The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-12
Too Heavy For the Track East
of Kansas City.
CAUSED CANA WRECK.
Oscillation of the Locomotives
Too Severe For the Track.
Betterments on Chicago Divis-
ion Track Now in Progress.

Orders have been issued by the Of
fcials of the Santa Fe transferring the
Prairie type passenger locomotives 1901.
1902. zoos and 1926 from the eastern
grand to the western grand division Of
the road, and into those Instructions
has been read the significance implied.
If unexpressed. that they are too heavy
for the condition of the track and road
bed on some parts of the system. par
ticularly on the Chicago extension. In
their places viii be brought here the
ten-wheel DfcksOns 401, 402, 403 and 404,
which have been running east of Kan
sas City
Railroad men generally recognize thaL
the track department has been as
tanced in the matter OF improvements
by the locomotive men and il seems to
apply in this case Several months ago
the Santa F'e received from the BALDWIN
Locomotive works at Philadelphia near
~ half a hundred of the immense
Prairie engines for use on its through
passenger trains and since then they
have been found up to the claims maze
for them, but it Is also admitted lnaC
their weight is too much for the rail-
and roadbed of some parts of the line.
Within a few weeks a number OF accl-
dents have occurred, especially on the
east end. to prove cOnclusiVely that Tor
the ends of economy at least their use
should be discontinued there temporar-
lily. This, in addition to the fact that
the company has begun betterments on
that part of the system. gives adequate
excuse for the employment of lighter
class Of motive power during the sum
mer months while the wOrktrains are
on.
1t is a settled belief among those who
should know that the cause OF the
CANA Mo- derailment of the California
limited two weeks ago is traceable to
the rolling from side to side of the pom
derous machine until the tender and
ears were thrown against the rails by
the oscillating motion with such force
that they were unable to resist the
strain and so gave way. Only a little
while before there had been another
accident on the same district of much
the same nature, the consequences not
being nearly so unfortunate. Engl-
neers coming in off their runs have
often expressed themselves about the
ceaseless rocking of the big battle
ships" as they dubbed the monsters,
and have intimated that they regarded
the running Of them east of Kansas
City as unsafe. That part Of the Santa
F'e roadbed is considered the least fitted
for heavy and fast traffic of any on the
whole main line, this being largely on
account Of its comparatively recent
building Hills and curves which exist
at frequent intervals are additional dis
advantages to high speed with heavy
trains. especially the latter For some
time it has been the understanding that
engineers are not to attempt record
breaking time with the big engines.
Back shopmen have lots to say. too.
about the way the tendency for heavier
locomotive power is going. 1t is the
belief among some that the limit for
heavy engines has been reached, con-
siderng the work which they are to do
as compared with that smaller engines
have been accomplishing In the first
place the boiler and machinery of a
large engine must be much stronger
than those of a lighter class because
the requirements are so much more
For instance, the steam pressure for
the square inch on the new Baldwins is
from 200 to 225 pounds. whereas with
those which have been doing the Santa
Fe's pulling it has scarcely ever ex-
ceeded 100 Likewise it is claimed that
the parts must be made so mucn
stronger propOrtiOnately that the plan
is a losing one.
There are some unpleasant features
about the use of the big engines in cold
weather of which the enginemen have
complained 1t is said that they make