MIKE ROSS wrote in a message to Pete Snidal:
MR> Pete Snidal said the following to Kevin Crosby on the
MR> subject of Re: steam engines (18 Sep 97  08:34:50)
 PS> Don't let's forget that the operator of a steam locomotive was
 PS> called, and was, an "Engineer."  It took a lot of learning to be
 PS> able to ride herd on all them busy molecules, and even then, the
 PS> stories of boiler blowups are legion.
MR> "Don't let's forget" we are talking about turn of the last
MR> century technology. The people who designed those machines
MR> were Engineers. The people who used them were very
MR> over-glorified lackeys.
   I gather you haven't looked over any examples of the examinations for
   steam tickets.  Even the stationary engineer ticket for managing
   heating system boilers would, if you don't mind me saying so, belie
   your belittling of the ancient and honorable position of Railway
   Engineer.  And as for the technology argument, there was technology
   then, too, and lots of automatic stuff.  But I kinda like the idea of
   a live and thinking human around to offset the laws of Mr. Murphy.
   After all, that's why they have Homer at Springfield Nuclear, eh?
Taking example from the early space
MR> program, those who designed the rockets were Engineers.
MR> Those who rode them were famous monkeys.
   I agree with you wholeheartedly on that point.  But, Casey Jones
   didn't have radio link with 6 dozen console monkeys at Mission
   Control, now, did he?  All he had was gauges and valves and his
   steam ticket, to keep the thing going down the track without
   exploding.  And it was a full-time job for two.  No dead-man switches
   necessary to keep _those_ guys from falling asleep!
Best, ps
--- timEd-B10
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