The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1903-04-11
OUTPUT OF LOCOMOTIVES.
ThIs Country Turns Ont Thr ee Thos-
sand Railway Engines Yearly,
Worth 100000, 900.

uOt lar 1IOu o,UVV loCoHiotiNVS car
Worth approximately $50, 900, 900, says
the American Exporter. OF these
nearly one-fifth are sent abroad; al
though of late the demands of the fail
roads in this country have been SO
great and so insistent as to curtail the
quantity available for export mate
rally. During the last decade great
many noteworthy improvements have
been made in locomotive construction
and design. Ten years ago a freight
car with a carrying capacity of 10000
pounds was deemed adequate for all
ordinary requirements. but in ten
years the limit has been increased to
100000 pounds, while cars of even
greater capacity have been construct
ed. This increase has been made pos
sible through the substitution of steel
for wood in the construction of freight
cars. The application of the air brake
to freight cars has permitted freight
trains to travel with safety at higher
rates of speed than were practicable
few years ago.
All the changes mentioned, together
with the demand for higher rates of
speed in the passenger service, have
given great stimulus to the develop
ment of locomotive having greater
tractive power and capable of running
at higher rates of speed than those
manufactured in 1890. The most inn
portant features of this development
may be summarized as follows: A
marked increase in size and weight,
with increased tractive power and
speed; the use of larger boilers, with
thicker shells; larger fireboxes and
increased CRATE area, made necessary
by the demand for higher steam pres
sure and greater steam generating
capacity; economy in the use of steam,
by compromising, and the substitution
of steel castings for wrought iron or
iron castings for several important
parts.
It is difficult to measure in exact
terms the increase in weight of loco
Z motives since 1890. Some figures
taken from the records of single
locomotive establishment may be &C.
cepted, however, as fairly representa-
tive. In 1890 the average weight of
the locomotives built in this plant was
$4,000 pounds for the engine alone,
exclusive of the tender. In 1890 the
average weight for the same estab-
lishment, and on the same basis, was
10000 pounds, an increase of $4,000
pounds, or 1862 per cent. Many loco
motives exceeding 100 tons in weight
have been constructed during the last
ten years. The largest engine thus far
built weighed about 1873 tons. or near
ly 100 tons with tender, and it is not
safe to say that even this limit will
not be exceeded.
Probably the most important inn
provement during the last ten years in
locomotive construction has been the
introduction of the compromising prin.
ciple in the use of steam. The prin.
ciple is not new, even in this industry
as patents for compound locomotives
were issued in the United States as
early as 1876. Compound locomotives
did not come into any general use in
the United States, however, until with
in the last decade, although many en-
gines embodying this principle were
built in England and continental
Europe few years earlier. The ad
vantages of compromising. so wei
demonstrated in stationary engines
have attained general recognition by
railroads and by the builders of loco
motives, and large proportion of tn,
engines built each year are construct
ed upon this principle. During thu
census year 1900 800 out of total o.
| 1881 steam locomotives were bull
with compound cylinders.
Almost from the very beginnins
American locomotives have been radi
cally different in their general con
struction from those used in Europe
1t is marked tribute to the excellenc,
of the American locomotives, how
ever, that in recent years they hav'
been purchased in large numbers TO
railroads in England. France and Rus
| STA, where they have been put int,
service in competition with types o
LOCOMOTIVES to which those countrie
have adhered persistently for man,
years. The growth of the expor
trade in American locomotives durin,
the last ten years is noteworthy. II
the fiscal year 1890. which almost coin
cides with the census year, there wer
exported from the United States IS
locomotives, valued at $3.50, SOC
while during the fiscal year 1900 Their
were exported 525, valued at $500, 40s
The time required for the construc
ton of completed locomotive from
the raw material varies greatly. &C
cording to the requirements of tn
purchaser and the conditions govern
ing the supply of materials. Will
ordinarily it takes several weeks, o
even two or three months, to bull,
locomotive, some remarkabl
achievements in quick work have bee
made by American builders, either t
meet emergencies or to establish rec
ords. Eight days is probably tn
shortest time in which an engine ha
been built, starting with the ra,
material and constructing all tn
parts, but an engine has been Assem-
bled and erected ready to run in
hours.