ARE THEY HUMAN?

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 103, 4 May 1933, Page 19

ARE THEY HUMAN?

FEELINGS OF THE "LOCO"

A CHOICE OF RESIDENCE

On the dusty highway, it is a good "selling point" for arouse to emptiasise distance back, from the roadline^no dust/110 motor horn, no agonising spectacle* provided by Mrs.. Sonicbody's pet dog versus the speed-king. But there is at least on© man who wants to live as near-as he can to the road's rival, th© railway. For he loves locomotives. He says they havo personality. They havo also a language of their own. "I was born in a locality overlooking the Wellington yards of the Mauawatu Railway Company, and I have not yet outgrown my boyhood habit of waiting to sec an engine pass. In later years I lived on the Main Trunk line, and my fTont garden ran down to the boundary of the railway. Tho lino climbed a fairly Btiff bank passing the house, but the shaking of an 'Ab' or the fussing of a 'Ww' was never ,a worry; indeed, I shall always consider houses which overlook tho ■'line' as ideal." Having confided no much to Ihf) '"New Zealand Railways Magazine" this 'locophile proceeds: "How superior a 'loco.can be! A. train of empty wagons clatters by. Irresponsible and noisy, the wagons bounce along, .b.iit the 'loco.' is on duty; and —looking only . .ahead—ignores, her foolish charges. How patient she can be! .A wet night, and. the -evening 'goods' makes her way up tho grade. Slowly she climbs until, as though exasperated by the drag of her train, her drivers spin and her exhaust simply shatter-? with its noise. Then 'she pulls herself together, and the Tattle through the train as she takes the weight conveys tho impression that she has given herself a good shake. And when she reaches the top she gives a sigh of satlisfaction? I think so." Again, "perhaps you have never listened to a double-headed train. Leading is a 'Ww,' and an 'Ab' tolerantly follows. Tho little 'tank,' puffed up- with her appointment as leader, tackles her task fussily, and simply 'tears in.' Behind her tho 'Ab' follows, fairly quietly, seeming to urge her mate to keep cool. Of a midden the 'Ww' erupts white steam from tho drain edeks of her cylinders, and appears to; be in a vicious mooc!, something .like a terrier with bared fangs. But' the 'Ab' buckles in, and if she doesn't do all tho, work she appears to. "Thcro is a pfacc where the lino comes across country to morftlip rood, and turning uliarjily runs i>nnilM with it. Tho 'locos' do not like this, turn, and when they strike it Ihey tiro like liigh-spiritrcl horse* fighting against tho bit. Momentarily they appear to be going to ignore the behest of tho. rails, but they always obey and bwiug awajj in a aow direction, 'i