The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-23
FDRTHE Mexican Central
Monster Locomotive Built by the
Rhode Island Company.
DESCRIPTION OF The ENGINE.
Copper Works To Be Eniarged-New MIL
to Be Built at warren-PatentsI Issued
General Industrial News-What IL
Going ON Among the Workers.

In q recent issue OF the Scientific Amer
lean is a full-page cut of the new mon
ster locomotive OF the Mexican Central
railway, designed by Mr.. 4. w. John
stone, superintendent of motive po yer of
that railway. aud built by the Rhode
lAland Locomotive works.
Concerning the engine the Scientific
American says: "This is probably the
largest and most powerful locomotive
engine now extant. l. has been built
for special service in drawing freight
trains over the heavy grades and curves
between Tampico and the city OF Mexico
Some of the grades are 1884 feet TO the
mile aud curves IL to % degrees. The
weight OF this great machine is 40 tons.
In exterior appearance IL looks like a
couple of locomotives OF the mogul pat
tern backed up together, with the cabs
Joined. FlexiDility sufficient to go round
the sharp curves with least frictional re
sistance is gained by securing the driving
wheels in truck which is free 10 move
in line different from that followed BY
tho main frames.
The Cylinders aud Boilers
are carried on the main frame sepa rate
from the driving wheel truck. AS the
cylinders are not in line with the driving
wheels In rounding curves, it is necessary
that a special method OF transmitting
power from the cylinders To the crank
pins should be employed. This is done
In "A very ingenious way through levers
that transmit the power aud compensate
for the varying distances between the
pistons and the crank, due TO the swivel
ing of the driving wheels. But for this
compensating ARRANGEMENT, IL would be
necessary TO give the engine SO mucn cyl
indar clsaranra fhat tina loss nf
would be very great. The power-trans-
mitting levers are at the back OF the cyl
inders. Connected at the top by short
link, and the bottom ends pinned to the
front end OF the main rods. There are
two of the latter. one connecting with a
crank pin. the other with "A return crank.
The piston transmits motion to the back
one of the two levers. and that gives
motion to the front lever, which is full
crumed securely to the frame near its
center.
The Engines
ar, compound, with aunular cylinders,
the high pressure cylinder being in the
middle, aud the low pressure cylinder
outside. The high pressure cylinder is
13 inches diameter, and the low pressure
2S inches. The stroke Is "a inches. 1t is
calculated that the cylinder capacity or
each pair Of cylinders is equal to 10 by
"a simple engine.
Tne boilers are Of Otis steel, 9-l6 inch
in diameter, and carry $50 pounds OF
steam TO The square inch. They are 81 a
inches in diameter, and have POI u u
inch tubes, Is feet Us inches long. The
fire-boxes are of the Belpaire type. 81
inches long and SO inches wide
The arrangement of working is that
the valve motion of the two engines is
operated by one screw reverse lever.
Iu the new locomotive the enginee. sits
on one side of the cab with all the neces-
sary apparatus for working the double
ender within easy reach. On the other
side the fireman pours in the fuel through
side doors. A coal passer is necessary TO
aid him.