The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-07-21
HARD.woRklNG YOUNG MAN.
Wives Famous Builders of Famous
Engines Valuable Pointers on
How to Build the Modern Mon
sters.

comotives intended to revolutionize the rail-
reading OF the country
When the young man was graduated from
yale. six years ago. and entered a special
course IN the Sheffield Scientific School of
the university. practical machinists of the
New York Central road wondered IL it was
merely boyish fad or the beginning of a
serious scientific career.
Cornelius Vanderbilt soon showed the
metal that was in him. He put on working
clothes became a machinist and hogan
building locomotive in the New York
Central shops. returning to New Haven
twice week for instruction. He made
radical improvement in the f1re-box
furnace of the locomotive, designed 10 in
crease power and save fuel.
On completing his course and receiving
the degree OF mechanical engineer, he took
q desk In the drafting rooms of the motive
power department Of the New York Cen
trail road at the top of the big depot, four
stories above the executive offices OF Mr..
Depew and the Vanderbilts.
No $10-a-week clerk in that vast estab-
lishment occupied less space and labored
more quietly than the young man creating
new locomotives with lead pencil. 1t did
seem bit like folly for college graduate
to dream of improving what was the pride
OF locomotive builders-those perfected mon
every minute of the day, running from
Lake Erie to the ocean between sun and
sun.
Solving the Fuel Problem.
Yet, up in that silent office looking down
on. the Vanderbilt Lincoln Bank. with
Colonel Tom James at the presidents desk.
sat shy. se!f-willed young man. with the
blood and iron of the old Commodore in his
veins. working out the long-sought problem
OF railroadfng.increasingp power and saving
fuel Therein lay the golden secret of big
dividends and reduced expenses.
The first and last question considered In
TRANSPORTATION by sea or land is the cost OF
fuel. II is the key to everything in trans
gortation. from naphtha launches to ocean
liners. from torpedo boats to ships of war.
On the number of dollars worth OF fuel
consumed depend speed. efficiency and
So when young Vanderbilt turned his an
cestial gifts to solving the fuel question.
-.sstustion before him. He was a young
man cut on by fathers will from his
share in the vast estate. But he had a ca
the possibilities Of opening a way to amass-
Ing new fortunes,
perts at the Grand Central Station that Mr..
Vanderbilt has now on record twenty or
thirty patents for inventions of various
kinds In locomotives alone. Ten or twelve
OF them are of serious Importance. They
reverse methods that hitherto have dis
tfnguished locomotive architecture. 1t is
eaid that the new devices soon to be in
corporated in new designs will still further.
add to the efficiency of engines-in fact.
reTolutionize locomotive construction and
His Cylindrical Water Tank.
Mr.. Vanderbilt is still perfecting the
locomotive. which Is probably the finest and IN;
The latest. up-to-date Vanderbilt ;ocoTo-
tive. turned out by the Baldwin works in
tender which is considered a s,eat success
IT does away with the oid-fa shioned box
construction, clumsy, heavy. inartistic and
system adopted by Mr. Vanderbilt IS lighter.
stronger, far more satisfactory and eco.
no!nical. The water does not wash around
and strain the tank. with the ordinary
locomotive tender.
Mr.. Vanderbilt has also invented a patent
and ali fluids. '' The weight is nearer the
track. the carriage of the load is easier
and smoother. and greater strength. econ
omy and durability of construction are Sc
cured. besides making the load - easier to
haul-all these points reducing expense.
wear and tear in machinery and freight
transportation by rail.
Il is predicted that as soon as certain
revolutionary ideas under consideration by
the railway world will be surprised at the
still greater reduction in the cost OF opera
ton, with increase of power and speed.
OF his first locomotive for freight service.
built In the New York Central shops at AL
hany, this is said: The boiler and firebcx
are Tremendously cylindricoted. entirely do
IN all locomotive boilers is chiefly caused
by these staybolts breaking and leaks fol-
lowing from the tremendous pressure of
steam. There are from 1.299 to 1000 of these
bolts In each firehox, each liable to blow
out almost any day. especially on freight
engines.
vented an entirely new style of firebox,
cylindrical and corrugated. held in place by
bolts at the boiler end. and by sling stays
from the top Of the boiler. While this idea
had been carried out in ships in the navy.
1t had never been perfected and adopted
for locomotive boilers. Mr.. Vanderbilt said
Germany had failed.
The new Vanderbilt locomotive. costing
between As, 900 and 900. was severely test
ca with freight trains on the New York
Central and found a great success. An i'm
rate OF speed
The Vanderbilt Ffrebox.
! When next heard OF the young man with
his Inventions was at the Baldwin Locomo-
tive Works in Philadelphia. A new locomo-
tive with additional improvements was con-
otructed there. and again the merit Of MFR.
VAnder6ilts IDEAS was vindicated. 1t was
stated by representative of the Baldwin
derbiit locomotive frebox-its cylindrica
shape and corrugated length-give It more
eniciency and durability than the presen,
Mrebox. besides affording more resistance
to the enormous pressure OF water.
When out OF order 1t could be repaired In
q day OF two and the engine put on the
xV1u UB4in IOI ScfVlCS, Wn1le the Ordinary
locomotive in similar condition would have
TO be laid on for month or two Locomo.
tives WNh 10-pound pressure to the square
inch on the hrebox are always giving way
and leaking.
These were the beginnings of young Van.
0efolltn daring Innovations in the field Of
locoEoftve construction The reduction OF
repair bills alone amounts to 80 per cent
es3oe nom the other vital features.
Wen asked for bis views, Mr.. Van.
0e1elN n0destly saids
IAe no1n thing IL that the loco.
1ct1ve works we'll, not that I invenf.
The prpof Of the missionary is in the eat.
!n1. eeys g Sunday morning proverb, float
= sng 9f0u1d IN the Sonth Sea Islands. Tht
ytoox Of the value Of Mr.. vanderbilt's in,
Is vsnuco = that the New York Central Rail
ioad ~ advice OF its engineers. has p.acet
@ order TOR 10 locomotives to be bull,
1ILn tne Vanderbilt improvements. Fifty OF
sxty @ these locomotives are to 90 int
the paaDeugor service.
But this 3 not all OF the good things flyinl
NJ ysn0efoflt'S way. The Union Pacific
sns Baltimore and Ohio. the Illinois Contra