ''200'
mark. But Phelps must keep II hoy
ering just around 200. II takes Goa
and elbow grease To do this, and Il
must not be overdone. At 2a5 the
safety valve pops and No. 374s looses
good steam. Below 200 the pressure
goes down. and Phelps will get a dirty