The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-23
SAND AND GREASE
What They Are Used For on Railroad Tracks
and How They Are Employed.

What They Are UGed For on Railroad Tracks
and How They Arc Employed.
Every locomotive on surface steam railroads
carries q sand box containing sand to be run
on the track when the rails are slippery and the
driving wheels don't hold. The rails maybecome
slippery from a variety Of causes. A pouring
rain washes them clean and does not make
them slippery. but q drizzling rain or a fog
does. The rails are slippery when there is dew
on them. or frost; drivers may slip on autumn
leaves lying on the track. and In some regions
there are occasionally encountered on the
track insects In such numbers. as to make the
rails slippery. Drivers may slip In starting a
Thus sand may be needed under ~vartous
conditions and circumstances, and the need
may psry arise IF an at eS any mG%edh Duties Il to 1s s ee e tiss his
sand box 10 full on starting out. no matter
what the weather or the prospects may be.
some incidental causes Of ,slippery tracks that
other conditions are substantially the m
and sand is as neeessgaTEy , n operation SpsG Is on OF
Ss5laee o Soad she one ele %lEeSd h rosds sraT "nS y yet
never have, noticed the sand boxes on the en-
gines; On locomotives on. surface roads the
pipe running uni n II e'& down al in front Of the drivers: on q
the locomotives on the elevated road the sand
running board and with the pipe running down
to the track between the drivers, Tor the rea-
son tnat the engines on. the olov0Cou are run
alternately forward and backward.
Large. heavy. modern street cars operated by
power, as by cable or underground trolley In
with a pipe leading. from 1t down 10 the track
In front Of the wheels. The sand box is opened
and sand permitted to run by means Of O plum
ger set In the platform of the car. which is OPP
Grated by pressure from the foot OF the. grip
man or motorman. The separate. sand boxes
thus carried are to provide sand for use In
emergency, and under settled weather condt-
tons producing slippery tracks q sand car 10
On surface steam railroads oil is used to
lubricate switch points SO that they will work
freely. Oil is used likewise on switch points
on the elevated road. and on the elevated
grease is used on the sharp curves around
tho corners OF city blocks. On the concaye
side OF the inner rail on these curves. at but q
little distance from u, and curyinR parallel
with, 1t. is laid an additional steel rail- called q
and 1t also takes the greater part Of the grind
ing wear OF the flanRes OF the wheels IN round
Ing the curve. It Is the check rat. that is
creased. The greasinR reduces the liability CT
tho wheels to mount the rail. causes, less wear.
aud avoids the screeohinR noise likely to ac-
company the grinding OF the wheels against the
rails In rounding curves.
On surface railroads In the city oil is used on
switch points, and grease on very short curves,
wheel to run In. the, outer rail, being nat, the
grease would be applied to the hollow rail and
10 that side of 1t that was toward the other
rail. that being the side against which the
wheel would naturally bear. TIL purpose Is to
reduce the wear. to facilitate the movement
Of the car around the curve. and to avoid the
creaking that would otherwise BIO produced.