The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-04
BIG ADDITION
TO BIG PLANT
New Boiler Shop at Locomotive Works
Nearly Finished
HOME INDUSTRY THE KEYNOTE.
Tn" Machinery, Only, Is Foreign to
Richmond - What Work Viii
Be Done-Grrn, Improve
ments Made.
HOME INDUSTRY THE KEYNOTE,

Home industry seems to have been the
kew note of the improvements now being
made at the Richmond Locomotive ana
Machine Works. The new boiler-shop
which is. being erected at this, one OF
Richonds leading industries, IS rapidly
nearing completion, and Will be ready for
occupancy within Il short time Already
large cons gnments of machinery for TINS
new department of the Locomotive works
have arrived and are being rapidly put IN
place. Machinery alone is the only thinS
in this shop that is foreign to Richmond
Some tine ago. when the constantly
increa sing business of the Richmond Lo-
connective Works made additions neces-
sarv, the new boiler-shop was one OF the
improvements decided upon. Four mem
bers of the regular draughtIng force OF
the works were assigned the duty OF pre-
pairing plans for the proposed new SHOP
Mr. E. a. Haughton, ass slant snperin-
tendent. was in charge. and his assist
ants were Messrs. o. D. Leisenring and
]. Underwater, structural engineers, and
Mr. H. S. Morrison, constructing enSi-
neer. This quartet evolved the plans
which have now assumed shape
II the new Richmond Of the new South
can lay ella m to fame. it is her manu-
featuring enterprises that make it posi-
bic.
It is q known fact that Richmond origi-
mates more first-class tonnage than any
city in the South with one exception-Bal-
timore 1t is exceedingly gratifying to
know that Richmond-built engines carry
this tonnage from sea to sea. and from
lakes to gulf. where Richmond bottoms
carry it to the faraway parts Of the
world.
The Richmond Locomotive and Machine
Works, established nearly four de-
cades ago, has, on account of the
excellence of its product, steadily grown
until the plant now covers an area Of fit
teen acres. For some time the capacity
of the plant has been inadequate, and
improvements have been made from time
to time The old boiler-shop, though
equipped with improved machinery, served
a triple purpose, but under the new
scheme the boiler-shop will be the boiler
shop and the boiler-shop only.
THE NEW BUILDING.
Just to the south of the old erecting de-
partrnent the new building stands. Four
hundred and twenty feet in length by
seventy n width, with an annex on the
south side Of two hundred and eighty by
thirty-two, are its dimensions. The total
floor space under this one roof is thirty
eight thousand. three hundred and sixty
square feet, or double that Of the old
quarters.
The building, though single story, is
lighted with three sets of windows, placed
in the forty-one feet under the trllsses.
peak of twenty feet is given the roof
Of the main building. making the total
height sixty feet, while the annex has
twenty-one feet in the clear II tie east
ern end running the full width of the
building, will be the riveGng tower the
height OF which will be seventy feet.
The tower is Of q rather peculiar con-
Struction, and is supported by two I'M
mense steel trusses that run from column
to column. Two large Orders support
two smaller ones which are used as
runway for Hydraulic cranes These
cranes are three in number. one having
a capacity Of fifty tons. and the others
twenty-five tons each. The largest crane
will be able to pick up one Of the enor-
nous boilers, averaging forty-five thou
sand pounds. and carry it to any point
desired. The others are destined for
lighter work.
But these enormous cranes will be but
aids to other new machinery with which
the shop will be equipped. A new riveter.
with seventeen foot gap. one of the larg-
est in the country, will also be placed in
the tower. This riveter has its counter
part in the Schenectady Locomotive
WORKS. and has change OF three pres
sures-thlrty, seventy, and hundred and
twenty-five tons.
A boiler, under the old system. and with
the smaller riveter. is built in courses
three in number, the smaller Hveters
now in use having but six foot gaps. with
this new and most improved piece of
machinery a ho.'or r,ill be taken and
worked from END to end. the machine as
oce doing the work OF three. Two other
-iHafars, smaller In size. will also be placed
3, the tower. These are also destined
+ Tor heavy work, Another VII hrd nlace5
in the annex. where lighter class Of
work Will he done.
THE GREAT CRANES.
Or the electric travelling cranes. two
nave nave sixty-seven foot, six inch span.
slne larger crane has capacity OF thirty