The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-07
PERFECTING THE LOCOMOTIVE.
The Improvements Secured by the
Specialization of Work.

Specialization of Work.
Twenty-Five years ago it was generally
assumed that no man could become a first
class locomotive engineer until he had
passed years in the great repair shops of
the country. A young man not only
served long probation as a fireman, but,
under the rules of the great railroad sys-
TENS, he was also compelled to serve an
apprenticeship in the shops. His first
work here was generally as one of squad
of from six to dozen men. Under the
foremanship of the gang boss he was made
acquainted with the structure of the loco
motive. An engine in the shop for
general overhauling offered a field of
observation and study for the helper.
as he is generally called. A general over
hauling usually meant several weeks of
steady employment on one engine. The To-
connective was first stripped of all her upper
works. including the jacket, when If new
fues or new crown sheet were required,
the boiler shop was her first destination.
Here it received such repairs as the boiler
maker could give and was then put upon
the transfer table and taken back to the ma
chine shop. There in due time it was prac-
tically rebuilt, painted and was then ready
for the road. The apprentice during this
tening to the boiler the heavy hammered
frames. He assisted in attaching the cyl
inders, parallel rods and sidebars wit
messed the difficult and intricate task of
fitting the valves and eccentrics, and thus
learned exactly what to do in an emer-
gency when in charge of road engine.
From the erecting floor, where he had seen
the locomotive practically reconstructed,
the apprentice was transferred to the wise
floor, where the various parts of the engine
were perfected. Here he made study of
the brasses and wedges and learned the ne
cessity of exactness. Working with men
who were experts in their way he learned
the mysteries of the piston-rod and the
valve, and was made to understand how
the wheelpress brought together the i'm
mense driving wheels and axles.
After serving two years in the shops the
usual practice was to assign him as fire
man, either on the road or a switch engine.
Once in the cab under the personal super
vision of an old and experienced runner
the apprentice reached the last stage of
probation. He began to look forward to
the day when he should look out of the
front window from the engineers seat. In
many instances firemen passed many years
of hard work before reaching the goal.
The final elevation depended largely upon
ability, quickness and judgment, three
characteristics always closely watched.
There has been a great change in the
manner of selecting engineers in the past
twenty years. 1t is no longer considered
absolutely necessary that men should SUBJ
iect themselves to the training of former
days. William Buchanan, master mechanic
of the New York Central and Hudson River
Railroad, who has been connected with
the company since 1874, and continuously
employed in the machinery department,
, says that the chief requisites are sobriety,
u II
knowledge of the road. Few men not in
the employ of the line are appointed as
en- gineers. They are not required to
serve an apprenticeship in the machine
shops, principally because of late years
men have become specialists. The company
in the first years of its existence had eight
repair shops, whereas now, with its in
creased traffic and larger equipment, two
are amply sufficient. In centraliZing the
work the company has saved money and
time, and now has in it's employ COM
pany of tried men. Years ago, in case of
an accident to any particular part of the
machinery of a locomotive, it was practi-
cally impossible to locate the responsible
ity. Under the present system such acct
dents, if due to defects, are easily traced
to the workman responsible. For in
stance, if an engine slips an eccentric, the
machinist who does nothing else the year
round but attend to this particular part of
the machinery is at once located, and is
reprimanded if at all at fault. Men are
employed whose exclusive duty is setting
out the packing for the valves Others de-
vote their entire time to setting valves.
Another man does nothing but file journal
brasses for axle bearings. Another pays
his attention exclusively to perfecting and
polishing piston rods. To illustrate the
nicely to which the system has been
brought may be cited the exactness OBJ
the driving-wheels. Two men are re-
quired in this work. One works on the
right-hand journal, the other on the left
hand side and at the other end of the axle,
and they are never permitted to reverse
their positions.-New York Sun.