The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-05
IN THE REPAIR SHOPS.
VISIT TO THE PLACE WHERE SICK
ENGINES ARE CURED.
Doctoritg Locomotives Afflicted with
Asfhraa. Hot Boxes and Lame Backs
Ingircs of An Ages and Descriptions
Facts Concerning Eoiicrs-"strippers.

Facts Concerning r;oiicrs-"strippers-
West OF Fortietb street a wide stretch OF
prairie is inciosed by high board fence ana
within the inclosurc stand thirteen main
structures beside multitude Of smaller
Ones OF the six range! side BY side along
the main track Of the Gaiena division tie
first and largest one, with wide doors open
ing to the cast and surlnounted by huge
chimney whose volumes OF smoke would
drive the smoke inspector 10 distraction, Is
the machine and construction. shop-the
surgical clinic Of the Northwestern road.
The other five Of this cllleser Of shops, con-
nected by a system Of parallel tracks arc ex-
clusiveIy devoted e. the repair Of passenger
coaches The two longitudinal buildings,
placed at right angles with the former, are
the shops where the iron and woodwork for
car repairs is made Two other structures,
ea-h over 600 feet in length. are warehouses,
and behind these are the yards for the stor-
age Of all sorts Of odds and ends, such Gs run
ming gear-good, bad and indiferent-old,
worn out axlcs, new Wheels Of paper, iron
and steel, freight car boxes which have out
lived their usctulness-in short, every i'm
aginable appliance used in connection with
rolling stock generally.
To the uninitiatei visitor who has obtained
the privilege Of a stroll through the shops the
locomotive department is no doubt the most
interesting. In its workings tits ct the same
time the most difficult to describe. To begin
with, the locomotive is not o: the neuter:
that wonderful piece OF mechanism is Of the
feminine gender Like the vessel TO the
- lI.ff 81,
that has anything to do with he. Tho engi-
neer's sweetheart Is a stanch, onderous ana
yet complicated being, like all females, gwen
10 the most incOmprehensibie and perplcxlng
complaints, though most everything about
her is Of iron-gray or cast lyon, wrought
iron and sheet iron.
The machine shop is truly world in ~
self. Entering from the north end, there are
10 the left, stretching away t. the farther
extremity Of the huge building. many snort
tracks or stalls shut OF from the outer
world when 50 desired by large doors. Here,
side by side, all facing TO the east, arc loco
motives Of all ages and descriptions IN one
continuous line. Silent and grim they stand,
their sl,nbcr forms looming large and terri
bic in the dim obscurity Of tins vast work
siNi. IltIt liIiN Nf ANNiilA fHrA'N'
with a great variety OF complaints am in al
stages Of conyalescence. Engines with bot
boxes and lame backs, with violent internal
wheezngs and various oIninols and sus-
picous premonitory symptoms Of approach
ing dissolution: engines afflicted ~ith swcats.
violent fevers. with levers that refuse e.
work and wheels that will not so round.
Among them, to and fro, in and out, move
the doctors operating upon each accord
ing 70 the peculiar nature Of her disease.
Upon the right, also stretching t. tue
farther end, is u perfect wildec,.ess Of ma
chimes. while scattered over the floor IN and
about these machines. wheels. c!anks, shafts,
aud every conceivable Specimens Of mechaE-
zeal construction lie in all stages Of compile
ton. ANYTHING like an intelligent descfil-
tion Of even a limited number = these parts
and the mechanism by which thfy arc shaped
would require volumes. But u is hero that
they are brought 10 their greatest state az
perfection and I'm the different processes hun
dreds Of machines. many Of spccial design
and representing ia the aggregate hundreds
Of thousands Of dollars, arc Use'' constantly.
we are not building any new locomotives
az present. said tho OOAging superintendent
II construction, ''cud have not for Sonic
time. An our work in that Inc IS beng
done &C the Schenectady works after special
plans prepared by us DO wc have enough
repairing 10 keep M busy. bess You. Yes
often more than VIC can attend 90. NCr,
here LAYING his hand caresingly upon d
huge monster towering above HIM, SIS no
l4G Run into car at a switch. stoyo IA
% All. fff H.
While she is in we viii give her general
overhaulng. Il viii take about three
weeks
With this gentlcmans assistance many H.
tercstmg facts were learned The crown
sheet. or that part of tho boiler directly over
the fire. is subject 10 tho greatest wear, ne
explained. being where most OF the team
is generated. Next 10 that come the ilucs.
Here the reporter was invited 10 ascend an
improvised wooden staging and, ciambcring
from thence mp the rounding sides OF a great
boiler. peercd down into is governors depths
By means Of an opening in the dome. - these
iron bars" said the superintendent, (which
YOU see are placed directly over the croNa
Sheet and bolted TO it, and the whole IS fur
Their strengthened b. means OF iron rods
I running 10 TIC lt0l am b'htSs ~ - h'-~
that the greatest labor and attention is be-
slowed. BY means of this glass gauge the
engineer is kept informed OF the height OF
water in the Ioilcr. Should this water by
any csrelessness be permitted 10 get beio"
the rpot indicated. the most dire consequences
might l.. expected were not the Gre immc
| diatelv withdrawn. Tho contact Of the cold
water from the pump with the supcrheated
surfaces Of the crown sheet would generate q
gas which nothing could Withstand"
After an engine il run into the stall She Is
given over 10 the "strippers," VINO take her
/ apart. She is then cleaned, after which any
! defects in her boiler or fire box ere remedled
As her machinery or running gear viii
usually outwear her lues aud ymilar parts,
two to one. it is not always that any exten
sive repairs are necessary 70 the former.
Every portion, however, requires 10 be over
hauled. examined and adjusted After
leaving the shops she is expected TO remain
out at least fourteen months before again
recurring aftent' on. Chicago Times.
Race Horses Must BE Watched
As / said. no one knew my business, and
i'm - q al A.