Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-05-30
VALUABLE INVENTION.
The Latest Success of Southern Pacific
EnO!uear.


Engineer.
Referring to the report of an accident that
occurred on the Duluth and Iron Range
Railroad short time ago, when train
ran away going down heavy grade and
was dashed to pieces, causing injury 10
several persons, reporter of tbs RECORD
UNION inquired of an engineer of the
Southern Pacific Company how such an
accident could happen if air brakes were
used. The engineer promptly answered
that the automatic air brake is one of the
most useful inventions of modern times,
but it is plain in the case alluded to the
automatic brakes failed to do their work,
as will sometimes happen ON engines not
equipped with the Sweeney air compressor
attachment, and then, seeing that his
auditor did not understand. called his at
tention to a locomotive which had just
pulled the overland train into the depot,
and described the device, which il seems
has been patented by Thomas P. Sweeney.
an engineer in the employ of the Southern
Pacific Company, and which practically
does away with the danger of accidents by
runaway trains. As is very apparent to all,
If the air pump on a locomotive which
forces air into the reservoir to work the air
brakes gets out of order or fails to furnish
sufficient quantity of compressed air, the
force on the brakes is not strong enough to
hold the train on steep grade or when a
sudden stop is to be made, and the train
runs away.
By the Sweeney attachment however,
the heavy overland trains are handled with
the greatest ease and security on the heavy
Sierra Nevada grades The device is very
simple, and consists in utilizing the mo-
mentum of the train to stop it. The
cylinders of the locomotive are utilized to
compress air and force it into the reser-
voir, thus a supply of compressed air is al
ways at command, it is easily and quickly
put in operation, will never fail to work
when steam is shut off and engine moving,
needs no repairs, and cannot get out of or
der. 1t is used in conjunction with the
Westinghouse pump, and seems to be indis-
pensable on roads having steep grades, and
of great utility everywhere
Ii consists of pipe connecting the
steam chest with the air reservoir of the
train brakes, in one end of which is a
check valve and at the other end globe
valve, connected by rod with a handle
in the cab and opened or closed by
the engineer at will. When it be-
comes necessary to pump air with the
ing shut off and engine moving, the globe
valve is opened and the reverse lever put
on a point back of the center notch (if the
engine is moving forward). The piston will
then suck air through the exhaust pipes,
compress and force it through the steam
! chest, globe valve and pipe into the air res
ervoir connected with the train brakes.
There has never been runaway train
where the locomotive was equipped with
this appliance. The Southern Pacific Com
pany, always up to the times, and on the
alert to adopt all valuable contrivances for
the security of passengers and employees,
has secured q license to use this invention
on all its lines, and has demonstrated its
great value by actual use.
Mr.. Sweeney the lucky inventor, is to
be congratulated on securing patent for a
discovery that will not only be of inesti-
mable value to railroads and the travelling
public, but which will also make him a
wealthy man.