John Gilbert > Great Locomotive Caper 4

The Great Locomotive Caper by John Gilbert
CHAPTER 4

Sam was so excited that he could hardly sleep that night and shortly after daybreak he was wide-awake. He ate a quick breakfast and headed straight for the park.

The spring morning air was cool and damp and the grass was wet with dew. A few early morning joggers were huffing and puffing around the park as Sam climbed onto the locomotive. He took his place in the engineer’s seat and tugged on the throttle. He sat back for a while and day dreamed about what it would be like to be at the throttle with a full head of steam. He would be at the throttle racing down the track trying to keep on schedule. Just then a group of joggers ran in front of the locomotive. Sam reached up and pulled the disconnected whistle lever. "Get off the tracks!" he pretended to shout. "You want to get run over?"

Leaving the engineers seat he climbed onto the tender and opened the tank cover. "Empty" he said still day dreaming. "I hope I make it to the next water tank."

From there he climbed down onto the vestibule of the caboose. Vandals had broken out several of the windows and trashed the inside of the car. Padlocks had been installed to keep people out of the caboose but they would always get broken. The Women's Club had spent several Saturdays planted flowers and shrubs around the car so that the area would be a source of "Beauty and inspiration" to the community. Sam didn't feel that a caboose needed flowers. Mrs. Hollenquest, president of the club, had the tracks behind the caboose covered with soil and planted a row of shrubs to hide the chain link fence that ran across the tracks. Behind the fence the old tracks could still be seen leading to another siding that still served Goodman's Foundry.

Sam dreamed of the day when the tracks could be uncovered, the fence and hedge taken down, and the train backed out of the park under its own steam. It would then back onto the foundry siding and from there back onto the main line. The main line switch would be thrown, the engine thrown into forward, and with a blast of steam, smoke and cinders, the train would proceed toward Melville. The engine would pull cars filled to capacity with passengers. As it steamed along side the highway, cars would pull over to see the sight and wave and take pictures.
Sam's dreams suddenly vanished when he saw a large auto service truck driving across the park toward him. The truck pulled along side the locomotive and stopped. Out stepped Barney and Billy Granger.

"Morning Sam," came Barney's cheery Voice. "Been here long?"

"Oh, a couple of hours I guess. I wouldn't have missed this for the world."

"How are we gonna' connect the hose to the boiler? Asked Billy.

"Can it be connected to the whistle pipe?" asked Sam. "There is a 3/4 inch pipe that runs directly into the boiler."

"I suppose that's as good a place as any," said Billy.

"Sam, make sure all of the valves are closed," Barney instructed.

Sam set to work closing all of the steam and water valves while Billy rigged a connector to attach his hose to the whistle pipe. Barney proceeded to the footplate and grabbed the handrail.

"Can you make it up okay?" Sam asked.

"The day I can't climb into the cab of a locomotive will be the day before my funeral," returned Barney.
Slowly he made his way up and into the cab. Once inside Barney paused and scanned the back-head and a smile slowly crossed his face.

"Seems like only yesterday that I dropped the fire and made her ready for display," he said.
Billy climbed onto the running board with his hose and in a moment had it connected. He then climbed back down to his truck and stood by the compressor.

"Are you ready up there?" he called.

"Ready when you are," Sam and Barney called together.
Billy started the compressor and the hose stiffened under the pressure.

"How long do you think this will take?" asked Sam.

"It's hard to tell. I've never charged a boiler with air before. I would guess maybe an hour." Barney speculated.
In a few moments the boiler pressure gauge sprang to ten pounds.

"That's the first time that gauge has moved in almost 40 years," Barney observed.
Just then their attention was drawn to a noisy group making its way across the park toward them. It was Ralph with their friends Mike and Milton.

"Hey you guys, get up here quick!" Sam shouted.
They all clambered up the side of the locomotive and climbed onto the tender for a seat.

"Ralph told us you guys were down here," said Mike.

"You sure this thing won't blow up?" questioned Milton.

"It's no different than putting air into a tire," returned Barney.

"Look, fifty pounds!" shouted Sam. "Are you going to take her all the way up to two hundred pounds?"

"I think we'll take her up to 150 pounds and listen for leaks," said Barney.

All eyes were on the gauge as it passed 100 pounds and continued to rise. A short while later the needle reached 150 pounds and Barney called to Billy to shut down the compressor. The motor came to a stop and all was quiet. As everyone listened they heard a slight hiss come from around an old valve packing.

"It's leaking," observed Sam with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Hey, that's not bad," said Barney. "I've seen 'em leaking steam so bad you’d wonder how they could run at all. This old gal is doin' great!"

With enthusiasm at that bit of news, Sam jumped into the engineer’s seat.

"Did you hear that guys? She's in great shape!" Sam shouted.

As usual he grabbed the throttle and gave it a tug only this time it moved. There came a deep groan from within the boiler and the engine shook. Suddenly everyone felt the engine move. Instinctively Barney lunged for the throttle and pushed it closed. Everyone stared at each other in amazement. Sam's eyes were as big as saucers as he turned to Barney.

"The throttle's never moved before," he said in a dazed voice.

"That's because it hasn't had pressure on it before," said Barney.

"You mean this thing could actually run?" asked Mike.

"You bet your bottom dollar," grinned Barney.
Just then Billy came to the side of the cab.

"It only moved a few inches but it put the lead wheels at the edge of the rail," he cautioned.

"All right Sam, we're going to have to move her back," said Barney.

Barney moved the Johnson Bar into the reverse position and again the engine shuttered. Sam let Barney into the engineer’s seat. Barney gave the throttle a slight tug and again the engine groaned and moved backwards. Everyone heard the couplers clack as the engine came into its proper place then, with the exception of a small hiss of air, all was quiet.

"We've moved only a few inches but that's the neatest ride I've ever been on!" exclaimed Milton. "Sam, I think I can see why you like this old engine so much."

"You see guys, this isn't a piece of junk. It can be made to work. This engine needs to be on the rails pulling passengers and not sitting here as a pigeon roost,” said Sam. "This is a living breathing machine."

They all sat pondering his statement for a moment.

"Well, if you need help saving this engine, said Mike slapping Milton on the back, "You can count us in."

"Me too," agreed Ralph.

"All right then," said Sam. "Next week is Spring Holidays and we will meet at the mayor's office at 9:00 Monday morning. We'll have the whole week to get the ball rolling."

Now read Chapter 5 of "The Great Locomotive Caper"

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