The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-06-26
OLD ROLLING STOCK.
WHAT BECOMES OF WORKOUT LOCO
MOTIVES AND CARS.

OuriOus Uses OF haiiWHy Juhk-fIAinE l II
Old Rolling Stock to BE Used Again.
Where Some of the Theatrical Compa-
MES Get Their Private Cars.
What becomes Of wornout engines, cars,
rails and al the other odds and ends of
railroad? The iron probably goes to the
scrap heap, but does the rolling stock meet
the same fate, or what disposition is made
of the engines and cars of the great sys-
TENS when they reach the stage of their ex.
istence when they are deemed unworthy of
further repairs? The solution of these
questions is by no means lacking in inter
est. A certain proportion does go to the
scrap heap when condemned by the man
agement, but not all. 1t is the rule of
railroads generally to place new equip.
ment upon the main lines and to rclcgate
the old to branches the most ancient cars
and engines being assigned to the least
productive lines and thus by easy grada
tions the entire supply of rolling stock is
allotted according to the exigency of tray
ell Old rails taken from main tracks of
the central lines are relaid upon the main
tracks of branches and later on used for
sidings. Who has not noted the great
change in speed comfort and appearances
when divergng from main travelled roads
to branch linesY
The old style engines, the Anticipated
coaches and wornout rails transferred to
the side roaSs remain in active service I'M
til ut last the time comes when they are
finally condemned and must go. The life
of steel rail is but few years, while
rolling stock, with occasional repairs and
barring wreck Of course, will last much
longer than might be surmised. Almost
every road OF Importance has in service
somewhere on its lines passenger cars built
25 or 30 years ago. The life of an engine
is limited only by its ability to run with
ordinary repairs. There are engines in
active service today which were built sixty
odd years ago, the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad having several veterans of this
kind dating back to the early dawn of
steam land transportation, while locomo-
tives 80 and 40 years old can be found in
plenty-crude little teapots as compared
with modern engines, but still doing eff
cient work.
There is distinct business in this coun-
try followed by firms and individuals who
might be termed railroad scavengers or
junk men. They are wide awake, shrewd
fellows, who know a good thing when they
see it, and do not hesitate to take long
chances on opportunities which indicate
profitable risks. The first requisite for
engaging in pursuit like theirs is a large
storage yard with plenty of track room,
connected with some leading railroad,
and q close second is cash capital, for
ready money is necessity, and large sums
must be frequently tied up for long periods.
Such junk man will buy anything con-
nected with a railroad, but his main bust
ness is dealing with secondhand rolling
stock. Whom IA railroad corporation builds
a supply of new engines or cars to replace
| like number withdrawn from service, the
latter will not be sent to the company's
scrap heap, but will be offered to the vari-
Gus firms of Junk men or brokers, who are
usually willing to pay much higher price
| for old equipment as it stands than could
be realized if converted into scrap The
changing of a narrow gauge road intoN
standard gauge, or the substitution OF
steam for trolleys, brings harvest to these
dealers. And so from one source and an
other the yards gradually fill up with a
nondescript collection of railroad equip
ment in every stage of dilapidation, and OF
many varied styles, but all Anticipated and
much the worse for wear. These places are
known in railway circles as "graveyards, y
dent. Having thus secured stock in
trade, the junk man bends his efforts tc
dispose of his wares. The passenger cars
are gone over thoroughly and put into the
best condition possible, coat or two OF
paint and careful overhauling of the run
ming gear oftentime producing wonders
The ancient engines are inspected by com
petent men and ordinary repairs are made
while unusual or expensive alteration:
which may be needed are noted and made
known to the would be customers.
Strange as may seem, there is steady
demand for secondhand railway equip
ment. The market for engines and pas
senger cars is, as a rule, in the southern
states and Mexico, where the public are
not so cxacting in their requirements a!
to speed and comfort. Instances are com
mon where an entire railroad outfit, In
Guiding engines, passenger, baggage, ex
press and freight cars, rails, switches, turn
tables, etc, have been moved from one 10
cality and put into service elsewhere, per
haps many hundreds of miles distant, thi
taking place, as Il rule, when narrow gaug
lines have been converted into broad OF
standard gauge systems. At one time il
was anticipated there would be n network
of narrow gauge railroads throughout thu
country, and ia view of this many Ions
lines of thenarrow gauge width were laid
one of which was the road from Toledo t.
st. Louis, nearly 500 miles in length
When that road was made standard gaug
a few years since, there was harvest FOL
the junk men. The Reading railroad lin,
from Camden, N. j., to Atlantic City
now considered one of the finest and bes
equipped railroads In the country wa
once single track narrow gauge railroad
The great sugar plantations in the soutl
are good customers of the "graveyards
and down in Louisiana and Texas thu
northern traveller may now and then en-
counter engines and freight cars engaged
in handling sugar cane or farm supple
which at one time hauled coal or iron il
the middle states
Like other occupations, there are variou
shades and distinctions in the workings o
railroad junkmen. There are men VIII,
deal exclusively in secondhand railroad
iron, others who buy and sell rolling
stock, and still others who may be termed
the Pullmans of the profession and VIII
h..