The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-07

one Of the interesting departments
OF every railroad is that which takes
charge of the wrecks on the road. To
cope with these every road has equip
ped a certain number of cars with all
the modern hosting and lifting devices
and a trained crew of wreckers. The
wrecking crew is always within call,
for their services may be at any mo-
ment most important.
The derrick car, with it's far project
ing beak reaching beyond the
boundaries of the car frames, stands
always ready to assist in throwing over
the bank derailed cars containing the
most valuable Of commodities. When
wreck occurs the trainmaster of the
road on which it happens to be is at
once notified. The first hot engine is
pressed into service and the wrecking
crew assembled in haste. 1t may be
that the accident is caused by two
engines on the same track, but going
in opposite directions trying to pass
each other or washout may have
torn up the track ahead Of the first
mail train. Whatever the cause the
wrecking crew is dispatched to the
location of the accident.
LIKE A FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The wreckng department of a rail-
road resembles the fire department of a
Ereat city in many instances. The men
composing the crew are all picked
mechanics whose versatility has com
nended them for the wrecking SER
vice. Engineers and conductors out on
the road seldom call for the wreck
car unless the wreck is serious. The
locomotives and caboosc are equipped
with heavy chains, lifting jacks and
other appliances for retrackng derail-
cd cars, and when only q single car
flies the track the train crew replaces
it without the aid of the wrecking
force.
Accidents that demand the wrecking
force are plenty, and when they occur
the conductor sends out a ilagman
ahead to protect other trains, and noti-
ies the train dispatcher of a need of
the wrecking crew.
Each railroad has it's own system of
handling wrecks. 1t is usual for a rail
road company to have stationed at the
terminal of each freight division
WrccEing crew.
Sometimes, as in the case of branch
lines this wrecking outfit may consist
Of one derrick car. with two derrlcks
on it, one Of which is operated by n
small hosting engine. Where hand
power is relied on the heavy hoistine
is performed with the assistance of the
regular locomotive. which pulls on a
cable working the hosting arrange
ments on the derrick car.
QUARTERS FOR THE WRECkERS.
In addition to the derrick car the
train is made up of a tool car and
'shanty' car. The latter is used AS
sleeping quarters for the men compos
ing the wrecking crew, when out al
wreck for any length of time.
If the members of the wrecking crew
desires a day off they must notify the
foreman of his intention, and in many
cases furnish an acceptable substitute
so that the wreck train may if called
upon for duty be at its full strength.
Some roads have the houses Of their
! wrecking crews equipped with electric
call bells or telephones, but the orlin-
airy way of summoning them for wreck
duty is by the call boy
A railroad manager in making a COM
parison between the city fire depart
ment and tho wreckng crew on the
railroad said:
"The value Of service is greatly de-
pendent upon the quickness with which
the apparatus is gotten to the place OF
accident. When the wreCking crew is
notified every man haStcnS to his nlace
and the first engine and crew obtain