Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-11-08
GROOMING HE RON SEEDS
The Routine WORK That Is Done :,
Railroad Rouudhnus.

Railroad Roundhouse.
A locomotive roundhouse. with its
GRIM steel armored giants resting from
their labor. is an object OF irresistible g,
traction TO Sunday slrollers alono rho
river front near the UnIon station If q.
visitor happens to be ACCOMPANIED bv an
lnquisitive small boy, he will find tina,
there are many things about a round.
mouse winch are not comprehended in n
youths definition in school the otbar
day, "a place where they keep engines T"
instead OF being dreary as car
rage house, it is as lively 40 q
race horse stable 1t is 8 o'clock in tho
evening, and that the New York exnross
has just departed on its way to Boston
Soon the big express locomotive No 100
VIII slowly back dowu the ward apd
switch of down a side alley as il vero
toward the great roundhouse. Rumblipo
slowly down the grade, il will ston at q
gigantic coal heap, where a half DOZEN
dusky figures are ready with shovels
and at once they begin to send the coal
In showers into the tender MeanwbiIe
the fireman and engineer have climbed
down from the cab, their DAYS work
done, and have started honeward In
their place has climbed a short burIv
man, whose professional name is hos
tier, and the big machine is in his
charge from this time till the next morn
ing After the weight OF the tender has
oeen increased TO several tons by the
efforts OF the shovelers, the "hostIer"
slowly runs his charge to the turntabIe
ana the steed Is prepared to go to bed for
the night
Waiting on the table" is not the most
inviting occupation, to be judged by the
back straining and LEG achy" process of
turning a thirty ton locomotive half
round, and the walters. instead of
having dappeI white aprons and clean
NAPKINS are equipped with oily overalls
greasy caps and bi9 boots Indeed they
are the same set who were seen viciousIv
shoveling at the coal pile moment ago
and have followed the engine into the
house TO continue theiI attention They
oeai the name OF "wIpers" and the occu-
patton from which the term is derived
will soon be seen. When the engine has
pulled in To its stall, two bulkheads in
the front OF the boiler are unscrewed
ana two men, sticking long probes into
the hole. begin to ram up and down with
might and main This is to get the
sparks out of her, and the torturinp
process lasts fully fifteen minutes the
bright showers falling from the box into
the pit. Meanwhile the "wipers' are
not idle Armed with big punches of
waste soaked with black oil to prevent
rust, they rub and scrub vigorously, and
soon the effect OF their work begins to be
seen, for the big locomotive looks as
shining and sleek as racer fresh from
the stable.
The hostler" meanwhile has
banked the fire, and. after pouring
nine buckets of fine sand into the sand
box on the boiler. the traveller is left to
slumber on a warm bed warm, for in
the pit underneath runs a network of
steam pipes, giving a temperate heat. the
effect of which is shown by the dripping
OF the melting ice, if the weather is
cold No. 1879 rests peacefully; a smoth-
cred snore now and then is the only indi-
cation that spark of life remains in the
machine Early in the morning the
locomotive is awakened by the "hostler,"
who vigorously pokes the fire and soon
the steam is sizzling at lively rate.
About an hour before the train time the
''hostler" pulls the engine out. and after
making up the train. the engineer and
fireman redppear and No 1919 starts out
for its days run of 2T6 miles
Like every big barn, a roundhouse has
its annexes in the front yard Near the
entrance to the establishment there is a
woodshed, a sand house, and an oil
cubby The latter is part of the old round
house and the inside arrangements re-
semble well regulated kitchen Near
a sink in one corner are seen three brass
handled pumps, which connect with three
big tanks underneath the floor, which
have capacity of several barrels of oil
each In one of these tanks is the lard
oil for drilling in the shops, in another
the valve oil for the engines, and in an
other still is the engine OIL proper
Besides these substances is the kerosene
or headlight oil in a tank by itself In
little back room is the big pile of waste,
and the whole establishment is in charge
of responsible servant of the road. who
parcels out the material to the foreman
of the roundhouse as he requires. The
sand house is also a modest brick strucJ-
ure in which a pile of sand is heaped
about a large stove, to be perfectly dried
before being sifted, and right opposite is
the gigantic woodshed whose pile is re-
plenished every day with a car load
There are, of course, two gangs of hands
who have charge night and day respec-
lively, and. taken all together, a jollier,
healthier. and more hard working set of
men it would be hard to find the whole
road over. Springfield Republican.