The Goodland republic., 1902-08-29

A Shortened Description OF the BALDWIN
Locomotive FForks-A Great, An
eriean Industry.
- selsaLIfc Amariean.

the LOCOMOTIVE INDUSTRY. Inc present
article is devoted to a brief descrip-
tiOn OF the Baldwin Locomotive works
at Philadelphia, IN which an average
OF Loo locomotives a year is construct
ed, and from which they are shipped to
almost every country IN the world
TIE FOUSDRY.-The locomotive cast
ings are made in q large foundry,
measuring so X 400 feet. The most i'm
portaut castings are those Of the
cylinders and wheels The raw mater
isl consists OF new pig iron and old
stock The furnace mixture Is in the
proportions OF 1900 pounds OF pig,
1000 pounds Of scrap, 1,I50 pounds Of
coke aud so pounds Of marble.
TIE CTLINDER SHOP--One OF the
most interesting machines in this de-
partment is a special boring mill, de-
signed for boring and facing the cast
ings for the four cylinder compound
locomotives Each casting consists Of
a high and low pressure cylinder, and
a cylinder for the piston valve, tOgeth-
er with half Of the saddle. The mill is
arranged so that the three cylinders
may be simultaneously bored and
faced, with accuracy and q great gain
of time.
WHEEL-LATHE SHOP.-The wheel cast
ings, which are cast in one piece, the
rim being formed segmentally 70 allow
for cooling strains, are taken to a spec
ial wheel-lathe shop, where the rims
are turned, and the hubs are bored and
faced. The wheels are forced onto the
axles by hydraulic pressure and the
tires are shrunk on. The axle ends are
turned to an even size, and the hole in
the wheel hub is bored less in diane
ter, by an allowance Of three one thou
sands Of an inch for each inch In the
diameter Of the axle. The two pieces
are then put IN hydraulic press and
the axle is thrust into the hub with a
pressure which commences at 10 tons
and finishes at as high as 125 tons.
TIE FORGE.-One of the most inter
esting departments Is the forge, where
raw material In the shape of wrought
iron scrap Is piled up in small rectan-
gular heaps on boards, and raised to a
melting heat in a furnace, from which
it is taken out and hammered by steam
hammers into slabs. The slabs are
then put together in couples, heated
and welded, the process being repeated
until full sized billets are formed,
measuring 8 X 8 inhes by 3 feet IN
length. The object of this heating
and reheating is to secure that thor
ough working Of the material which is
essential to the production OF the
highest grade Of wrought iron and
steel.
CONNECTING ROD ROOM.-One Of the
most interesting Of departments is the
connecting rod room, where the rough
fOrgings for the side and main rods
are milled, planed, finished milled and
polished. The connecting rods are
forged Of mild steel. They are first
centered in a lathe, then scribed out
by templates, planed down to proper
width; the ends milled to shape, and
where they are of the new I-seCtiOn,
the recesses are worked out by milling
the two ends, and planning out the in
tervening material. The brasses are
forced in place by hydraulic pressure.
TENDERs.-The construction Of the
tenders is carried on in q separate
building, one floor Of which Is devoted
to the construction of the trucks and
frames Of the tenders; another floor to
the laying out OF the plates and the
shearing and punching OF the same,
while on another floor the tenders are
erected.
TEE BOILER SHOP.-Steel plate is
used exclusively in the Baldwin boilers
and it is received at the works in
various thicknesses and sizes. The
rivet holes are punched or drilled, as
required by the specification; the holes
Of the boilers Of foreign locomotives
being invariably drilled, while AmerI-
can specifications usually call for
punched holes. The boiler shop is
replete with a large assortment Of
drills and punches, which are driven
by several electric motors. The plates
for the barrel are trimmed in a shear
ing press, their edges are planed, and
I -
curvature in the bending rolls. The
riveting machines are operated by by
drauliC power.
ERECTING SHOP.-First the cylinders
are set up at the height above the rails
which they will occupy when the loco
motive is completed, and the attached
saddle Is prepared for the setting Of
the smOkebOx- The engine frames are
then erected and lined up. Next the
complete boiler is lifted by one OF the
overhead cranes and placed In posi-
ton. The tubes ars then inserted
and expanded. Then the driving
wheels are put In place. Meanwhile
the various boiler fittings have been
put in place and connected mp. The
next step is the water test IN which
hydraulic pressure is applied at about
266 pounds to the square inch, the
WOEAllk pressure Deluk ~ pOuuNS "
the square inch. Then the water is
removed from the boiler and il is
tested with steam at 10 per cent IN eX-
cess Of the working steam pressure
Meanwhile the boiler is being Jagged,
the same protection being placed over
the cylinders- The sheet iron jacket
ing is then placed over the boiler and
cylinders. Then follows the engine
test. After the painting and various
finishing touches the locomotive Is
ready for shipment
TIE TESTING ROOM.-All mate rial
that enters the works is subjected to
both q chemical and physical test.
Every delivery OF plates is numbered,
as is also every plate in each boiler.
Bvthe careful system adopted, IL is