| CHAPTER I. |
| PAGE |
| Engineers and their Duties | 1 |
| Attributes that make a Good Engineer.—How Engineering Knowledge and Skill are Acquired.—Public Interest in Locomotive Engineers.—Ignorance versus Knowledge.—Illiterate Engineers not wanted in America.—Growing Importance of Engineers’ Duties.—Individuality of American Engineers.—Necessity for Class Improvement.—The Skill of Engineers influences Operating Expenses.—Methods of Self-improvement.—Observing Shop Operations.—Where Ignorance was Ruin.—Prejudice against studying Books.—The Kind of Knowledge gained from Books. |
| CHAPTER II. |
| How Locomotive Engineers are made | 11 |
| Reliable Men needed to run Locomotives.—Early Methods of making Locomotive Engineers.—Practice of raising Engineers from Machinists and Technical-school Graduates not found satisfactory.—Experience demonstrated that Firemen made the Best Engineers.—Difficulties of running Locomotives at Night, and during Bad Weather.—Kind of Men to be chosen as Firemen.—Modern Methods of selecting Firemen.—First Trips.—Popular Misconception of a Fireman’s Duties.—Learning Firemen’s Duties.—A Good Fireman makes a Good Engineer.—Learning an Engineer’s Duties.—Conditions of Engine Running that vanquish the Inexperienced Man.—Learning to keep the Locomotive in Running-order.—Methods of Promotion on our Leading Roads.—Nature of Examination to be passed.—Master Mechanics on the Best Method of Educating Young Men for Engineers. |
| CHAPTER III. |
| Inspection of the Locomotive | 30 |
| Locomotive Inspectors.—Good Engineers Inspect their own Engines.—What comes of neglecting Systematic Inspection of Locomotives.—Confidence on the Road derived from Inspection.—Inspection on the Pit.—Outside Inspection.—Oil-cups.—Inspection of Running-gear.—Attentions to the Boiler.—Miscellaneous Attentions.—Reward of Thorough Inspection. |
| CHAPTER IV. |
| Getting ready for the Road | 39 |
| Raising Steam.—Precautions against Scorching Boilers.—Starting the Fire.—Fireman’s First Duties.—Saving the Grates.—Supplies.—Engineer’s First Duties.—Reaching his Engine in Good Season.—Oiling the Machinery.—Quantity of Oil that Different Bearings need.—Leaving the Engine-house. |
| CHAPTER V. |
| Running a Fast Freight Train | 48 |
| Running Freight Trains.—The Engine.—The Train.—The Division.—Pulling out.—Hooking back the Links.—Working the Steam Expansively.—Advantage of Cutting-off Short.—Boiler Pressure Best for Economical Working.—Running with Low Steam.—The Throttle-lever.—Management of the Fire.—Conditions that demand Good Firing.—Highest Type of Fireman.—Scientific Methods of Good Firemen.—The Medium Fireman.—The Hopelessly Bad Fireman.—Who is to Blame for Bad Firing? |
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| CHAPTER VI. |
| Getting up the Hill | 61 |
| Special Skill and Attention required to get a Train up a Steep Grade.—Getting Ready for the Grade.—Working up the Hill.—Wheel-slipping.—How to use Sand.—Slippery Engines.—Feeding the Boiler.—Choice of Pump and Injector.—Fall of Boiler-temperature not indicated by the Steam-gauge.—Some Effects of Injudicious Boiler-feeding.—Careful Feeding and Firing preserve Boilers.—Operating the Dampers.—Loss of Heat through Excess of Air.—Loss of Heat from Bad Dampers. |
| CHAPTER VII. |
| Finishing the Trip | 74 |
| Running over Ordinary Track.—Stopping-places.—Knowledge of Train-rights.—Precautions to be observed in approaching and passing Stations.—The Best Rules must be Supplemented by Good Judgment.—Operating Single Tracks Safely.—Causes of Anxiety to Engineers.—Acquaintance with the Road.—Final Duties of the Trip. |
| CHAPTER VIII. |
| Running a Fast Passenger Train | 82 |
| Average Speed.—Speed between Jersey City and Philadelphia.—Requisites of a High-speed Locomotive.—Making up the Fire.—Getting ready for the Trip.—The Train to be pulled.—The Start.—Getting the Train over the Road.—How the Engineer did his Work.—Qualifications that make a Successful Engineer.—How the Firing was done. |
| CHAPTER IX. |
| Hard-steaming Engines | 92 |
| Importance of Locomotives Steaming Freely.—Essentials for Good-steaming Engines.—Causes Detrimental to making Steam.—Petticoat-pipe.—The Smoke-stack.—Obstructions to Draught.—Choking the Netting with Oil.—Silicious Deposit on Flue-sheet.—The Extended Smoke-box.—Steam-pipes leaking.—Defects of Grates.—Lime, Scale, and Mud.—Preventing Accumulation of Mud in Boilers.—Temporary Cures for Leaky Flues.—Good Management Makes Engines Steam.—Intermittent Boiler-feeding.—Too Much Piston Clearance.—Badly Proportioned Smoke-stacks.—The Exhaust Nozzles. |
| CHAPTER X. |
| Shortness of Water.—Pump Disorders | 109 |
| Trouble develops Natural Energy.—Shortness of Water a Serious Predicament.—How to deal with Shortness of Water.—Watching the Water-gauges.—What to do when the Tender is found empty between Stations.—A Trying Position.—Watching the Strainers.—Care of Pumps.—How the Condition of Pumps can be tested.—Lift of Pump-valves.—Keep Pipes tight, and Packing in Order.—Sand in the Pump-chambers.—Delivery Orifice choked with Lime Sediment.—Minor Pump Troubles. |
| CHAPTER XI. |
| Injectors |
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