The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-08-10
IN THE ROUNDHOUSE
THE ATTENTION THAT is BESTOWED
UPON THE LOCOMOTIVES.

Ok thc 0uft-HOW tAe Tires OF the
Big Driving Wheels Are frightened.
ANY one at all familiar with rail-
roads has seen the engineer dismount
from the cab, oil can in hand, rs soon
rs the train has come to stop at some
way station; seen him walk slowly
about the ponderous machine, feeling
OF each bearing with his free hand as
he filled tho caps with oil; seen him per-
haps tap valve gently with wrench
or examine critically some i'll working
air pump.
To any man nll this IS interesting,
but how many are there in ail the vast
crowd that enter the city daily Mt .he
great terminals who can tell offhand
what becomes OF the train when once
the cars are cmptied OF the passengers?
To be sure, they have seen the cars on
siding out in te yard. They know
perhaps that . zuuntlhouse is pluce
where engines are kept when not in
actual use. But beyond this the ideas
OF the ordinary man are Il bit haZy.
AS soon as the passengers have left
a train that has just come In from Il
lOisS iuStS Iull IL ID bslck'bl bl!I lIlO
the yard, anu the cars are set of OH Il
side track. Men go upon them ut once
and begin to put them In readiness for
the next trip. The windows are wpsh-
ed, cars freed from all filth ans dirt.
seats cleaned, water tanks cared for
and the lighting apparatus put in order.
The locomotive, after leaving the
cars, proceeds at once to Mae round.
house. where the pondcrous machine
also receives proper ovcrlluuling.
First of all, the tanks are filed with
water and the fuel supply Is replenish-
ed. Then few puffs bring the fire
box above the nsh pit, where the fires
are cleaned and dumped altogeth ,r.
The next thing is to stable the great
iron horse.
The roundhouse itself Is most unin-
viCng place, with its scot begrimed
walls and smoky interior. These build
tngs are all constructed OH the came
general lines, low, one story structures,
generally built Of brick and semicircu-
lar in shape. The center Of the circle
IS the center Of the turntable. Ar
ranged along the inner side Of the
building Is line Of doors, each exactly
like its neighbor. Under each runs a
truck OF standard gauge, giving the
whole an appearance not unlike q
spiders web, the center Of which is the
turntable.
The turntabIe itself consists OF pit
walled with stone, across which is
bridge free at the ends. but balanced at
the center OH spindle. Rails are laid
across this, rs If it were part Of the
roadbed.
When the fires Of the locomotive.
have been cared for the engineer runs
his machine upon the table. With deft
hand ut the throttle, he brings it to q
stop at the precise point where the
hundred tons Of steel balance on the
spindle that supports the bridge. Then
the ponderous mass is slowly revolved
until the required track is reached and
the engine Is backed into the round
house.
Once within the house the engineers
duty is done. He has but to go to the
office and report in book prepared for
the purpose any repairs that are need
ed. and he can go home, assured that
his machine will be ready for him
IL.
The engine Is now turned over to the
roundhouse crew, who go to work on 1t
Mt once. The attention that locomo-
tive receives on arrival ut the round,
house Is about the same that one
would expect to see bestowed upon q
race horse. Wipers go over every inch
Of the surface carefully, removing 81!
dust and oil. Others drop into the pit
beneath the machine and wipe the run.
ming gear. The headlight 10 carefully
cared for and the brass polished. In
fact, the whole machine Is put In first
class shape in every way.
Throughout this work keen watch is
kept for any signs Of broken parts, and
any found are repaired. The hundred
or more fhes are cleaned by steam
pressure.
An engine seldom comes to the house
that does not need repairs of some
sort. The delicate mechanism Is con-
stantly becoming broken, and unceas-
ing attention is required.
One Of the most Interesting Of all the
repairs that are made in the round
house Is the tightening OF the tires on
the drive wheels. Each wheel Is sur
y
rounded with a heavy steel tire These
occasionally work loose, and it be-
comes necessary that they be tightened
without sending the locomotive to the
shops.
To do this stream Of oil is fed au-
tomhtically upon the tire and allowed
to burn as it runs down. The result Is
that the whole rim is soon circle Of
fame. This is kept up for long time,
and the tire, being heated faster than
the wheel itself on account of the prox-
unity Of the fire, expands until the thin
pieces of sheet iron can be inserted be-
tween the wheel and the tire. When the
tire has again become cold it contracts
and clutches the wheel hard and fast.
The cumbersome repairs, such as
turning down worn drive wheels and
replacing boilers, go to the shops,
where lathes, cranes and forges are to
H. Z, yD..A Il. q