The following is the form of questions put to firemen on one of the most prominent railroads in this country before they are admitted as competent for promotion, and the kind of answers expected from those who are considered eligible for the higher position. The form questions are not adhered to strictly, and care is taken that a candidate for promotion does not commit the answers to memory without properly understanding the subject. No fireman is promoted who does not satisfy the examiner that he understands the practical questions asked.

Q.—What are the principal duties of an engineer before attaching his engine to train?

A.—To examine the engine carefully, to see that all set-screws are in place, and rod-keys secure; that the engine is equipped with all necessary signals, firing, and hand-tools; the necessary supply of water, fuel, and stores. Also, to take a look at the flues and crown-sheet.

Q.—What is important, in carrying water in the boiler, as to height and regularity?

A.—To carry water and steam in the top gauge-cocks when working steam, and as uniformly as possible.

Q.—What is important in carrying water on grades, and approaching a summit?

A.—To carry the water sufficiently high to be sure that the front ends of the tubes are not exposed, and, in pitching over a summit, to have sufficient water to cover and protect the crown-sheet, after finding its level from the front or low end of the boiler.

Q.—Should it be necessary, after pitching over a summit, to pump up a gauge or more of water, what should be the condition of the fire?

A.—The fire should be kept bright, and burning freely.

Q.—Why is this important?

A.—To prevent chilling the flues, causing them to leak.

Q.—Should you have ample water after pitching over, what should be the condition of the fire?

A.—It should be leveled and settled down, and covered over sufficiently to prevent unnecessary waste of steam or fuel.

Q.—Should the pump or injectors fail on the road, what would you do?

A.—First, smother down the fire, stop promptly, take off the hose, and raise the tank-valves to ascertain that they are connected; also see that the strainers are clear. If all is found clear, then try the injectors again; and, if the engine has a pump, take it down, and see that the valves are free, and would also run water through the feed-pipes. When all is open and free, put them up, and try them again.

Q.—Should the water in the boiler get too low to allow you time for the examination, what would you do?

A.—Draw the fire, and send a messenger to the nearest telegraph office for assistance.

Q.—Should the water in the boiler become disturbed, and foam, what would you do? And how would you ascertain whether it was foaming, or being over pumped?

A.—As soon as the water is discovered discharging from the stack, would at once shut off, and ascertain the height of the water solid. Should the water drop below the second or third gauge, would conclude there was foaming, and would again gently open the throttle. Should the water again rise, and discharge from the stack, would put on both injectors, open the surface blow, and run carefully; allowing the bad water to be worked off through the surface blow, being very careful not to work the water in sufficient quantities through the cylinders as to endanger knocking out the heads; and would occasionally shut off, to see that the water was not being thrown off faster than the pumps or injectors were supplying it. By this means, the bad water would, in most cases, be worked out, and, with gentle usage, would again settle.

Q.—Should the blow-off cock be blown out, or be broken off, or a hole be broken in the boiler in any way, what would you do?

A.—Draw the fire promptly, and send a messenger to the nearest telegraph office for assistance. Would then disconnect, and get the engine ready to be towed in when assistance arrived.

Q.—What portions of the engine would you disconnect in such a case?

A.—Take off main rods and valve-rods.

Q.—What is important to observe in setting up or adjusting wedges?

A.—To have them so neatly adjusted that there will be no thump of the boxes, and, at the same time, not so tight as to cramp, and not allow them full and free play in the pedestals.

Q.—How would you go about setting them up?

A.—Would place the engine at half stroke on the right side, block the left wheels, admit a little steam, and thump the boxes hard away from the wedges. Would then get under, and put the wedges up solid with a short wrench, and make a side mark on the pedestals at top of wedge, then draw them down equally a scant one-eighth of an inch. Go over the left side in the same manner.

Q.—How would you key up, or adjust, the side rods of a ten-wheel engine?

A.—Would place the engine on a level and straight track, and on a dead center; then slack off all keys on that line of rods; would then key the knuckle on center brass first, leaving it sufficiently free on the pin to be moved laterally by hand. Then adjust the front and back ends in the same manner.

Q.—Why should you place the engine on exact dead center, and begin by keying the center brass first?

A.—In order to insure keying the rods of proper length, to allow them to pass the dead, or rigid, points without strain.

Q.—Can the side rods be keyed too long or too short when not standing on dead center?

A.—They can.

Q.—If too long or too short, at what point of the stroke will the strain be?

A.—While passing the dead, or rigid, points.

Q.—Should you slip the right back motion eccentric on the road, how would you reset it?

A.—Would place the engine on exact dead center on right side, place the reverse-lever in full forward gear, and make a mark on the valve-rod at the stuffing-box gland; then place the reverse-lever in full back gear, and turn the slipped eccentric until the mark on valve-rod came to its original position, being careful to see that the full or throw of the eccentric was in position nearly opposite the forward eccentric; then secure it there.

Q.—In what way does the mark you made on the valve-rod, while in forward gear, aid you in setting the slipped eccentric?

