Ditched The Engine

Quick Work on a Railway In Disposing a Runaway Locomotive.

Railway men have to think and act quickly when by some unforeseen event a locomotive or train gets beyond control. Such an emergency arose a few days ago at Los Angeles, when switch engine No. 1070 broke away from its train crew in the yards at River Station and after a wild dash down Alameda street and through the Arcade depot ditched itself at Florence, four miles south of the city limits. That the eight mile run right through the center of the city at a time when the yards were filled with both passenger and freight trains and at a speed approximating twenty miles an hour was made without a collision of some kind is a matter of wonder. 

When the engine made its plunge through the Arcade depot, an accident was averted only by seconds. The overland from El Paso, filled to the platforms with colonists, pulled into the depot at 1:20 o'clock and after discharging its human cargo took the siding at the south end of the depot just as the runaway engine appeared at the north entrance. Part of the baggage still on the track, was sent flying as the engine rushed down the main track so close that the air sent the lights flickering in the rear coach of the overland. No warning whistle announced its coming; no headlight danced over the pilot. Swiftly and with a roar it sped on its path toward the ocean. leaving the depot watchmen and a number of brakemen, who waved stop signals with their lighted lanterns to no avail, huddled together by the track in speechless amazement. 

The watchman was the first to recover. "Boys," he yelled, "she's a runaway! Look out! Some cars may be following her!" 

Then he dashed away up the depot stairs and rushed in on the night dispatchers with the tidings that a runaway had just passed through the station. 

Here there was no hesitancy. Long service had taught these men to act swiftly. Almost before the echo of the watchman's voice had died out the head dispatcher called: "It's all right! The night man at Florence just telegraphed that he had ditched an engine there!"