The Republican journal., 1872-05-23
a Visit to the Portland Rolling Mills.


Few persons who ride on railroads, ever
give thought to the track over which the
cars run so smoothly, or if they do give
it passing glance, they seldom think of
the amount of material and labor required
10 make perfect rail. A visit to the Roll
lug Mills, where the pig iron Of commerce
is transformed into the smooth and glisten
ing tracks which form the great highways
Of the world, will amply repay any one
for the time and trouble spent.
The mills are located about two miles
from the business portion Of the city, near
Cape Elizabeth and nearly opposite the
Kerosene Works. The mills went into
operation about six years ago and cost
100000. The machinery is driven by five
engines with an aggregate of 400 horse
power, The largest engine is of 250 horse
power, with an enormous balance wheel,
weighing 27 tons. The boilers tor gen.
Grating the steam are 20 in number, and
are placed over the furnaces, so that the
same heat which prepares the iron for the
rollers makes the steam There are 12
furnaces, four for pudding, seven tor
heating the bars for the rollers, and one
for working up old rails.
The puddled iron is first run through a
machine called squeezer, at nearly
melting heat which takes out the i'm
purities. 1t is then run through a set of
powerful rollers, and comes out In fiat
bars about 20 inches long and 1-2 inches
thick. 4 number Of these bars, enough
to make q rail. are then laid together and
put into the furnace. When they are at
almost q melting heat, (Which requires
nice discrimination on the part of the
workmen, for if too hot, ianges on the rail
viii bo burned, if not hot enough it will not
roll snooth) the bars are taken out put
on trucks and carried to the rollers 1t is
ru1 under one set, then back through
acother, that set nearer to each other, and
SO on through SIX sets, the bar growing
longer and simmer each time. 1t is then
run through two sets which are grooved,
and which make the tianges and forms
the perfect rail. It is red rot and is gen
orally longer than is needed, the usual
length being "a or p fees. So it is put on
u table and moved against Two saws made
OF boiler iron with teeth Ike common cut
SHsf Tho iba ,o-lt
distance apart, which cuts off the ends
square and true. They are then laid aside
to cool, then Strengthened on a powerful
machine, by pressure then the holes are
punched Tor the sh-plates, and the slots
in the sides for the spikes, and the rail is
done. The tine occupied, from the time
the bars are put into the rollers until i
comes out finished TO be laid, is about i've
minutes.
The Company have put in machinery
and manufactured tew tons of steel
capped rails The iron is made into rail
il the same manner as the iron ones. with
the exception that the top, where the car
wheel runs. is left much smaller A fat
bar OF steel is then laid on the top, and it
is run through a machine which bends the
steei around the top hanges Of the rail,
making it as solid as though welded This
work is done cold.
To attempt a minute desert pIion Of ali
the machinery il the works would be al
most al endless labor. There are power
fi.l shears. cutting of rails as though they
were pine, and many other ingenious con
triyances. The company make about IS
tons OF rails per day They employ 1873
hands, and keep the mills running night
and day Their payroll amounts TO
80 900 or Sl2 900 per month. The rails
weigh about 620 pounds piece Their
form is the kind known among railroad
men as the 7 rail The mills are now at
worE OF rails for the Boston and Maine
extension For information. your cor
respondent is indebted to John Thomas
Esq, the gentlemanly ard efficient super
inlsndeat Of the mills z.