Accidents caused by kicking caboose cars in which men are resting are
of altogether too frequent occurrence, and are as inexcusable as they
are frequent. Rule No. 10 should, I think, prohibit the practice, as
it does of moving cars containing passengers unless coupled to the
engine and air-brakes in use. Had this been done, the following cases
would not have happened:
K. M. Simpson, brakeman, injured Dec. 12, at Albion, was in
way-car cleaning ashes out of stove, when the way-car was struck
by another car kicked onto it by switchman, throwing him against
end of car.
Paul O'Connor and E. Putnam, brakemen, injured Feb. 22, at
Dodworths, were asleep in caboose No. 1473, on caboose track.
Switch engine went in and got caboose and kicked it out on lead.
It did not clear the switch track, and as other cars were kicked
back on caboose track it was struck by them throwing these men to
the floor.
Indeed, I believe that if the practice of kicking freight cars in
yards and at stations was prohibited the saving in the cost of repairs
of equipment and for damage to contents of cars would be greater than
the increase in pay-roll caused by necessary increase in the number of
men in the crews.
Speaking of accidents of this kind brings to mind those resulting from
careless handling of boarding cars, which are now so common during the
summer season. We all know the class of people who inhabit boarding
cars, how little they appreciate the danger, that they are on the
sides, top, under, and in the cars. So handle them, not as some
brakemen do egg cases, but carefully; never move the cars without
going to see that no one is under them cooking his dinner, that the
occupants of cars are all in a place of safety, and never make a fly
or kick with them, always have the engine coupled up, and don't
uncouple it until the car has got to the place it is to be left.
Roadmasters and foremen should see that the opening for ingress and
egress from the cars is on the side away from the traffic. The switch
to the track on which the cars stand should be locked and the key in
the foreman's pocket, or else a rail taken up so that no one can get
in on the track without notice. If you run across any cases where this
is not done, report them before, not after, some one is hurt.