Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-01-22


Steel wheels are also made by the
steam hammer provided fOr the pur-
Pose with q die for iormi ig them into
lhe proper shape Everywhere Ia the
factory electricity aad hydraulic power
are employed. An electric crane runs
un ahd down the greatest Of the shops,
which cover muhy blocks. 10 pick up
az entire locomotive bodily Is a small
affair for Il. Il rcadily carries a weight
Of 100 tons at n rate of 300 feet n minute
aud sets Il down as gently as II It were
six weeks baby, within ono thirty-scc-
und OF an inch of any spot that may be
desired. After all the parts of an en-
gine has been made, they are assembled
in the erecting shop and are put together.
The boiler is put upon the cylinders,
the different parts of the frame arc
attached. the wheels are fastened on be-
meath, and the cab Is added by carpen-
tors. The boiler ia shcathpd with wood.
which, being a nou-COnduCtOr. keeps the
heat In. Over this sheathiug sheet
iron coat is put.
One of the very last finishing touches
tO n locomotive is the putting on Of the
cowcatcher This Is purely and simply
a limerick. being of no use whlteger
10 does not catch COWS so rs 70 preserve
them for future use nor does II throw
On the contrary, such n animal ~ usu-
ally knocked ~ pieces by q fast train,
its internal economy being distributed
over the front part of the engine. When
an engine Is finished at the factory, Is
Is pulled Nv little locomotive out Of
the erecting shop 60 tricks outside which
connect with the Reading Railroad II
u has been manufactured for a railroad
at considerable distance. i IN shipped
as freight being towed dead over the
rails TO It's destination. with all is nova
bic parts packed away IN the tender lest
they should be stolen. II the locomo-
tive Is to be delivered to a customer not
far away. IL gets mp steam and does its
own running A man is sent with every
engine to set Il up fire II, aud start Il
| 0-going. All engines are made with con
vertibe parts, so TINT, If an engineer IN
Oregon should telegraph that the piston
rod of locomotive No. 23O2 was broken.
duplicate certain to st with absQlute
exactness could be forwarded tronne-
diately.
Ever so many kids of locomotives are
Turned ont M the Philadelphia works.
| from the clumsy looking hut powerful
Mother Hubbard to the Dirt Burner,
| which will burn anything, even brick.
| bats IL ouly the stun has little coal
mixed with H. The factory also produces
electric engines aud soda engines Whicn
get their power from the expansion OF
! gas generated by sulphuric acid drop.
ping into AN air-tight tank partly filled
| with mnrble-dust a locomotive costs
from 5000 TO $1,000 according to the
| claborlteuess of It's PARTS aud the NUM-
Der of driving wheels. Fancy engines
are made for almost any price, 10 suit
/ the tastes of purchasers. Companies In
/ South America want silver mountngs ON
! their locomotives. which are expensive,
/ The hre-boxcs of engines designed for
| service In South America are commonly
/ made of copper, because iron Is quickly
eaten mp 10y the chlOriues and other chom-
/ teal elements found ian the water of tina,
part of the world.
This factory In Philadelphia employs
dJO1 men, divided into day uuIl night
shifts. I'm wages SGO.OU0 q week Is paid
/ The system adopted Is In one respect
unique, all the work being given out
| 10 ioremen 81 gangs. who net as con-
: tractors. Any responsible workman can
| obtain a contract from The company 10
/ do certain Jobs I'M such case the
| contractor agrees 90 furnish such and
! such a product at q stated price, cnp
| ploying what men he chooses. IL h
always his own interest to give the best
| pay he can, because otherwise his good
men will be hired away from him by
/ other contractors, Necessarily, lac does
| all he can 70 get the most aud the best
| labor out OF his employees. If what he
! turns out Is not found satisfactory, he
! tx obliged 10 replace IL ut bis own eX
| pense. 1t Is wonderful 10 wee how busy
! everybody Is iul the works. No one !,
| idle for a moment.
There Is a project 10 test the relanv,
speed u English and American locomO
lives by racing them Oh parallel tracks
at the Worlds fair at Chicago.