New-York tribune., 1890-01-12
EXODUS OF THE CAR-STOVE.
ITS PLACE TAKEN BY STEAM IN THIS STATE
AND ELSEWHERE.
MOST OF THE NEw-YoRK ROADS HAVE COM
Piled WITH THE LAW-DRAWBACKS TO
THE NEW SYSTEMS ADOPTED FOR
HEATING TRAINS.


THE NEW SYSTEMS ADOPTED FOR
HEATING TRAINS.
In this State the car stove has had its day OF
triumph. and is now doing duty as a constituent
Of the scrap-rou heap. The Legislature of 1889
abolished it because it was possessed of murder
Gus mania for setting fire TO wrecks and roasting
wounded passengers. The company that uses
stoves in its passenger cars now Is guilty OF a
msdcmeanor and is liable TO fine of $1,000
for each offence. and further penalty of 500
| for each day during which such offence IS con-
| tinued With few exceptions all the roads in tho
| State have complied with the law, some OF them
| roinr to a great expense TO do so in a thorough
ond effective manner. Various systems of heat
ing by steam have been adopted, but none are
vet perfect. and there are many complaints
we have complied with the law in every
respect" said Chauncey NJ Depew president 'oi
the New-York Central and Hudson River road
Are all your passenger cars now heated with
steam?' he was asked.
Every one"
"What system have you adopted ?"
"All steam-heating systems are practically alike
in their general features. The main difference
is in the couplings between the cars. With me
exception of the couplings we use the Maf'il
anti-nre car heater"
Are you satisfied with its operations Does
it thoroughly warm the cars
YES. The trouble is it makes them TOO
warm. We are unable TO regulate the neat
Where do you get the s;eam?'
"From the engine.
"Is not the drain on the engine considerable p
at amounts 70 something, but cannot say
how much ] am under the impression that we
tpn when
stoves were used However. on that point you
had better talk with our superintendent OF mo-
tive power. Mr. Buchanan. who knows all the
particulars
4 CHANGE COSTING sosoooo
In Mr.. Ruchanau's Office the system was eN-
plaincd. after which thc writer went INTO mum
Der II cars under the shed 10 see II IN operation
There was no sign Of a stove anywhere Inc
entire passenger cl.ipmcut ~ tie road has pceh
fitted with tie rcw apparatus. the expense ~,
vnItcl amounting - some S2oO,ooo Inc Oh"
system couGr...rcI hy law. had 10 be removed,
and. being useless fr any other purpose, II went
r. tie scrap heap. Cnusing loss Of 81" Tor
each ~ the -oo passenger cars owned by the
road. Tic introduction Of the new system 80
about $3.50 n car sill, tie Central manage
mcnt does no' complain. II is pleased with the
change and hope, t'o' 'lc people who rldc over
ts roads may learn - Ike IT,
II is met 10 Doe denied jLat few travellers Ike
any steam icatiug system row. II is usually
with them case of freeze or melt. congela-
tion or crcl,c spot The steam must he used
or NOT used Any ear in tie train may hc cit
on, Of the circuit while all tie rest remain in II,
but such cuttiu. oar means In zero weather n
rapid lowering OF the temperature and conSe-
qucut discomfort Then. when the conductor or
| brakeman 500, tlc noses of tlc passengers ic9ih
a. turn blue ic orcrs the valve and les in the
steam tin tlc temperature rocs up 20 g" degrees
IN :hc shade a general t.rw .c'- in, followed
.y n c',w.r,~- fi r,,' tr. l. IS "nt on Sire
records that any $50 persons ever agreed on me
,ub.cc, ~ temperature To-day m IN degrees
Nr WMmscy mct,. to-morro" at N de-re's ne
frcc1cs Nj oopti.uS is .r~t ''c r"vcr~e. and ni
i.4 uci-hhlfs arc H, cranky 1s lc. Tie "l i-i'>H-
toned stove in tie corner suited every body
When Wlmsc. was ella ic c.al| aH- II. VIXEN
lie was ho' lc could ro 70 'hc opposite end ot
ric c'r TIE s'com.hc1''n- systems, SO superior
IN I'll other respects. are nr behind the stove IN
,ls p'casin- quality. Until there is perfect
method ~ regulating thr temperature IN cars
all systems may hr accounted fllrns
ovr or THE ~Y~TIN- DESCRIBED.
The Martin system is simple arrangement of
l. aIrf- f|f Jos tI I.f fIIt Nt't 0f.ti' ''
elbow, projecting under tie seat, and c'u-
ncction tarou-h the floor az the centre with the
main or feed pipe beneath All the pipes dip
toward common centre so that the water
formed bv condensation dups into p trap, which
hv n peculiar mechanism opens and shuts auto
ma,ic,lv. always remaining closed while tie
steam is ON and openiu2 soon us IT is ca' OF.
thus having the quail Of being stcam-proof
without icins water proof The device is opcr-
atcd by the difference in expansion aud con-
traction between brass cylinder and n
castiron frame supporting IT, IN us
use the pipes are kept clear Of
water and the steam. coming as it does from
the dome of the engine is always dry. " the
point wLcie the main or feed pipe IS connected
with the piping in the car there is uic'-N"N
| valve. by the simple turning of which the sean
NAV hc cut oG without interfering with or IN any
/ way affecting the rest Of the train.
! 40 part Of the numerous systems in use has
! Given more trouble and loss satisfaction than Tho
copplinrs None has been known TO perform
IFS functions properly when subjected to a cru
cial test on sharp curves and rough pieces o
track They are bound 70 leak. The Martin
coupling, telescope affair with ball joints, ha
leeu discarded by the Ncw-Norlt Central manage
mcnt on this account. its place being taken by M
/ invention Of Mr buchanan, which comes very
near filling the bill lis main features are bal
and socket elbow joint, and a swivel ana threa'
connection with the feed pipe, which give 50 mucl
play that a train might turn corner wthou
sprnping leak.
The steam is taken from the dome NJ the cngnl
through halfinch pipe AZ pressure of l2O t
$50 pounds To the square inch, but passes through
an automatic reducing valve which lowers th'
pressure TO five pounds broken pipe IN ca
with IsO pounds of steam on tap would mean SuI
focated and sclldcd passengers; with only hV'
mounds pressure no harm would ensuc. Engineer
say that they do not notice any drain on the en-
gine No extra stops are made for water. and NJ
mara cooI iS burned than before the system wa