The suburban citizen., 1901-08-10

plates requiring nangeS are taken TO
the Hanging shop, which is equipped
with a hydraulic press that can exert
a maximum pressure of 365 tons. The
plates are here first heated in a large
furnace, They are then placed on a
suitable form clamped to the lower
table Of the press, a corresponding
form having been clamped to the un-
der side of the upper table. The lower
table is then raised by hydraulic pow
er, and the entire fange made at one
heat. When the langes are Of odd
shapes or there are no dies to form
them they are made by hand.
The bending and Hanging having
been done, the plates are assembled
for riyeting This is done by hydrau-
lie riveters, which are practically
noiseless. When this is finished the
boiler is in several parts. These are
now hosted to the second floor, where
they are riveted together and the boil
er completed, after which 1t is sent
to the erecting shop.
A very interesting department -
that devoted to brass work. To this
there Is a foundry attached where the
brass is cast into numerous contrlv-
ances in this metal that are used in
the construction Of locomotive.
These are then taken to the finishing
shop and completed by forest Of ma.
chimes adapted to the various castings.
The frame shop is a very important
and interesting one. Here the frame
upon which the boiler rests and by
which it is suspended upon the wheels
is constructed. Both wrought iron
and cast steel frames are used, but
The former are not made in the works
In forging the wrought iron frames
small pieces of selected wrought iron
scrap are first welded into thin slabs,
a number Of these are then welded to-
gether and gradually worked into
frame. The process is quite lengthy
one, and requires considerable skill on
the part of the men engaged in it,
The shop, as might be supposed, con
sists mainly of an aggregation Of
steam hammers, but popularity OF
its construction is noticeable in the
fact that the boilers which supply the
steam to operate the hammers are To-
Gated Immediately over the main heat
ing furnace, so that the same fuel ac-
complishes both results-nHmely heat
ing the iron and running the hammers
When the frames are finished in the
rough they are taken to enormous
planers, which are capable of working
on pair of frames, at the same time
they make a continuous cut from one
end to the other. After this they 90
to immense slotting machines. which,
if necessary, can handle eight at
time, and then to the drilling room,
where they are practically completed.
When all the parts of a locomotive
are complete they are sent as stated
before, to the erecting shop. Here
there are two 100-ton cranes, which
can pick up and carry about the heav-
lest engines that ever were built. and
two fifty-ton cranes. The cylinders
and frames are first put in position
and supported on jacks; then the boil
er is brought in and swung into posi-
tion by one of the big cranes. After
this the necessary bolting Of the parts
together takes place. and the attach.
ing Of the guides, guide boxes, rocker
boxes, reverse shaft and other similar
work, which varies more or less with
every engine put out, is done One Of
the big cranes then lifts up the whole
structure while the wheels are being
placed under it and lowers 1t upon
them. Then sheathing and other
finishing work follow, and we see that
which was but few days before only
crude material transformed into
complete locomotive.
Quite frequently, but not always, af-
ter being finished, the locomotives
a's lacked up and tried under steam
before being sent out This is more
generally done, however when they
are intended for a foreign country
Philadelphia Times