Train Stories — Water Scoop Accident

1896

The accident to the water scoop on the New York Central's locomotive which prevented the Empire State express from making a record, says the New York Mail and Express, recalls the first experience of the officials of that road with that device.

General Manager Toucey and Superintendent of Motive Power Buchanan undertook to try the method, and the latter agreed to run the locomotive on the occasion of the test, while the former was to stand at a point where the water trough began, so as to enable the fireman to drop the scoop at the right time. Mr. Buchanan moved his engine along, and when that point of the track was reached abreast of Mr. Toucey the scoop was lowered. Instead of scooping up water the device tore up the ground and created a small-sized sensation among the onlooking officials. It was afterward discovered, on investigation, that the scoop worked all right, but that Mr. Toucey had inadvertently moved down the track and forgot to return to his assigned point. Mr. Buchanan subsequently tried the scoop again, but he took pains that it was dropped at the right time.

Another instance of a similar nature is recalled of an inquisitive yardmaster of an Eastern line who wanted to see how a water scoop worked and got on the blind end of a baggage car next the tender to make his observations. The train struck the scoop going at full speed, the engineer not slowing down because he was behind time, but more especially because he was aware of the yardmaster's presence on the platform behind him. For two hundred yards a perfect avalanche of water plowed up between the tender and car, half drowning the enthusiast on water scoops.