El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-14
AIR BRAKE INSTRUCTION CAR.

AIR BRAKE INSTRUCTION CAR
instruction car No. / of the United
MAGAZINE association is in the T. & p
wards near the round house. 1t is in
charge of Frank II. Dukesmith, of Chi
caso who is accompanied by his wife
and secretary. This instruction car Is
sent out by the United Magazine asso-
citation. which includes the following
publications: Locomotive Engineering
American Machinist. Munsey's, Nc
Ciures and American Elocutionist.
Instructions are being given by Mr..
DuEesmith to the T. & p. employees in
the motive, train. car and machine de-
partments. the employees of each of
these departments entering into classes
which are instructed separately. This
method of Mr.. DukeSmith'S has it's adj
rautages over the methods used by
other instruction cars. While the man.
ssenent of others simply invite the
railroad employees to enter the car and
hear the appliances explained. Mr.
DukeSmith takes one of these classes at
3 time and. commencing at the pump.
inStructS the class in every movement
of the whole brake system. Then he
takes each Individual employe and ex-
smines him: requires him to tell the
story of the workings of the appliances
Just as he himself has told the class.
IL any emplOye fails in the attempt to
explain it as it has been explained to
him. the explanation is gone over
again. and even agin. if necessary. In
case any employe should then fail and
there Is time to allow it, he is asked to
come again. but if up till the time of
the instructors leaving there is man
SO obtuse that he has not yet SAWED"
he Will be mentioned in Mr. Duke
smith 5 report to the general manager
at the road.
Tests are also made by Mr. Duke
smith IN regard to eyesight and hear
ing. He says that he has had but few
men 10 turn down on the T. & p. the
cause of some of these being color
blindness
Under instructions from General
Manager Thorne. of the T. &, p. every
empioye of the company. whose duties
connect him in any way with brakes
must Ia Ike the course of instruction and
be examined and must show a certain
proficiency or he cannot hold his posi-
ton Mr. Dukesmith's position is Off
ciai and his rating is accepted by the
railroad officials While here he is
authorized to hold two classes daily
and TO remain until all have been ex-
amiued- He has been giving instruc-
tons since Monday and will remain the
rost OF this week and probably a few
days longer.
The purpose of this instruction and
examination is not to damage any en-
Pfcye. but to prepare them to fill their
positions in such a way that their SER
vices VIII be valuable to the company
and in their hands the public and prop |
er<y VIII be safe. The safety appliance !
act or congress compelling all rail- |
nil -,
automatic couplers has made these in
sfructions necessary. for what would |
te the use OF fitting the cars with the
safety appliances and not fitting the |
trains with men who understand them.
Tie requirements and the thorough
ness expected are set forth in a circu-
lar letter ISSUED few days ago by
General Manager Thorne. part of which
reads as follows:
The intention is to move the car
from division to division point. putting
"a SufflcIent time at each point to en-
seie all employees to receive a course
u instructions. and to be examined as
10 eyesight. hearing and to ascertain
itbir proficiency as to air brake work
ng- and after such examination each
ssuploye will be furnished with a GER
15cate showing result of his examina-
ion
The rating on examination as to
lyes:sht and hearing will be three de-
Lrees-good. fair and bad: the rating
N air brake examination will be rated
rom ten down. ten being perfect. and
tx being the minimum; any employe
'eceiving less than six at a rating will
xaye 10 take a second course of in
'fractions and be rerated. Two classes
,er day will be instructed by Mr.. Duke
;nith. the morning class to commence
Il O'Clock promptly, and the after
mon class at o'clock promptly. 1t
s desired that these classes consist of
rot more than ten. and not less than
tx employees. and as far as possible
is desired that a class of engineers
n firemen be helG In the morning, and
class OF conductors or brakemen in
he afternoon, or vice versa; in other
words it is best not to mix the two I
cts Of employees. as the instructions
VIA be somewhat different.
arrangements will also be made
OF & class of car inspectors and class ;
n shopmen or a class of miscellan- I
.orrs employees. so that every employee
connected with the company. whose
InSy il is to have any knowledge of air |
srake apparatus. can receive these in
;tEuctions.' Ii
The instruction car is attached to the
lit plant at the shops to provide air for
Ire instructions. In the car is placed
he equipment for an entire train so as
. shoU the simultaneous action on
n cars of train The working parts