The record-union., 1896-05-31

automatically applied should hose or
pipe burst.
1t WILL therefore, be seen that any
reduction of pressure in the train pipes
applies the brakes" which is the essen
tial feature of the automatic brake.
An automatic cock is placed at each
end of the train pipe, and is closed be-
fore separating the couplings, thus pre-
venting the application of the brakes
when cars are uncoupled. A stOp-cock
is also placed in the branch pipe lead
ing from the main train pipe to the
quick action triple valve, and one in the
main train pipe near the engineer s
brake valve and within convenient
reach of the engineer. The former is for
cutting out or rendering imperative the
brake on any particular car which may,
by accident, have become disabled, and
the latter for cutting out the engineer s
brake valve upon all but the leading
engine, when two or more engines are
coupled onto the same train.
Master Car-Builder WEIGH is author
ity for the following anecdote:
When the automatic brake was first
introduced in the Southern Pacific sys-
TEN a train Of freight cars was fitted
aims in order to test the qualities of the
invention on heavy grades. Naturally
enough word of the coming had pre-
coded the train, and many people were
waiting at each station anxious to learn
all there was to be learned about the
new invention.
At Rocklin the train was carefully in
spected with view of having every
thing in first-class shape before ascend
ing the grade. and here, as everywhere
else, the citizens had gathered. One of
the hands was particularly busy show
ing the merits of the brake, he happen
ing to have in tow a bevy of fair DANES
and smiling damosels, and while ex-
planning the intricacies of the invention,
and how, by it's use the speed Of the
train could be regulated to any pace re-
quired, came to grief.
1t must be remembered that the air
passes through the pipes and hose at a
pressure of about eighty pounds to the
square inch, and when this ingenious
individual parted the hose between the
cars the idea dawned upon him, in
spots, that he had overlooked something
in the pursuit of his knowledge of air
brakes. At first those hose straight
ened out and then began to shake as
though they had a palsy. Then they
wiggled around at a fearful rate, and
ended by Shaping the workman on his
stomach and battering him on the head
and various other places until he was
at length picked up limp and senseless.
He had been taught lesson he could
never forget, and when he recovered
from his drubbing, concluded he had
missed his calling, retired from the
compressed air business, and Is, at
present writing engineer in chief Of a
potato farm in the southern part Of the
county.
The passenger cars OF the Southern
Pacific Company are equipped with
what Is known as THE Air Signal"
This device is intended for the easy and
certain transmission Of signals from
the train to the engineer. taking the
place of the old bell cord, which upon
trains Of any considerable length was
always unsatisfactory. A separate
line of pipe extends throughout the en-
tire train and is united between the va
rlous cars with hose and couplings the
same as in the air brake system, but
the couplings being of slightly different
proportions, cannot be united with the
air brake couplings.
A car discharge valve Is placed over
one end door in each car, and is con-
nected by means Of pipe to the main
signal pipe under the car. A wire cord
| passes through the car, and extending
outside of the hood at one end, Is at
tached TO the lever Of the car discharge
valve, enabling the use of the sigma
from any part of the car. A small sig
| nal whistle Is located in the cab by
which the attention of the engineer 1:
attracted.
| Signals are transmitted to the engi-
neer from the train by pulling the sig
nal cord on any car, thus opening the
| car discharge valve and causing G
slight and short discharge of air, which
reduces the pressure in the main sig
AL pipe and its connections, and thus
automatically opening the signal valve
on the engine, air is discharged through
| the small whistle in the cab, sounding
blasts corresponding to each pull of tht
, cord from the train, and which may bt
given at the rate of one a second.
| Air is distributed throughout the shoT
and yard by system of pipes, for ths
| Purpose Of testing all hose, couplings
| and cocks, and for various other pur'
| poses.
| Years ago, before the present accom-
| nlodAtio1Is were had for the testing o.
! air brakes on cars before leaving the
shop. II was necessary TO bring the all
| from the roundhouse to the paint shot,
| in tanks expressly built for the purpose
! L. was during that period that one o
the employees in the shop who was no
| endowed with an over-abundance o
| knowledge in the compressed air line
| conceived the brilliant idea that by 1t:
use he could very profftably have hi:
| watch cleaned without calling in a jew
eler. He approached Foreman Decker
,lnwrapped his thoughts, and was as
slI,ef that the cleaning process coult
| be accomplished without the slightes
trouble, and with the greatest dispatch
| Accordingly the foreman attached q
one-fourth inch reducer to the air hose
| SO that the force would be concentrated
in as small compass as possible, ane
| the man who was introducing an limo
walton to upset the plans of all watch
tinkers was told to get his timepiect
ready TO have the dust blown out.
! The operation was, as a surgeon
| would say, an unqualified success, fol
| when the air was turned on ratche
wheels, pivots, springs, hands and al
| the paraphernalia which enter into the
construction of a watch went gaily
dancing all over the shop, leaving the
promoter of the innovation with moth
| ing but the case in his hand-and no
much Of that.
From that day to this Mr.. Decker ha:
not been called on to clean any more
| watches. and the compressed air pro-
| cess has fallen into disuse, while the