Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-08
WITH HEATED WATER
A New System of Heating Passenger
Cars to be Tried Here.
THE DEADLY STOVE MUST GO NOW.
A Train Being Fitted Up by the PennSyl-
vania Company.
PIPES In THE DOMES OF THE ENGINES

The Pennsylvania Company has almost
completed the fitting up of a train of five
passenger cars with new hot water heater
that promises to forever settle the question
of the "deadly car stove" In about one
week the company will make their first
test on a run of the train from Chicago to
Pittsburg.
The new heater is the invention of Mr..
R. j. Wilson, of this city, and railroad Of
fcials say it will solve the question they
have been worried about so long, viz: how
to comfortably heat passenger coaches with
out placing stoves in the cars. If the COM
ing test of the new heater demonstrates Its
efficiency the Pennsylvania Company may
place it in all their cars on all their lines.
The finishing touches are now being placed
on the last car, and as soon as it is completed
it will be sent to Chicago with the others.
The test will be made great event. A large
crowd of railroad officials and others inter-
ested will 60 to Chicago and return on the
train testing the heater. 1t is probable that
the train will be sent to different points of
the country to show the heater to the officials
of foreign roads.
HOW THE THING WORKS.
The water is heated over the boiler Of the
locomotive, and through series of
pipes will be run into the cars. A Fort
Wayne engine has been remodeled to heat
the water. In the dome over the center OF
the boiler, which was formerly known as the
sand-box, coils of copper pipe will be laid,
through this the water will pass.
The water, before being heated, will be
drawn from the tender on the reverse side
of the engine. A three-way cock will con-
meet with pipe leading to the dome of the
boiler. A steam pump about the size of
those used to pump air into the air pipes
will draw the water from the tender to the
dome. In the latter the copper pipes will |
be coiled as closely as it is possible to get
them. As the dome sets upon the hottest |
part of the boiler, and the steam circulates
around the pipes inside the dome, the cold |
est water can be made scalding hot in few |
minutes.
As the water becomes heated in the dome, |
it forces its way through large pipe lead
ing to the other side of the tender. This |
pipe, by means of coupling, connects with |
q larger pipe under the passenger coach.
About foot from the end of this pipe is a |
"Y" pipe leading up through the floor of |
the car. From there the hot water is car
ried through two-inch pipes under the seats
close to the side of the car. There are two
pipes on each side. When the water is
forced into the car the "Y"
SENDS IT BOTH WAYS
toward the other end of the car. 1t first
passes through the lower pipe, and, upon
completing the circuit of the car, it is
forced into the upper pipes. After passing
through the upper pipe the water is forced
through the coupling into the next car, and
SO on until it gets through the train.
Upon arriving at the rear end Of the last
car the water back Of it forces il through the
pipes back to the place it started from. 1t
re-enters the dome of the boiler and in pass
ing through becomes heated again. A con-
tinuous stream of water is passing through
the pipes all the time and the water cannot
become cold.
Where the pipes are exposed under the
cars they are heavily covered to prevent
them from becoming cold and reducing the
of the water. They are first
covered with asbestos, after that they are
with hair cloth, then paper and the
whole covered with duck canvas.l After the
canvas is put on they are painted.
A few inches over the pipes in the car
foot rest will be placed at each seat
Passengers can place their feet on these in
stead of putting them on the hot pipes and
getting scorched. For the present the
stoves will be kept in the cars to provide
against any emergency.
At the ends of each will be placed an
stop-cock. If the train breaks
in two the cocks close the pipes and the hot
water is kept in the cars. If a car is side
tracked the cocks can be closed and the
water will keep hot for six hours. When 1t
is necessary to drain the cars the cocks may
be opened and the water allowed to run out.
If all the Fort Wayne engines are
,quipped with the new apparatus the sand
boxes will be taken out of the boiler domes
Ind placed under the foot-boards of the