Evening star., 1928-02-28
CHARLIE STEVENS, CRACK TRAIN
PILOT. WILL RETIRE TOMORROW
Veteran Engineer of Con-
qressionaI Limited Leaves
Today on Last Run.
Unusual Record Marks Local
Mans Sd Years With
Pennsylvania.

Charlie" Stevens, veteran engineer
| of the Congressional Limited. will start
| his engine on his final round trip to
| New York from Union Station at AIS
! O'clock. this afternoon. on the dot. 10
end 50 years and months continuous
! service with the PENNSYLVANIA Railroad
/ system.
I He isn't looking forward to retirement
| With any great rejoicing, for at the age
! of 20 years Charles ii. Stevens hand
at the throttle of a speeding locomotive
| is Steadier than many younger cngi-
ncer'S. But he believes E2 has earned
| his rest and the ri-,,i II stretch his
! legs about the garden Of 81 cozy little
! home AT 50 Adams street. where he has
only been able TO sleep between runs
heretofore
A wife. son and seven grandchildren
will be at hand i'll the local yards when
Stevens pulls i'll tomorrow afternoon at
80 O'Clock. on the final leg of his
run. He will hang up the old oil can
and turn over his locomotive to a
younger man. After more than half a
century of railroadlng, Stevens Will re-
turn to civilian clothes for keeps. 1t
is a long record. and he and the Penn
sylvania officials are proud OF 1t.
Followed Fathers Example.
Charlie" Stevens was born 10 be an
engineer. His father put i'll "a years
at rallroadlng. most of them in the
cab of a Pennsylvania locomotive.
Charles railroading began al ten
der age. as q baby OF 3 or 1 years
Once his father wrapped him in an old
blanket and sat him on the fire box
IF his locomotive. Baby hands reach
e t>.,1 vi FrIt iNp
first lure OF the road. For q whole
week he rode the engine with his dad
! ringing the bell as the old-fashioned
locomotive spcedcd past the way sta
tionS between Baltimore and Newark.
Charlie Stevens knew then that
when he grew up to be a man he would
pilot his own engine. Now he can
look back on a work we'll done. on a
record even longer than his dads,
There are two things Of which Stew
ems is reasonably proud. One is that
in all his years at the throttle OF an
engine he has never had a serious ac-
cident or loss Of a passenger, The
other is the honorary badge awarded
him by the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers. bestowed on him November
4. 1927. as a token Of appreciation for
being faithful to the organization for
40 continuous years.
Now that he can lie in bed any morn
ing he chooses, Stevens doesn't kno"
exactly what he is going to do. For
at 70 years he is hale and hearty, with
a sound mind in a sound body. fit for
many more years of active service eX-
cep; for the rigid rules that force re-
tirenert when one has rounded out
threescore years and ten. But I'm glad
for Mrs, Stevens sake-and my own,
49, r. >Yes.1 f,t. c;xnI
Piloted Famous Train.
The smiling face OF Charlie Stevens
as he sat III his engine cab has been
! familiar for years 10 the regular pas
SengerS Of the famous Congressional
Limited. He has piloted the train safe
~ and continuously since 1916. and be-
fore that period over part Of its run for
another eight years.
Once he had the honor of being en-
gineer for President Theodore Roose-
welt, en- route to Washington aboard his
special" and got one Of Rooseyeit's
hearty handshakeS and a slap on the
back as a reward.
He has made fast time in his DAYS
behind an engine, his fastest being 81
miles an hour while passing Magruder
between DeanWood and Landover, on
the old line while testing out an en-
gine for speed.
Only once did Stevens have close
shave with death. That Is one reason
why he believes in railroad man S
| luck
While making up 5 minutes lost
time between Wilmington and Wash
ington some years ago. his trained eyes
caught sight Of runaway" freight
| hurting toward his passenger train
Then the freight engine derailed and
one o! the cars piled up on the track
Stevens locomotive was speeding about
90 miles an hour. Nothing could stop
the crash. His fireman jumped, but
Stevens stuck 10 his post of duty. The
engine ploughed through the freight
/ car, sending the spl!nters Of wood fly
! ing in all directions BY some miracle
/ Of good fortune. the engine seemed 10
/ right itself on the tracks and kept
safely ahead. Stevens slowed 1t down
/ 10 halt and found none of the pas
! sengers was injured. though shaken ,lp
! By the jar. The fireman Was hurt
about the shoulders
Began Career at IA.
/ Stevens "as born In York. Pa. Feb
/ ruary II, 1888. but has slept mostly
/ III Baltimore. until coming here about
| 10 years 3go 10 make his residence.
He began rallroadlng at the age Of
! IL a8 neWsbOy on The Wilmington Il
! Reading. now the Columbia division OF
| the Pennsylvania. between Wilmington
| and Reading. That was III April, 1872
| In October 0f that year he got his first
real charce AZ an engine cleaner, serV-
ing TWO 3carS pprenticeshlp when he
| MAS promoted tD fireman Oh May 20,
| 1876, IN through freight service.
FOu: years later he won place III
the passenger service and on July II,
1893 hc Won bis right 10 bear the title
o' engineer he piIoted ali engine be-
tween President street and BackVieW
Junction. Baltimore. Finally be got ii
regular run IN 1896 between Baltimore