A Trainman's Risks

It has been estimated, and, in fact, railroad men frequently make the remark, that the average life of a man actively eugaged in train service is about seven years. In other words, tbat they are eitber orippled up so as to render tbera uufit for service again in a like capacity or are killed on an average in tbat time. It has been found by looking over the records of one of the leadiug railroads entering Louisville that this is untrue. During three years, on one of the busiest roads entering the city, there were only 2 killed and 158 injured, all of whom were brakemen except two, and they were freight conductora who had assumed the duty of brakemen, one by making a coupling and the other by assisting in unloading freight. It would seem that inexparienced men would be most apt to get injured, but the figures show differently, as indicated by the following: Eleven, or9.56 per cent of the total number of trainmen, were injured during their flrst year of service; 18, or 12.16 percent, were injured who had been in the service two years; 15, or 11.11 percent, had been in the service three years; 22, or 16.35 per cent, four years; 26, or 20 per cent, five years; 27, or 21.77 per cent, six years; 13, or 9.63 per cent, seven years; E, or 8.90 per cent, eight years; 3, or 2.47 per cent, nine years; 5, or 4.16 per sent, ten years. and 12, or 8.89 per cent, over ten years, some of whom had been iu the service 15, 18 and 22 years. It will be uoted that the largest average of injuries occnrred after the employee had been in service six yeara, and the figures given would indicate that employees as a general rule are careful up to the time wheu tbey have been in the service three to four yeara and then become more careless until about their eighth year of service, when the indications show that they again become careful, as those who had ■worked over ten years have a very smal] comparativo per cent of injuries compared with those who had worked six years. With the completion of the equipment of all box cars with automatic couplers, airbrakes, etc, the liability of a traimnan being iujured will have been reduced to a minimum, as the record goes to show that at least two-thirds of the injuries were caused by attempt ing to couple automatic drawbars with a link and pin to the old fashioned solid or skeleton drawbar, which is very dangerous even t3 the most expe rienced railroad man. Other canse were on account of uneven drawbars some being as much as three inche higher than others. All thiswill berec tified with the law which requires al drawbars to be of a standard height. A great niany trammen were injured by stepping npon stones or links iu jumping off tq throw switches, etc., quite a áumber by beiug tbrown off on account of the icy couditiou of the tops of the cars. There was one case where a brakeman was standing near the end of a car when auother cut of cars struck it, and he was thrown from the top of the car to tbe ground, aligbting squarely upon his feet and "stoving him up" severely, as will be readily understood. A few were compelled to jurup from the top of cars in cases of derailraent. Others had their feet mashed by attempting to ehove au automatic draw bar over a few inches to enable it to come more squarely in contact with the automatic coupler. ïhis is one of the serious objectious to the automatic drawbar - that it will not couple readily on a curve, and it is necessary for the traiumeu either to pull one of the drawbars over or shove it over with their feet. One of the most general causes of pinched fingers was on aocouut of the pin failing to drop all the way down into the hole when coupling with a link and pin. The brakemen iuvariably reach over to give the pin a start so it will drop into the hole, when the cars frequently roll one way or the other just a few inches and catch the pin just before it gets all the way down, causing it to tilt back aud catoh the fingers between pin aud eud sill of the car. A few were injured by holdiug the grab iron on the end of the car - recently added to all freight cars by au act of cougress - and atteiupting to ïuake the coupliug vhen long lumber or bridge iron wonld be extendingover the end of the car to be coupled to, and catch tbeir hands between the tiinber and end of the oar. However, this dangerous niethod of coupliug nars together that have lading projecting over the ends of tberu will soou be a thing of the past, as it is becoming a general rule for all conipanies not to pennit the loading of cars in this rnanner. Whenever there is long timber to load the companies reqnire the use of two cars instead of oue, as herétofore. With the taking effect of the new law cowpelling railroads to have all cars eqnipped with automatio draw bars and have the drawbars of equal height from rails, the position of railroad brakeman will uot be such a hazardous one. -