As explained above, a fast run means the use of a great deal of steam and therefore water; indeed, the higher the speed the greater consumption of water.  Often the schedules do not allow time enough to stop for water, and the consumption is so great that it is impossible to carry enough to keep the engine going to the end of the run.  There are provided, therefore, at various places along the line, tanks eighteen inches to two feet wide, six inches deep, and a quarter of a mile long.  These are filled with water and serve as long, narrow reservoirs, from which the locomotive-tenders are filled while going at almost full speed.  Curved pipes are let down into the track-tank as the train speeds on, and scoop up the water so fast that the great reservoirs are very quickly filled.  This operation, too, is controlled from the engine-cab, and it is one of the fireman’s duties to let down the pipe when the water-signal alongside the track appears.  The locomotive, when taking water from a track-tank, looks as if it was going through a river:  the water is dashed into spray and flies out on either side like the waves before a fast boat.  Trainmen tell the story of a tramp who stole a ride on the front or “dead” end platform of the baggage car of a fast train.  This car was coupled to the rear end of the engine-tender; it was quite a long run, without stops, and the engine took water from a track-tank on the way.  When the train stopped, the tramp was discovered prone on the platform of the baggage car, half-drowned from the water thrown back when the engine took its drink on the run.

“Here, get off!” growled the brakeman.  “What are you doing there?”

“All right, boss,” sputtered the tramp.  “Say,” he asked after a moment, “what was that river we went through a while ago?”

Though the engineer’s work is not hard, the strain is great, and fast runs are divided up into sections so that no one engine or its runner has to work more than three or four hours at a time.

It is realised that in order to keep the trainmen—­and especially the engineers—­alert and keenly alive to their work and responsibilities, it is necessary to make the periods of labour short; the same thing is found to apply to the machines also—­they need rest to keep them perfectly fit.

Before the engineer can run his train, the way must be cleared for him, and when the train starts out it becomes part of a vast system.  Each part of this intricate system is affected by every other part, so each train must run according to schedule or disarrange the entire plan.

[Illustration:  TRACK TANK]

Each train has its right-of-way over certain other trains, and the fastest train has the right-of-way over all others.  If, for any reason, the fastest train is late, all others that might be in the way must wait till the flyer has passed.  When anything of this sort occurs the whole plan has to be changed, and all trains have to be run on a new schedule that must be made up on the moment.