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RE: (erielack) Thanks For the Information

    I read about this wreck in one of the Taber volumes and it really rang a bell........Many times in train service-especially local freight or switching, you get into a position where you need that 'one more move' before clearing up for a passenger train or fastfreight. It is SO tempting..especially for the switchmen & conductor who are floundering around in deep snow. Many 'bad words' are exchanged with the engine crew and some threats of physical violence. Better yet are threats to 'tell the trainmaster or dispatcher that YOU are delaying the work'. It is at this point that you've really got to ignore the little voice that says,'It'll probably be okay'. That's  probably what happened to the engineer on the freight job who pulled out & 'frogged' the mainline. What a scary sensation as the passenger engine hit and ripped the cylinder off the fireman's side thereby exhausting the live steam into the coach. I wish I had a nickel for everytime a conductor or trainman asked me to pull ahead 'just a few feet more' with the magic words We won't even need to reline the switch'.
THAT, dear friends is the big problem. When the ground crew lined the electrically locked switch for the mainline, that gave the approaching train a clear signal AND if the approaching train got by that signal AND your crew (in the intervening time) pulled up so part of ur engine protruded over the mainline........WELL.  
     As one of the oldhead engineers told a young official who questioned why 'engineers are paid so much'.  "KID, we're paid for the RESPONSIBILITY!!". 
    I've had a few exciting moments on Amtrak when running past a long siding in North Carolina at a lumbermill and seeing the cars appearing to protrude at the other end. The question comes instantly whether to 'bighole' the train or not. Of course at 80 mph, it is usually irrelevant. I truly believe I've been VERY LUCKY. I've had friends who weren't so lucky. I'm thinking of the guys who were running #29 (the westbound Capitol Limited) who had a commuter train get by a signal & hit their engines as they were crossing back from the eastbound to the westbound track at Silver Spring, Md. I've worked that job many times and you have to say "There but for the grace of God go I". 
 
Regards to all,
 
Walter E. Smith / employee # 102156> From: ejredden_@_frontiernet.net> To: erielack@lists.railfan.net> Subject: Re: (erielack) Thanks For the Information > Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 22:41:30 -0500> > Mr. Fleischer said:> > One thing for sure, you sure don't want to be around a lot of people when> you blow down the boiler. It's usually pretty loud and you can really hurt> somebody with it.> > > In August 1943, the DL&W had an accident at Wayland NY, that conclusively> proved these statements. A passenger train sideswiped a standing freight> engine, and a boiler blowdown valve was knocked off. As the passenger train> came to a halt, one of its coaches stopped directly alongside the boiler of> the freight engine, and much of the steam and superheated water was admitted> directly into the coach. 27 were killed, and over 100 injured.> > JR> > > The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List> http://EL-List.railfan.net/> To Unsubscribe: http://Lists.Railfan.net/erielackunsub.html
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