The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-11-09

A Detailed Description of How the Work
Ii Accomplished.


Thirty-flvc thousand passenger cars
are now in use on the lis, 900 miles OF
railroad in the United States and Ter
ritorfes, and these cars have cost over
/ two hundred million dollars. "A pas
senger car costs So, 900 TO $4,000. An
outline of the manner in which such
cars are built clnnot but be OF in
tcrest, as this class of car construc-
| ton constitutes an important in.
du>try here. When an order is re-
ceived for given number or cars II.
is accompanied by carefully prepared
drawings OF every detail and by speci-'
fications which even enumerate the
quantity and quality of screws, nails,
! bolts, castings, trimmings, etc.,,
which are to be used. Those I'M
! familiar with this class OF work
would be astOnished at the elaborate
nature of the drawings, many OF
them OF full size, with all dimensions
marked on them so that no mistakes
may occur. The specifications aim
20 contain clelr statement OF all
the materials to be used, their guam
tity, quality and sizes; and the man.
ner in which they are TO be treated
and built into the proposed cars, Is.
also very carefully described: even the
paint and varnishes are specified, as
we'll as the number Of coats OF each,
and the length OF time each coat is
TO be given to dry. Thus 1t will be
seen that a car is first carefully con-
structed in the mind e the de-
signer and all details put upon
paper, which serve as a guide TO those
having the construction in hand.
When an order for cars is placed,
bills of the materials required are
made in each department and pat
terms for the iron and wood work are
made, to guide the foremen in laying
out their portions of the work. AS
speedily as possible departments are
furnished with the raw or finished
materials called for on their bills
Of materials with which to make their
portions Of the car. As an illustra-
ton, the wood machine shop gets out
from the rough lumber the exact
number Of pieces Of wood Of every
kind and form called for, and the
blacksmith shop gets out the forg-
ings required, the bolt department
makes the exact number Of bolts of
various kinds needed, and the brass
! foundry fills it's order for the neces-
sary trimmings, which trimmings,
when SO specified, are taken in
hand by the electro plating de-
partment and plated with nickel,
silver or gold, as called for The
glass department cuts the glass,
etches it, and silvers it when re-
quired, and makes and furnishes all
the mirrors. When everything is
ready the prepared materials are de-
livered as needed at the compart-
ments where the cars are TO be erect
ed. First the bottom materials,
such as stills, floor-joistS, flooring,
draft-timbers, and transOms arrive
and are taken in hand by the bottom
builders. At the completion Of the,
bottom of a car, which comprises the
work of the bottom builders, it is
turned over TO the hody-buildcrs, who.
put up the frame work and complete
the body of the car, their work
consisting Of applying posts, brac-
ing, filing belt railing paneling, car
lining, etc. The car is now taken by
the roofers, who apply the roof boards,
holdings. etc, and then the timers
put on the metal covering. After
careful inspection the car is taken
by the outside painters, and is entered
at the same time by the inside finish
ers, who put in and finish the nice
inside woodwork, which is Of the best
kinds of lumber, such as oak. ash,
cherry, mahogany, or vermilion.
The piping for heating and for light
ing is set in before the seats are
placed in position. The inside finish,
too. conceals the electric wires which
may be called for in the specifica-
tions. Cars are lighted by oil. gas or
electricity. If by gas, it is carried in
condensed form in tanks underneath
the car, and is conducted TO lamps by
suitable piping. Electric lights are
derived from storage batteries, and
from dynamOs run in baggage car,
by steam from the engine.
When the inside wood work is all
in place, and some of this finish COM
prises exquisite carving, the inside
painters go over the entire interior
the trim ers, who place the bronze or
plated trimmings upon doors. sash,
blinds, and walls. The upholstering,
draperies, seat-coverings, carpets,
etc. which have all been previously
prepared, are now put in, and when
the finishing touches are added by
the equipment department the car is.
ready for delivery TO its purchaser, to
whom it is sometimes sent by special
messenger. Parties for whom cars
are building generally keep an in
spectCr at the shops TO that a |
work and materials are in accordance
with plans and specifications. All
work in the construction department
is carefully subdivided, many differ
ent gangs of men having their allot-
ted tasks, which they perform with
surprising quickness and dexterity.
Mostot this passenger car work is paid