National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-09-02
The Record of Locomotives.

A writer in the Boston Herald, describing
the manner in which tho rolling stock and
other property of the Pennsylvania railroad is
cared for, says:
"An engine, once in service, is by no means
lost sight Of Its movements are as thoroughly
noted as are those Of an ocean steamer. III
Mr.. EIys office, in this city, there is an immense
board covered with little pegs, upon which
hang small, round colored disks, from the under
part of which has been cut small portion.
These pegs and disks are numbered from one
to 1850. Each number corresponds with an
engine. On one part of the board the pegs are
numbered cousccutively. Looking ut this
part for any particular engine that may be
desired and on the disk will be found
'Ptgh' IN. " or 'P,' &c. This refers
YOU to the division whore the engine is.
Looking to that division on tho board, and
finding the number of the engine, another lit
tie disk, by means of its color, will tell You
Just what condition the engine is in. If tho
disk is pure white the engine is in perfect
order. If the disk is bordered by red line
tho engine needs only such slight repairs rs
may he made without withdrawing 1t from tho
service. If the disk Is covered one.half with
red, repairs are required of a very slight ma
turc, but for which the engine must proceed
to the shop. If the entire disc Is pale gray, re-
pairs Of moro important character are
needed, though still deemed slight. A disk
entirely blue denotes u machine that needs
very substantial repairs. One.half black and
half white indicates the machine Is being
built over. A disk Of black denotes an engine
dead, unfit save to be cut up or sold. This
record is changed every week, and Is so COM
picte us to enable any one 10 see at q glance
Just the condition of the motive power.
Repairs are never undertaken II thoy will
cost over $4,000, For that new standard
boiler can be built, aud unless an engine Is of
the standard pattern, she is never built over.
For the company does not wish to perpetuate
odd engines aud 10 pay more than So 900 would
not be so economical rs to pay the interest on
the value of new machine. Here, again. truo
economy steps in 10 change the practice Of
blind conservatism, An engine on this road
is always most carefully used. After our loco
motive is placed in tho hands of an engineori it
is cared for with tho watchlulness of a parents
affection. most accurate record of its per-
formauCe is made, kept aud compared with
that of other engines. AS freight is paid for
per ton per mile, so the cost Of an engine is
reckoncd The amount Of coal consumed per
car per engine mile being calculated, IL is easy
to see, by dividing this by the tonnage, just
how much coal it takes TO move tou OF freight
one engine mile. And the engine that does
this most success fully is the cheapest.
"Finaly, after having Travelled many thou
sands of miles, having safely hauled millions
Of human beings, our locomotive Is sont TO the
shop cOndemhtd-dead. IL is ignominiously
bundled OF into II corner to stand with lot
of Others until cut up or sold on Its imme-
diato neighbOrs may be Others like ITSELF worn
out perhaps died in the harness. or, again,
victims OF tue win wrath and assassinliko
communism of Pttsburg rioters. The little
disk that records in tho sup0rntendents
Office its physical condition has turned TO black.
There is no hope.