Providence Technical High School - Review Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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TECH RKVIEW 49 CHAPTER THREE In If huh a lire man Becomes an Engineer “Come right in, young man, said the su- perintendent. “You are Allan West, arc you not?” Y'es, sir.” You arc fireman on the (iilt Edge Flyer? “Yes, sir. “How long have ou been on that job? “A little over two years, replied Allan. “Do you know how to run a locomotive? “Mr. Burton has taken a hand at firing nearly every day and then I have held the throttle, said Allan. “Well, the fact is, Burton has broken a leg and is laid up in the hospital. 1 just heard about it a few minutes ago.” “Why, who is going to run the ‘Flyer to- night? asked Allan. “That is just what 1 want to talk to you about, continued Mr. Drew. “I haven’t been able to find a man to run the ‘Flyer to- night as yet. ‘Billy Adams has the grippe. Brown has a broken arm. West, can you run the ‘Flyer’ tonight? Allan was too surprised to answer, but after Mr. Drew repeated the question he managed to say, “Yes, sir, I think I can.” “And so do I. cried the superintendent. “If I hadn’t thought so I wouldn’t have asked you. By the way, the President’s private car is to he on the ‘Flyer’ tonight. There will be five or six big stockholders and the President on hoard and the ‘Flyer has got to live up to her record.” “Who is going to do the firing? inquired Allan. “I have sent ‘Billy’ Jackson down. I think he will be just the right fellow. He has been firing spare. It is 7:09, he said, looking at the clock. “You have thirty-one minutes. I am going down on the ‘special tonight, so I will come up and see you a minute before you leave the station. 1 think you will find every- thing ready when you get back. Good luck to you,” and he grasped Allan by the hand. As Allan left the office it seemed to him that he was walking on air. He, Allan West, a poor fireman who had never even had a switcher of his own. was to drive the (iilt Edge Flyer. But Allan was one of those who go at a thing with all their might, no matter what the task may be. and he had resolved to keep the “Flyer” up to her record. Sure enough, when Allan got back to the engine, Jackson, a fine appearing young fel- low, was already there. Gee, this is a peach of a locomotive, isn’t it? was his greeting. “You bet it is,” replied Allan, proudly. “It’s the best on the division. “M y name is ‘Billy Jackson. What is yours?” “Mine is Allan West. I’m the regular fire- man on here. “And you’re going to run the ‘Flyer’ to- night? “Well, I’m going to try to,” replied Allan. “While 1 was fixing the fire here a few min- utes ago, the Master Mechanic gave me a notice ordering me to report to the Division Superintendent. When I went over, he told me that Burton, the regular engineer, was laid up in the hospital and said that he couldn’t find a man to run the ‘Flyer’ tonight. Then he asked me if I thought I could and I said yes, so here I am.” “Billy” whistled. “Gee. you’re certainly getting along all right! he exclaimed. “Well, we’ve got to couple up now. You keep your fire the way it is now and we’ll get over the road in fine shape. Maybe you don’t know it, but we’re going to haul the Presi- dent’s ‘Special’ with a bunch of ‘big guns’ aboard. I’ll do my best, replied “Billy.” They backed up a few yards and coupled on the eight Pullmans which were used on the ‘Flyer’ regularly. At 7:22 Allan got the green eye” and ran slowly down to the sta- tion. A switching engine set the President’s car on the rear of the “Flyer.” Allan climbed down from the cab, oil-cup in hand, and looked at the train. It was only natural that his heart should thrill with pleas- ure. There stood the proud locomotive. No. 1301, the eight shiny Pullmans, and the President’s “Special with its brass-railed ob- servation platforms. And he was the engineer of this train. What mattered it to him if it was for only one night? Allan went carefully over th? engine, oiling a bearing here, tightening a nut there, trying now this valve and now that. When he had finished his inspection, he looked at his watch and saw that it was 7:34. Six minutes more. He was about to climb back in the cab when he saw Mr. Drew and a young lady hurrying toward him. “Just a minute. Allan.” cried Mr. Drew. “I want to make you acquainted with my daughter, Elsie.”

