The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-24
RAILROAD NEWS.
How the Santa Fe Ordered an
Engine by Telephone.
Player Oil Burner Was Built as
an Afterthought.
is PROVING A SUCCESS.
New Locomotive Was Completed
in Sc Working Days.
FIattering Comment by the
"Railroad Gazette"
Is PROVING A SUCCESS.

The interesting story of how the Santa
Fe ordered a new locomotive from the
Baldwin locomotive works by telephone Is
told In the last issue of the Railroad Ga
zette~
1t appears that the Santa Fee had placed
an order for nearly 200 new locomotives
last October. After the order had been
sent in it was decided that the Santa
Fe should have the first engine equipped
to burn oil. according to John Player 3
newly invested system of boilers There
was no time to delay, so the Baldwin
works were simply called up by long
distance telephone. and the new locomo-
tive ordered up as one would order a
The oil-burning locomotive which was
ordered on october y WAS eopletef1 rom M,
the time the order was given The new
in Philadelphia till December Is, and it is
now on it's way west 1t VIII Tor a time
later will be given a chance at work on
Tehachapi mountains. between MoJave
The article in the Railroad Gazette is
supplemented with double page lnSet,
giving a picture Of the new ioco 11d f,,9
specifications. The Gazette considers tins
the triumph of art in the building of fast
Commenting editorially on the Player
type of oil-buIning locomotives, the Ga
This boiler design held SO much prom,
Use OF good results that engine NO, *; "a
whether some of the decapods should
burn oil in the same way. The tests at
Philadelphia were SO satisfactory that no
doubt remains to those who are most
closely concerned and fifty of the de-
capods will therefore be equipped with
three corrugated cylindrical fire-boxes and
a combustion chamber each, adapted to
the greater requirements
Two hundred and fourteen thousand
six hundred pounds total weight, by
scales, and 4266 square feet of heating
surface making about so pounds total
face for the first engine of it's class. with
IS. 500 pounds tFactive effort, working high
pressure, make conditions that require
some little time for properly settling in
the mind after one has watched the ratio
with much painstaking fought down.
motives, from high above 60 to the neigh
borhood of 50, generally on estima ted
weights which are exceeded in building.
in the present years remarkable work
of design. The estimated figures for the
decapods, 260 600 pounds total weight, and
$500 square feet of heating surface. prom
Use to reduce the ratio to 40. perhaps a.
ard it is apparent that the coming of
thaS boiler marked the passing of a gen.
orally accepted idea of what were the
fixed limitations of these factors in 10
connective design
The courageous design of the Player
boiler is, after all, the most engaging
thought, and to that We have given most
attention The readiness of Baldwins TO
build it is chara cteristic- Locomotive No.
S24 is credit alike to the designer and
the builder, and if acquaintance with
work in the field it is being sent to gives
a fair criterion from which to judge, we
likely t. prove q very good investment
for the Santa Ie.'