The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-30
MUST HAVE AIR.BRAKES,
Freight Cars Also Undergoing Equip.
mcnt With Patent Couplers,

From the Philadelphia Press.
All the new freight cars that are be-
ing built will be equipped with air
brakes and patent couplers so as to
comply with the requirements of the
interstate commerce law which goes in
to effect on January l. 1898. The neces-
sity of having the freight cars equipped
with the air brakes and the patent
couplers has compelled the railroad
companies to make strenuous eXertions
In that direction, and the manufactur-
ers of this kind of material are receiv-
ing more orders than they can fill by
the time required. AS the cars have to
be equipped by January /. 1898, and as
most of the roads have just begun or
dering the castings and pipe connec-
tions for their cars, 1t may be impossi-
bic for the manufacturers to fill all the
orders in time.
The law is that on and after Janu-
ary l, 1898, 1t shall be unlawful for any
common carrier engaged in interstate
commerce by railroad to use on its line
any locomotive engine in moving inter-
state traffic not equipped with power
driving wheel brake and appliance for
operating the train brake system. or to
run any train that has not a sufficient
state traffic not equipped with power
or train brakes for the engineer to con-
troll its speed without requiring brake
men to use the common mandrake for
that purpose. 1t shall also be unlawful
to haul or permit to be hauled or used
on Its line any car used in moving in
terstate traffic not equipped with coup
lers coupling automatically by impact,
and which can be uncoupled without
the necessity of men going between the
ends of the cars. This law also pro-
vides that when any person, firm, COM
linn sraA in intpr-
state commerce by railroad shall have
equipped sufficient number of its cars
so as to comply with the provisions Of
this act it may lawfully refuse to re-
ceive from connecting lines or road or
shippers any cars not sufficiently
equipped. in accordance with this act.
The work of equipping all the freight
cars Is a colossal undertaking, and it
is likely that it will be impossible for
the roads to comply with the new law.
There are two factors that will work
against the fulfillment Of the require
ments by the time specified: First that
the material required cannot be OBJ
tained, and, second, 1t will be impos-
sible for some of the roads to lay out
the money required on account of the
depression in business, which has
greatly affected their earnings. Owing
to the latter cause it is said that an
attempt will be made to have the time
extended as was done in the law rela-
tive to equipping freight cars with
grabirons ana handhoids.
The lowest estimates place the num-
Der Of freight cars unequipped with air
brakes in the country at the present
time at about 100000, and as there are
nearly 100000 cars all told the Under
taking is large one. 1t is estimated
that tho rICt nf aoIYinnintr Ia with
an air brake is about $45, but with the
patent coupler and grabirOns and
handholds the cost Is for each year
about $50. The Pennsylvania Railroad
company expects to have all its cars
equipped by the time set. All the new
cars have the latest appliances. and as
fast as the old ones go to the shops
they are fitted w with all the equip
ment required by the new law.