Fergus County argus., 1899-11-29
AFFECTS RAILROADS.
Cold Weather Makes a Difference In
the Work of Engines.
As the Mercury Falls SO the Number
of Freight Cars Hauled by One
Locomotive Falls Also
Interesting Facts.

'The weather can't get any too hot
10 suit me professionally" said train
dispatcher on one of the big railroads.
Warm weather is the most favorable
for the business of running trains, and
the colder the weather the more diff
ficulty we experience in keeping the
yards and storage tracks free OF cars.
At this season of tEc-year we make up
n train OF in the neighborhood Of 6s
cars-of course, we are speaking OF
the freight seryice-and this number
will gradually increse with the APP
proach of warm weather until we reach
A maximum Of about s5 cars train.
These are only the figures, you un-
dersand, Of my particular division.
They will vary on other divisions and
other roads, according TO the grades
and other physical characteristics.
Neither Go these figures apply 10 the
fast freights, which nowadays come
from san Francisco to New York fully
as quickly as n letter and nearly as
quickly as an unincumbered passenger
can make ii.
"rhe minimum number Of cars to a
train is reached during the most severe
winter weather. Then the average
falls down 10 about 45. During the
coolest weather Of this winter we did
not dare to use more than 40 to train.
The difference is due to the resistance
of the train, should say. It's all right
as long as the train is kept in continual
motion, but the moment il stops the
trouble begins. The oil that lubricates
the axle congeals so that the train is
what we call frozen after it stands for
short time. / have seen every wheel
in train slide, and the cars must not
exceed in number those that the mo-
tive power can start with the brakes
set. You see il costs as much money
and energy 10 run train OF 40 cars
as IL does one of so cars-very often
more. This means that in n traffic ot
100 cars day it takes 40 engines in
the winter to 90 in the summer, and
train crews, switching facilities, stor-
age room and operating expenses all
in proportion. Besides all this, there
are always delays and complications
coming up that are directly traceable
to the cold. Frozen steel is almost as
brittle us So much glass, and everything
from the rails up is subjected 10 q
greater strain when in this state OF
contraction. Valves and pipes filled
with hot steam freeze with incredible
speed with the thermometer at Is de-
grees below zero. and the locomotive
going at the rate OF 20 miles an hour.
Engineers are held as strictly account
able as ever. but these accidents do hap
pen TO the best of them, and each acci
dent causes SO much additional delay.
There is only one thing worse than
cold weather and that is cold weather
with snow. For its size and capabili-
ties an engine in a snowstorm is the
most helplessIy stupid thing imagin-
able. A locomotive does not push the
snow 10 one side and make path for
Itself. II seems to wallow around in it
and takes most Of il along with it, ap-
parently for the purpose Of decorating
the running gear IL isn't long before
an engine is loaded down with half
ton OF ice. and throughout the train
the friction causes the snow TO melt
just enough TO freeze tighter than il
ordinarily would. The brake blocks
accumulate enough ice TO make the
wheels slide. and il the train ever comes
to n halt in this condition she is apt to
stay right there until dug loose. Los
ing trains ISM: SO bad, but our busy
day comes when we begin TO find them
again. There is not only the point OF
congestion to overcome, but it must be
overcome with the least possible de-
lay TO the traffic that continues 10 pour
in upon us from both directions.
'0n the whole" concluded the train
dispatcher, "you will see why there is
no blucbird in the land more gleeful
than at the approach of warm
weather."-N. Y. Sun.