The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-03-27
OLD ROLLING STOCK.
WHAT BECOMES OF WORKOUT LOCO
MOTIVES AND CARS.

. Ola Rolling stock to be Used Again.
Whore Some OF the Theatrical Compa-
niss Get TSeir Private Cars.
What becomes of wornout engines cars,
rails and all the other odds and ends of a
yailroads 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
sst. A certain proportion docs go to the
scrap heap when condemned by the man.
agmer " but not all. 1t is the rule of
railroads generally TO place new equip.
nent upon the main lines and to relegate
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 trav-
el. Old rails taken from main tracks of
rho central lines are relaid upon the main
tracks of branches and later OH used for
sidings. Who has not noted the great
change in speed, comfort and appearances
10 branch iinesg
The old style engines, the antiquated
fcoaches and wornOut rails transferred to
the side roads remain in active service un.
Til at last the time comes when they are
finally condemned and must go. The life
8of 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
livery road OF importance has In service
k'omewhere on its lines passenger cars built
20 or so years ago The life of an engine
rs limited only by its ability to run with
Ordinary repairs There are engines In
active service today which were built sixty
a,dd 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-
lives 80 and 40 years old can be found In
plenty-crude little teapots as compared
With modern engines, but still doing eff.
2ient work
There Is q distinct business in this coun.
Nry followed by firms and individuals who
might be termed railroad scavengers or
&.ssk men. They arc wide awake, shrewd
ellows, who know good thing when they
nc il, and DO not hesitate to take long
hances on opportunities which indicate
profitable risks. The first requisite for
ngaging in pursuit like theirs Is a large
Forage yard with plenty Of track room,
Dnnected with some leading railroad,
nd close second is q cash capital, for
lady money Is q necessity, and large sums
bust be frequently tied up for long periods.
kuch junk man will buy anything con
1 ected with railroad, but his main bust
l. H. It....
xock. When railroad corporation builds
supply Of new engines or cars 80 replace
like number withdrawn from service, the
Utter will not be sent to the company's
Trap heap, but will be offered to the yari
lIs firns OF Junk men or brokers, who are
Eually willing to pay much higher price
lr old equipment as IL stands than could
realized IL converted into scrap. The
tapging Of a narrow gauge road into a
apdard gauge, or the substitution OF
seam for trolleys, brings harvest to these
falers. And so from one source and an.
Sher the yards gradually fill up with a
bndescript collection of railroad equip
ent In every. stage of dilapidation, and OF
Rny varied styles, but all antiquated and
Such the worse for wear These places are
Down In railway circles as "graveyards," !"
HI the application of the title is self evi
Int. Having thus secured "a stock in
kde, the Junk man bends his efforts to
Epose OF his wares. The passenger cars
L, gone over thoroughly and put into the
1t condition possible a coat or two OF
lint and careful overhauling of the run
bng gear oftentime producing wonders.
be ancient engines are inspected by com
GENT men and ordinary repairs are made,
bile unusual or expensive alterations
hich may be needed are noted and made
own to the would he customers.
Strange as il may seem, there is steady
nand for secondhand railway equip
Int. The market for engines and pas
ger cars is, rs n rule, in the southern
tcs and Mexico, where the public ar,
so exacting i'm their requirements as
kpeed and comfort. Instances arc com
In where an entire railroad outfit, i'm
Hing engines, passenger, baggage, ex
ss and freight cars, rails switches, turn
Hes, etc. have been moved from one 10
kty and put into service elsewhere, per
Is many hundreds of miles distant, this
tng place, as rule when narrow gauge
IS have been converted into broad or
ldard gauge systems At one time Il
anticipated there would be network
harrow gauge railroads throughout the
htry, ,sand in view of this many long
Is Of thenerrow gauge width were laid,
OF which WAS the road from Toledo to
Louis, nearly 800 miles i'm length.
fn that road was made standard gauge
tw years since. there was harvest foi
bunk ner. The Heading railroad line
10 Camden, y. j., to- Atlantic City,
considered one of the finest and best
1pped railroads In the country. wa
4 single track narrow gauge railroad.
}grcat sugar plantations i'm the south
tgood customers of The "gravcyaros. !"
4 down in Louisiana and Texas the
{hern traveller may now and then en-.
ter engines and freight cars engaged
,ndling sugar cane or farm supplies
n II at. one time hauled coal or iron in
vniddlc states.
ke other occupations, there are various
res and distinctions In the workings 81
Dad junkmcn. There are men vino
exclusively in eccondhand railroad
u Others who buy and sell rolling
II. and still others who may be termed
yT'ullmans of che profession and who