The times., 1899-09-25
Rrom the Pittsbl,rr nisnntob 4,

NN'N'' NitS A'ASoHAS DAsHalCH)
In the last few weeks a series of wrecks
has occurred within a short distance of
Pittsburg. While there has been no scri-
Gus loss of life, considerable valuable mer-
chandise was irretrieyably ruined To cppa
with this leak in the revenues of the trans
portation lines the several railroads have
equipped certain number of cars with all
the modern hosting and lifting devices and
trained crew of wreckers. The wrecking
crew is always within call for its services
may be at any moment most important.
The derrick car, with its huge projecting
beak reaching far beyond the boundaries of
the car frames, stands always ready to as
sist IN throwing over the bank derailed
cars containing the most valuable of com
moditfes. When a wreck occurs on the
/ lines leading out of Pittsburg the train
master Of the road on which the accident
happens to be is at once notified. The first
hot engine is pressed into service and the
wrecking crew assemblies in haste 1t may
be that the accident is caused by two en-
glnes on the same track, but going in op-
poslte directions, meeting each other.
OF Washout may have torn up the track
ahead of the fast mail train Whatever
tae cause the wrecking crew is despatched
TO the location of the accident.
Ire wrecking department of railroad
resembles the fire department. of a great
city in many instances. The men compos-
ing the crew are all picked mechanics
whose versatility has commended them for
the Wreeking service. Engineers and con-
ductors out on the road seldom call for the
wreck car unless the wreck is serious The
locomotives and cabooses are equipped with
heavy chains lifting jacks and other an
piiances for retracking derailed cars. and
when only single car flies the tracks the
tram crew replaces it without the aid OF
the wrecking force.
Accidents that demand the wrecking force
are plenty, and when they occur, the con-
ductor sends out flagman ahead to protect
otner trains, and notifies the train despatch
er of the need of the wrecking crew.
Each railroad has its own system of
handling wrecks. II is usual for a rail
read company to have stationed at the ter
minal of each freight division a wrecking
crew. Sometimes, as in the case OF branch
lines, this wrecking outfit may only con-
slst OF one derrick car, with two derricks on
1t, one of which is operated by a small
hosting engine. Where hand power is re.
lied on the heavy hosting is performed with
the assistance of the regular locomotive,
which pulls on a cable working the hosting
arrangements on the derrick car
In addition to the derrick car the train
consists of tool car and "shanty'' car.
The latter is used as sleeping quarters for
the men composing the the wrecking crew
when out at wreck for any length of time
The wrecking crew are engaged when not
at wrecks on work in the several round
houses. If a member of the wreckng crew
desires a day OFF he must notify the fore
man 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 equip
ped with electric call bells or telephones,
but the ordinary method of summoning
them for wreck duty is by the call boy, who
wakes the engineers and conductors ON the
regular runs
L. F. Loree, general manager of the Penn
sylyania lines west of Pittsburg in making
comparison between the city fire depart
ment and a wrecking crew on 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 hastens to his place and the first en-
gine and crew obtainable are placed at their
service. They are given clear track TO
the point of obstruction, other trains max
ing way for them, much as the street pedes-
trians and heavy teams seek the curbs and
sidewalks at the ringing Of the gong TO
make way for the approaching fire engine.
ARRIVING at the wreck, the first thing TO
be done is to set up a telegraph Office, which
gives direct communication with headquar
teTs. man is placed in charge of the tool
car to issue the tools needed at the wreck,
and TO care for them when they are re-
turned He also keeps coffee boiling and
serves lunch of biscuit and canned meats
when the men require it. The wrecking
crew do not aim as much to save damaged
freight cars as to clear the road for the
suspended traffic. The obstructing cars are
usually rolled over the bank. to be picked
up the following Sunday The trainmen
calling for the wreck train have given the
trainmaster a description of the situation
and an estimate of the probable time re-
quired to open the road. If the time re-
quired to obtain clear track exceeds four
hours freight trains are not sent out from
terminals The trains are, however, made
up and the yards cleared for the move
ment of the concentrated traffic that fol-
lows the removal of the wreck.
Less than four hours detention trains
are moved as close as convenient to the
point of wreck and stored on sidings for
rapidity of movement When the line is op n.
Where the road is closed more than four
hours. in all probability arrangements are
made to defect the mail trains over for
eign lines or around the obstructed point
by transfer from train to train"
The wrecking crew is supposed to be
competent to do anything pertaining to the
maintenance or operation of the railroad.
1t lays track, repairs engines sufficiently
to allow them to be taken to the shop,
builds bridges, trestles, and dams, erects
temporary stations and telegraph lines, and
in some cases repairs culverts and builds
water tanks 1t also transfers baggage and
passengers, takes care of the wounded in
wreck, and in some instances cofTins the
dead The man in charge may also investi-
gate the cause of the accident and collect
evidence in case of future claims for dam
ages.
One of the largest jobs a wrecking crew
or force of crews has ever had to perform
in this vicinity was the restoration Of traf-
fic on the Pennsylvania railroad after the
Johnstown flood in 1891. The railroad was
swept away by the bursting of the South
Fork dam. Bridges were destroyed trains
and tracks were carried some distance from
the roadbed and the debris from the food
covered everything in sight. In just eleven
days from the time of the disaster the
Pennsylvania wrecking forces had put
everything in good working order. They
built 5000 lneal feet of trestle work, from
Is to 80 feet in height and laid 29, coo lin
cal feet of main railroad track, exclusive
of 9,QoG feet of sidings, with their switches
and connections.
The work required heavy grading and |
the removal of the debris brought down |
with the torrent was an immense under |
taking alone This wrecking force rebuilt |
the telegraph lines ard connected them |
with the regular Offices To do this work |
and get the line of communication open re- |
qured the stringing of eighty-five miles of |
wires water tank and pumping statian |
were installed and large number of de- |
rallied cars were retracked Several heavy |
engines were recovered and on their own |