Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-01-19

is a very commonplace aIalr, ana receives
but small share of his attention; but
notwithstanding it is. as 2. Y. Barnum
would say "one of the greatest things on
earth" 1t can move at the rate of CD
miles an hour, but it is equally adapted TO
remain stationary on a siding for weeks
at a time; 1900 miles a year is a common
record for freight car to travel, and in
stances occur where cars make as high
a mileage as $1,000 or G0,C0O miles year.
The average mileage, however is probably
not over 1000 miles a year, or about twen-
ty-five miles day. This for the reason
that the car stands idle about five days
for every one day it is in motion
The average life of a freight car, with or
binary wear and tear and occasional trips
TO the main shop for renewal of such parts
as may have become defective, is in the
neighborhod of eighteen or twenty years,
but there is always the possibility of the
car bling rudely converted into a shapeless
mass before it is twenty-four hours older.
At the present time there are owned and
controlled by the railroads and private
car companies of America nearly 10000
of freight cars, or, in other words enough
ing from Boston TO San Francisco with an
engine for every forty-ive cars or this
total number probably not over 10000 are
in constant movement day and night.
A freight car is a great money-earner so
long as it is kept on the move, but from
the time the car stops rolling until its
whels revolve again it is not paying for
the oil used on its journals. II is, there
fore. largely upon the managing or con-
trolling Of these thousands of freight cars
that the interests of a railroad are de-
pendent. and the earnings of a road will
be directly proportionate 10 the manner
in which the cars are kept on the move.
As these vast numbers of cars are own
ed by nearly 500 different companies. and
as each company's cars are by no menas
restricted to its home road, it is some
thing marvellous how they can be con-
trolled and accounted for. both individ-
ually and collectively The methods how
ever. by which the freight-car accounts
are kept are so systematic and accurate
that it is not difficult for any railroad to
have at all times a statement showing
II it is desired to know the whereabou
the location of its entire equipment
with its lightweight and usually some
of certain car belonging to "a particular
road on some specified date. by calling on
the car accountant of that road the infor-
nation will be forthcoming in just about
five seconds. If need be the contents of
the car can he given, the number of the
train and the hour the car left the last
station the number of the engine drawing
the train, the names of the train crew
and what cars accompanied it on its jour
ney.
Some roads are even able to tell the kind
Of weather the car passed through while
in motion. as well as of the hour Of day
loaded or unloaded This array of fgur-
ing does not stop here. but at the end Of
every thirty days the mileage is computed
and the number of miles each car travels
is put down as part of its history SO
there is a complete record of the move
ments of the car in detail, from rs daily
location down to the cost of moving 1t
over the respective divisions of the road
in whatever service It should be required.
Each car IS known by a number, which
is painted on both sides and both ends
Of the car. and directly over this number
are the initials or name in full Of the road
to which it belongs. In addition 10 this
lettering. near the lower corners of the
car. are figures showing the number of
pounds the car can safely carry, togelher
letters which indicate the place and time
the car was built All these IacJs are
carefully noted in a book kept by the car
accountant. for future reference ard iden-
tifcation of the car. Thus, by knowing
the number Of the car and road TO which
II belongs. any other information concern
ing it can be ascertained readily.
cars are all numbered in series; that is
all oars If the same kind and style are
prouped together, all coal cars taking one
set of numbers, all box cars another se''
and refrigerators cars still another set.
This is done as a matter Of convenience
for the car accountant, who, being Iaiill'-
ior With the system of numbering, can
tell the style and kind of car any given
number represents, without referring 10
his records
N1o,,- vacant numbers are left in each
earies and when new cars are purchased
from year to year they are given these va
amt numbers. Under this system the car
numbers are by no means an indication
~ the number of cars road may own as
o. cor may hear number in the eighty
thousands. while perhaps the company
10 which it belongs does not own twenty
thousand cars.
Cars like individuals, must traVcl on
tickets and not only one, but each car
must have three. one Of these tickets is
tac,ed on each side Of the car and shows
tho cars destination and kind Of soods
with which it is loaded. The third ucKel
is held by the conductor of the train ana
| is known as the billing.
manufacturer, wishing some cars 10
load for distant points, calls upon his sta
| ton aren't for the necessary cars. II the
arant has no empty cars at his station that
he can spare he will notify the train dis
hatcher If his division, who, in turn re-
Quests the car accountant to forward the
necessary cars without delay.
As soon as the cars are loaded ana maze
nm into a train the conductor on sheet
Of naner known as a train sheet" takes
! the number and initials Of each car in
tho train and when the end of his division
* reached. and the train turned over TO
conductor No. 3. this sheet is forwarded 10
the car accountant. At the time the train
n,led out Of the station where the cars
where loaded a man known as a checker
! stood at the end of the yards and took
from the passing train each car number
cd F.t-f ir.a