A.—The forward motion eccentric being in proper position by placing the reverse-lever in full forward gear, the valve is brought into proper position on the ports; and the mark gives the position of the valve when the back motion eccentric is in its proper position, thus setting the slipped eccentric by the good one.

Q.—Should a valve-yoke break, how would you test in order to determine which side was disabled?

A.—Would first place the engine at half stroke on right side, and admit a little steam to the cylinders; then move the reverse-lever from back to forward motion, and, if the steam could be shifted from the back to the forward cylinder-cock, would conclude that the right yoke was good, and would test the left side in the same way.

Q.—Why would you place your engine at half stroke on the side you wished to test?

A.—In order to get the full movement of the valve over the ports on that side.

Q.—After locating the broken yoke, how would you disconnect?

A.—Would take off the steam-chest lid, place the valve over the ports, and block it there securely; replace the lid, take off the valve-rod, take off the main rod, block the cross-head, and proceed with half train, if freight; if passenger, would take the full train to the next telegraph office, report, and give judgment as to whether the engine would take entire train to its destination.

Q.—Should you blow or break out a cylinder-head, how would you disconnect?

A.—First, take off the valve-rod, and close the ports with the valve, and secure it by cramping with the stuffing-box gland; take off main rod, and block the cross-head.

Q.—Should the cylinder packing drop and blow badly on the road, how would you determine which side was down?

A.—In starting from a station, would notice the right cross-head, and, if the blow occurred when it was leaving each extreme end of the stroke, would locate the blow in the right cylinder.

Q.—Should it blow so badly as to make it necessary to set it out on the road, what would be important for you to observe in setting it out?

A.—Would be careful to set the piston central in the cylinder, using calipers if at hand, and, if not, would use a stick of proper length, and be careful only to set the packing to fill the cylinder neatly, using as little power on the bolts as practicable; lock the nuts securely, and replace the follower, being careful to screw the follower bolts home solid.

Q.—Should you be running an engine which had but one pump, it being on the right side, and that side became disabled, so that it would be necessary to disconnect it, the injector be too small or fail to supply the boiler, what would you do to avoid drawing the fire, and being hauled home?

A.—Would disconnect the piston from the cross-head on the disabled side, and take it out, put up the main rod, and work the cross-head, which would give the use of the pump.

Q.—Should you break the top rocker-arm, how would you disconnect?

A.—Take off the valve-rod and broken arm, close the ports, and secure the valve with the stuffing-box gland, and disconnect, as in case of broken cylinder-head.

Q.—Should the bottom rocker-arm break, how would you disconnect?

A.—As a rule, would not take off eccentric-straps; but with an engine badly worn, and loose in link-hanger, so that the link could play about freely when running, would take off the eccentric-straps, and disconnect, as in case of broken cylinder-head.

Q.—Should you break a link-hanger, how would you disconnect?

A.—If but a short distance to run, and no stopping or shifting to do, would run in without disconnecting, after cautioning the crew to keep the train under good control, and stop promptly when signaled to do so. But, if a long distance to run, would disconnect, as in case of broken cylinder-head.

Q.—In what way would you have lost control of your engine with broken link-hanger?

A.—Would only be able to reverse one side of the engine.

Q.—Should you break an eccentric-strap, how would you disconnect?

A.—Take off both eccentric-straps on that side, and disconnect as in case of broken cylinder-head.

Q.—Should you break the back section of a side rod on a six-wheel connected engine, what would you do?

A.—Would take off both back sections, and run in with main and forward wheels connected, with about two-thirds of train.

Q.—Should you break a forward section, how would you disconnect?

A.—Would take off all side rods, and run in without train.

Q.—Should you break a main crank-pin close up to the wheel, how would you disconnect?

A.—Would take off all side rods and the main rod on disabled side, and run in without train.

Q.—Should you be running an engine which had a slide throttle-valve, and it would strip or disconnect inside the boiler partly open, how would you manage?

A.—Would reduce the steam-pressure within easy control, and state the trouble to the crew, and caution them to act promptly when called upon to do so. Would work the train, if freight, to the nearest siding, and back it off; if passenger, would keep the pressure within easy handling, and work the train to the nearest telegraph office, report, and ask for orders.

Q.—Should one of the forward tires on a ten-wheel engine break, how would you manage?

A.—Would jack the wheel up the thickness of the tire, take out the oil-cellar, and cut a block to fit the bottom of the box and journal sufficiently thick to hold the axle up in its place when resting on the pedestal-brace; would then run in without disconnecting, provided the rod had not been bent or damaged by the broken tire. Would take in full train.

Q.—Should you break a main tire, how would you manage?

A.—Would first send messenger to nearest telegraph office, and ask for assistance. Would then block up the axle and wheel the thickness of the tire, slack off the side-rod keys, and run in carefully without train.

Q.—Should the back tire break, how would you manage?

A.—Would take off the back section of rods, block up the axle, run very carefully, especially around curves, to nearest telegraph office, report, and ask for orders.