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48 T E C H R E V I E W when the master mechanic came hurrying over and handed him a sealed envelope. Hastily tearing it open he found a message which read as follows: B. L. E. Railroad. Office of Div. Supt. Eastern Division. Canton, Tenn. 10 28 191—. Report to me AT ONCE. J. C. Drew, Div. Supt. Allan took a last look at his lire to see if it was all right, and then hurried across the yards to the office of the division superinten- dent. Glancing at his watch, he saw that it was 7 :03, and the Gilt Edge was due to leave in thirty-seven minutes. He could think of no reason for being called on “the mat,” so it was a very nervous young man who was hustled into Mr. Drew's private office, after having told one of the clerks in the outer office that his name was Allan West. But his reception by Mr. Drew was entirely different from what he had imagined it would be. CHAPTER TWO Two brave Men Ding! Ding! A big trolley car on the Canton and Silver Falls Suburban Street Railway had stopped at Winston’s Corner to pick up a couple of passengers. Winston’s Corner is two miles from Canton's City Hall Park, and this car, due there at 6:35 P. M., was now eight min- utes late. When the conductor rang the bell to go ahead, motorman Charles Parker opened the controller wide. A sign on the dasher read “Express from Winston's Corner, so there would be no more stops to pick up passengers. Motorman Parker had before him a stretch of track a mile long, a sharp curve, and then the grade down University Hill which is a mile long; he believed he would be able to make up the eight minutes lateness. The first mile was covered in short order, and as the car approached the curve Parker closed the controller and applied the air, but somehow the brakes did not work well and the car swung around the curve and started down the hill much too fast for safety. In a second, almost, the car attained a speed of forty miles an hour. Parker saw that the air had failed, but he did not falter in the time of danger, He decided that the only thing to do was to ring the gong and put on the hand brake. But what effect will a hand brake have on a mass of forty tons moving at the rate of forty miles an hour down a steep grade on slippery rails? As soon as the passengers realised that the car was running away, several attempted to jump off, but the conductor closed the vesti- bule door and kept them inside. Women fainted and pedestrians stared open-mouthed at the rushing car. Half way down the hill conditions remained the same. All would be well if the track could be kept clear. Three- quarters of the distance was covered. Parker began to think that everything was going to end without accident. The hand brake had kept the car from gaining more speed but should anyone get in the way, the result would be fearful to think of. And then, scarcely a hundred yards ahead, Parker saw something that sent a chill to his heart. A little girl, not three years old. toddled on to the track and pointed gleefully at the approaching car. Parker did his best with the brake, but it slowed the car not a bit. The mother, who just then noticed the danger of her darling, screamed and ran to get her. At that instant a man dashed from the sidewalk and lifted the child from the rails. As he did so the front step of the car struck him and threw him to one side. The blow knocked the man unconscious, but the little girl, though badly frightened, was uninjured. The car rushed on but was easily stopped when it reached the level a few rods away. Meantime a citizen had telephoned for the ambulance which arrived quickly and took the injured man to the hospital. There it was found he had broken his leg and been severely bruised. Nothing serious, unless internal in- juries developed. His indentification card gave his name as Thomas Burton and his address as 168 Elm Avenue. The hospital authorities notified his wife at once. She telephoned to the Division Superintendent and told him of her husband’s injury and then went to the hospital. • No blame for the accident was placed on motorman Parker as it had been caused by defective equipment. Canton had reason to lx proud, for had not two of her citizens proved themselves heroes?

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50 TECH REVIEW 1 am pleased to meet Miss Drew,” said Allan. “I was telling her what a chance I was taking by letting a fireman run the Flyer' to- night and what should she do but insist that I let her ride in the cab. I told her that you might object. Will she be in the way, Allan?” ‘‘Not a bit, Allan assured him. “Well, 1 guess Allan will look after you all right, Elsie. 1 must be going back to the President. West, I am depending on you, and then he grasped Allan by the hand again. Good-bye, Elsie, he said, and then he went back to the Special.” Good-bye, father,” she called after him. Allan helped her into the cab and intro- duced her to Jackson. He then brushed off the fireman’s seat, closed the window on the front of the cab, and made her as comfort- able as possible. Allan looked at his watch. It was 7:39. One minute more. He got up on his scat and waited for the signal to start. 7:40. 'l'he conductor swung his lantern. Allan opened the throttle a notch, another, and then another. The Gilt Edge Flyer had commenced her long journey. CHAPTER FOUR The Danger Signal The B. E. E. is a double iron” line. At Indian Head, two miles east of Canton, the C. I). E. joins the B. E. E. and runs into Canton on the latter’s rails. This has made Indian Head the chief despatching headquar- ters of the two roads. It was here that Allan would receive his orders for the long run before him, and, as the “Flyer approached the signal tower, Allan slowed down, while Jackson prepared to catch the orders on the hoop”. As the hoop slipped on his arm Jackson cried, Ix t her go, Allan. I ve got ’em.” Allan opened the throttle wider and wider until the train was fairly flying over the glistening rails. Then, and not until then, did he look at the orders which Jackson had handed to him. l’he orders simply gave the time at which the train was due to arrive and leave the different stations, and told where to take water. On a double iron” line, protected by semaphore block signals, train orders for fast passenger trains are hardly more than a mat- ter of form. Such trains invariably have a clear track during the entire run, and it is only when they run over a torpedo or come upon a red light torch that engineers have to exercise any great caution to prevent acci- dents. In case a freight train gets a hot-box and is stalled in the middle of a block, the red eye of the semaphore at the entrance to the block will show until that train has safely- entered the next block. It prevents any train from entering the block in which the freight is stalled and causing an accident. Sema- phore block signals have reduced the danger of collisions on double tracked roads to a minimum. The orders which he had received were the same as those he had read with Tom Burton for the past two years. The one purpose which they served was that of keeping the train’s schedule fresh in the engineer’s mind. The first stop was Cameron. Cameron is forty-six miles from Canton and the “Flyer” was due there at 8:29. It is a comparatively level road-bed all the way, but there is a very- sharp curve that has to be taken on the slow”. As Jackson proved to be a capable fireman, everything went well and right on the dot of 8:29 the (Jilt Edge Flyer pulled into the Cameron train shed. 'Flic “Flyer” was due to leave at 8:33. In this interval the conductor came up and read Allan’s orders. “Same old thing,” he grunted, as he walked back. Suddenly it occurred to Allan that Miss Drew was riding on the opposite side of the cab. He turned to inquire how she was en- joying the ride just as she exclaimed, This is just glorious, Mr. West!” “That’s what I think,” said Allan. Is this your first ride in a locomotive?” Yes, it is, Mr. West,” she answered. “I’ve always wanted to ride in one, but somehow father has always refused until tonight.” “Please call me Allan. I’m not used to being mistered.” said Allan. I will if you desire it,” she answered simply. Well, here we go again,” said Allan, as the conductor swung his lantern. 'File next stop was Chester, thirty-four miles from Cameron. The “Flyer” was due at Chester at 9:02. At 9:05' the Flyer” would leave Chester for a twenty-eight mile run to Eakeside Junction. Between Cameron and Chester tin road is nearly all up-grade, but with the throttle wide open old 1301 was eating up the miles.