WITH THE ENGINE DRIVERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 8 March 1909, Page 2

WITH THE ENGINE DRIVERS.

Power curdles in a riilway engine r.nd refuses to ba stppressei Of conn? in a railway such , fis :he Nelson one

lergc engines do not isi-l. h:st even iv the smaller types ihe po ver it so mean quantity. The roar of the tuinace, the rusn nf air, the shout of the sieam as it finds freedom in the funnel, all combine to impress the visitor when travelling in a railway engine. At night the experience ; s most impressive. In ihe dim darkness lights Uash out but 'quickly disappear. The engine headlight shines brightly on the rails, but it travels quickly. Inside all is dark save a faint glimmer from airholes in the furnace door. Srron«»ly the engine pulls, and heroically it seems, sho essays out to climb sonic approaching hill. She will not turn from it, ana boldly she climbs it. All her stiength is being used now, and tho coal is being burnt quickly. She pulsates violently with the energy within her, and grapples with an iron band with the- enemy she is conquering. IN THE CAB. The cab of the engine, as the place v, here the rnginedriver and the fireman work is called, is by far the best and most interesting part of the train to travel in. The carriages are filled with ordinary, uninteresting travellers, whose only care is to arrive afc a destination ; but in the engine the driver and fireman are guiding the destinies of those within and their work is inter, esting. The driver and 'fireman are at home ou the train, as needs they should be, but this is particularly noticeable. Their space is limited a little, and they have not far to move. Both stand so' perilously near the door as to cause alarm, but" they are quite uiuonrerned cf the death barely an imh or two of space is Eaving tliem from The driver is in charge, of roun-e. but ilu* tji-eni.tn has imi-c-rtant ivoik to do al«o. A vory .sharp lookout is always kept, and crossings are a particular care. The cab of the New Zealand engines is somewhat exposed as compared with the equipment in America. The reason is evidently not to make the lot of the driver too comfortable, lest it be >;neoiiraging him to look more to bis comfort than to his duty. When the rain is coming sideways the engineers are unprotected, and the ?o!d is intense in winter time.