Do not stop going down a steep grade.
5 J. H. Maggard. [return]
6 J. H. Maggard. [return]
[CHAPTER VI.]
HANDLING A TRACTION ENGINE ON THE ROAD.
It is something of a trick to handle a traction engine on the road. The novice is almost certain to run it into a ditch the first thing, or get stuck on a hill, or in a sand patch or a mudhole. Some attention must therefore be paid to handling a traction engine on the road.
In the first place, never pull the throttle open with a jerk, nor put down the reverse lever with a snap. Handle your engine deliberately and thoughtfully, knowing beforehand just what you wish to do and how you will do it. A traction engine is much like an ox; try to goad it on too fast and it will stop and turn around on you. It does its best work when moving slowly and steadily, and seldom is anything gained by rushing.
The first thing for an engineer to learn is to handle his throttle. When an engine is doing work the throttle should be wide open; but on the road, or in turning, backing, etc., the engineer’s hand must be on the throttle all the time and he must exercise a nice judgment as to just how much steam the engine will need to do a certain amount of work. This the novice will find out best by opening the throttle slowly, taking all the time he needs, and never allowing any one to hurry him.
As an engineer learns the throttle, he gradually comes to have confidence in it. As it were, he feels the pulse of the animal and never makes a mistake. Such an engineer always has power to spare, and never wastes any power. He finds that a little is often much better than too much.