by Ira Bell

It was about 1928, and my Dad, K. I. Bell, was working the midnight shift the night that the Hill Engine was sent to Stewart to push No. 26 over the hill. In the mean time, No. 104, a passenger train that was due to pass there in about an hour was having engine trouble over about Big Sandy. The dispatcher felt he might have to have the Hill Engine help No. 104 before they helped No. 26. Since rules required that passenger trains be pulled and not pushed, the Hill Engine would have to couple on ahead of the passenger train’s engines. So the crew stopped their engine on the main track to await further instructions. Dad told them he would let them know what they were to do. The crew then said they would go into the waiting room and catch a little nap, and for him to let them know what to do and call them in time to move their engine if it was not going to be needed.

Dad was using the telegraph wire so the crew could not know what was being said as he communicated up and down the line. After the Helper Engine Crew disappeared into the waiting room and had fallen asleep, the dispatcher called Dad and told him No. 104 would not need help as they had their engine fixed and that No. 26 was behind No. 104. The Hill Engine was to stay there and help No. 26 when they arrived. Dad did not awake the crew, but eased outside and released the Hill Engine’s brake and let it roll down into the side track. Dad then closed the switch and slowly moved the powerful engine up behind the depot. He filled the boiler with cold water to keep it from popping (release of the pressure control valve that releases steam pressure periodically), and returned to the office, letting the crew sleep on.

Some time later, with the Hill Crew still asleep, No. 104 shattered the still of the night as it passed the depot at Stewart at about 70 miles per hour. Needless to say, when they heard No. 104, the crew immediately came alive, frantically rushing around shouting where is my engine? They had left it on the main line on which No. 104 had just rumbled through. Of course Dad, and some others were standing in the dark laughing, when suddenly the air pump cycled on the Steam Engine hidden behind the depot. This is when the engineer discovered where his engine was. Before he could reach Dad, some of the other men restrained him until he calmed down. Dad was glad when No. 26 showed up and the crew, and the angry embarrassed engineer left to push them over the hill. By the next night all had calmed down and everyone, including the engineer, had a good laugh at the joke that had been played on them. Needless to say, this engineer was reluctant after that to take naps at Stewart while waiting on trains to be helped.