HEROES OF THE IRON WAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 June 1920, Page 9

HEROES OF THE IRON WAY.

DARING FEATS OF THE RAILWAYMAN. America has lost its bravest railwayman. Twenty years ago Hiram Free, who died recently, performed a feat' which made him the most famous driver in the United States. , Johnstown had been overwhelmed by the floods of the river Conemaugh. Thousands perished, and Driver Free w.is warned before he started his express from the station that the river dam was giving way. From the foot plate he could see the water rushing on the train He opened his throttle -and began to race the Hood. The express shrieked through the Conemaugh Valley and crossed the bridge a little below the town just before the dam gave way. The start was enough, however, and the engine got clear before the track was swept away by the torrent Hundreds of lives were saved by his daring promptitude The thrilling story of how a terrible explosion was averted on the London, Brighton and South Coast railway by a goods inspector was told when the King awarded the Albert medal to Charles John Carne SAVED THE EXPRESS. A train loaded with ammunition was running to the coast, when, on reaching a point near the town, two 'trucks containing loaded shells were seen to be on fire. In spite of (Rffioulties of getting water, the fire was ultimately extinguished. Had it not been for his courage and resourcefulness, a destructive explosion would have occurred. The resourcefulness of railway drivers is strikingly illustrated by the following two incidents. The first occurred on an Irish railway. The breaking of a coupling had caused a heavily-laden train to become divided whilst ascending a long gradient. ■ The rear portion, uncontrolled, rushed down 'the slope at. a terrific speed, and the driver of the succeed ing train, who saw the runaway vehicles approaching, promptly shut off steam. With swift movement the levers were reversed, and the engine was backing down the hill. Thcjprash came, but the driver's pluck saved many lives. The East Coast express to Scotland was concerned in a second "thriller," the train coming within an ace of destruction. Through some misunderstanding, a light engine was permitted to remain standing on the line along which the express was due to pass. Glancing backward, the driver of the light engine saw the headlights of the express. Duty triumphed over the tremendous impulse to leap for life. He opened the throttle, throwing wide the levers, and quickly forged ahead, pursued by the oncoming train. There was an ear-splitting crash. The light engine was lifted off its wheels by the impact, but recovered and shot forward. The momentum alrSady obtained greatly reduced the shock, an-.! nothing more serious than some damage to the locomotives resulted. On a night in October, 100(1, it was noticed that every signal at _he Maindee West .[unction on the Great Western Railway pointed at danger This is an important junction, where the. main lines to Bristol and the North.,diverge. Men were sent to find out what was the matter. They discovered Edward -Morgan, a signalnmn, lying insensible on the floor of his box. He had ' been seized with paralysis, but before losing consciousness had managed to point every signal at danger, i