The record-union., 1896-05-17


floor is laid. 1t is put down crosswise,
and is made of three-fourths-inch Ore
gon pine Your car is materializing in a
hurry now, and you are surprised with
what haste the work has been con-
Quoted.
Next the "comber," or long curling
wave, is given to the car by tightening
the truss rods by means of the turn
buckles, and you will find your car con-
siderably higher in the middle than at
the ends. The philosophy of this is that
when the car is loaded to its fullest ca
pacity, there will be no sag in the mid
die, the detection bringing the sills to
the position they occupied before the
comber was given them. Thus danger
of the sills falling under the enormous
pressure brought to bear upon them is
reduced to a minimum, and-who ever
heard of a car breaking in two in the
middle?
The draw bars are then applied, and
if the trucks were at this time shunted
under your structure you would find
that you had completed a-f1atcar.
But the work of constructing freight
or boxcar is not nearly done, and the
car-buiIder goes steadily on. The end
the body posts, which number four cor
ner, four side door, twelve intermediate
posts and sixteen body braces. Then
there are set in two side and end belt
rails, two side plates, two end plates,
center and intermediate carlins, all OF
which are secured by body and roof tie
rods, brace rods, lugS, bolts, nuts, wash
ers, screws and rails.
rT~I- 10
the incest accuracy, and the frame is
ready for the sheeting or siding which
is also of pine, and is put on with
barbed nails. When the sheeting is on
your car looks to be completed, but such
is not the case.
Underside and end fascia, or broad
fiat iron bands, are then secured in
place as well as necessary corner irons
secured by lag screws Gron bolts with
square heads sharp edged threads and
sharp points, adapted for screwing into
wood, as we'll as by bolts, nuts, wash
ers, etc.
The ridge pole and purlines are then
strung along the top Of the car, as is
also the Winslow rafters, after which
the Winslow roof-composed of galvan-
lied iron-is adjusted. Next comes the
roof Stats, which are secured to the
rafters, after which the side and end
fascia are placed in position with fur
rings, or pieces attached to the rafter-
feet for carrying the caves beyond the
wall line, and the car is at last ready
to receive the roof proper.
The roofing timber is en-eighths
Of an inch, tongued and grooved, and Is
secured by two nails at each bearing.
This wooden roofing is laid for the pur-
pose of protecting the Winslow roofs and
when it has been laid comb piece is
put on covering the joints, and on top
Of this is fastened a running board
TWENTY-FIVE inches wide, which extends
the entire length of the car, and the roof
is completed.
Next the builder turns his attention
to the side doors and end windows,
which he properly fits and adjusts,
hanging them SO as to work freely. He
then fixes the hand brake shaft to one
end of the car, with all its bearings,
brackets and braces, and then, and not
until then. are the trucks upon which
the truck-builder has expended so much
care, run under the structure, the two
centerplates joined, the king-boit IN
serted and your car is finally upon
wheels and rapidly nearing completion.
Then the balance of the air-brake fix
lures are applied and the brake tested
to see If any weak part exists. For this
purpose the emergency brake is brought
into use, for, if weak parts do exist,
they must be located before the car
leaves the shop. 1t would indeed be
sorry time to locate defects in the brake
while coming down a 200-feet- to-the-
mile grade.
It may here be said that no car leaves
the shops until it is known to be in
first-class condition in every respect.
So. after all these things have been
done, the car is ready for the paint
shop and so far as the car-builder is
concerned, ready for the road.
-Four men, working together, can fin
isu a hat-car body in about eight hours;
or a box car in about three days.
None but the best workmen are en-
ployed 10 build cars in the shops, and
they are furnished with the best mate
rial which can be procured. So it is
perhcps unnecessary to state that the
worked turned off by them will COM
pare favorably with any in the United
States. Each mechanic is a practical
workman in his respective line, and
ta kes pride in turning out work which
will rebound to his credit. They are
careful and painstaking men, these
same car builders. and expend as mucll
judgment and accuracy in building a
box or freight car as they do when put
ting together one of the palace passen-
ger cars which are genuine comforts to
the travelling public.
Freight cars are being constantly re-
paired in the shop. and even when no
cars are being built the force is kept
very busy.
The names of the force of men at
present employed in the department are
as follows:
Victor Lemay, Foreman
K. P. Darlington, Assistant Foreman.
II. F. Slower, Assistant Foreman
r. c. Aiken, G. Aiken,