The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1882-08-10
TRACK LAYING.
Some Light Thrown Upon an Interesting
Subject Heretofore Neglected
by the Press.
Life on a Construction Train = Detailed
Description Of the Work Perfor-
med by the Railroaders.
One and half Miles Of Track Laying
an Average Days Work for
Winston Bros. & Olark's Force.
A Herald Reporter on the Train.

A Herald Reporter on the Train.
Inasmuch as the track of the Northern
| Pacific railroad has reached the bank OF
the Yellowstone river opposite the town,
this may be considered an opportune
| moment JIM which to introduce our
readers to the modus operandi OF track
LAYING; which, by the way, when viewed
tor the fist time, presents very inter-
es ting spect.,' Gle. A HERALD reporter
spent a night a,~l day. recently, with
Winiton Brothers d e'1fh p ''i'',' 'o'
the purpose of gathering iaN's " 'i'i'
with to enlightcn the public '''e'''ins i
the operations Of the men com, 'i.'+'
its several departments. In the II -
place, the construction train, which is
always as near the end of the track rs
the condition Of the newly laid thorough
cars. and is, in fact, city on
wheels. The first cars in the procession
are the three iron Or layer ears. Next
comes the blacksmith and wagonshop
car, then the tcamsters' sleeping car: at
tached TO this is the store cur, where a
stock of goods is displayed, which
the workmen purchase: then q commo,
dious Office cor, and in close proximity
4 provision car, where supplies sufficient
to last about two weeks arc always
stored. Following this is Mr.. j. b.
Wi'rston's private residence car, in
which are two rooms and which form
the COSY ,'omicile occupied by Mr.. and
Mrs. p. B. Winston, their two children
and nurse.
Adjoining Mr.. 7inston's car is the
dining car, where the Office force and
several other employees fare sump-
tuously every day. Next TO this
is the kitchen car where cooks and
cookies are kept busy from $50 a. NJ to
$50 ?. NJ. Next in order come the
dining cars provided for the accomnio-
dation Of the men composing tire differ
cnt working gangs Another car at the
rear of this carries barrels of water, IUlts
and other articles that can not be trans
ported in the box cars. Last i'll the
train, but not least in Importance, is
another provision car, filled to overflow
ing with Il general stock of groceries.
The office car, the teamsters' sleeper,
the store car, the dining and kitchen
cars are all ''double deckers," that IS
two stories in height, the upper story OF
each being used as sleeping apartments.
AT the call of the night watchman, who
announces the approach Of the working
hour, there is every morning such a
turning out as reminds one Of bee
hive being emptied Of its inhabitants.
The teamsters visit the cat car, procure
the supply of feed for their horses ard
mules, feed and harness them. and, at
the signal for breakfast, are themselves
read\ to stow away provender under the
conyic. ion that three meals a day, for
either nan or beast, are not too many.
The bride e builders, the track layers,
and all en- 'ploycs, in fact, breakfast
between 6 I'll. ESQ 4. NJ.
At a few mimi ties before Z O'Clock the
march ia the f. ont commences, the
pioneer guard con, sisting Of the pile
driving crew and tn. bridge builders
being always in advaA 'ce' NO sooner
has the hour of seven be Ell ;'hho'liice,'
\
than the entire camp is H. ''io'io'i -
score or more OF foreshortel + "a "aSoiis'
which hold on the average about. 'A,ee''
ties, and are propelled by fine .loo- -Ains
mules, glide out beyond the limit OF
the track and are there uGloaded so that
the ties lie at right angles with t. tie
grade. Then back they 90 to the sup
ply train which always when not en-
gagged III procuring material "from be-
low" stands against the construction
train, and there are loaded again the
second, third and probably the 3Oth
time each day. The tie-men receive
the ties from the wagons and place them
in position. Two men bearin. an iron
rod, the length of rail, fol- |
low the placers, their business be-
ing to see that the ties which will !
come under the places where the rails |
are connected shall be sound and we'll |
shaped. If the work was stopped |
on the previous day, just as the stock of
rails in advance, was exhausted, the
conductor, upon commencing his days
labor, directs the engineer to shove
ahead. The order is obcycd, and the
entire outfit moves out to the end of the |
last rails-at the jumping off place in
fact. Then the rail crow attacks the
supply train, which has moved up with
the others, and despoils it Of several
car loads Of fine steel rails. The order
to "baok herr is then given, and back
the train soes-just far enough to bring
the 'layoIs'' CT rail cars opposite the
pile Of steel which has just been dumped,
These layers, it should be here said, are
Away in one place, namely: ahead Of
all the other cars, and would, at first
sight, be taken for ordinary hand cars.
At signal from the boss, ten men lift a
rail, hold it over the car, and then drop
it quickly. So on until the load Of thirty.
four Tails and three boxes Of spikes is
ready to so forward.
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