Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-07-20
In THE R0UNDHOUSE
THE ATTENTION THAT rs BESTOWED
UPON TIE LOCOMOTIVES
Constant aud Careful Groomfnx he
auired ny the Great Iron Horses
OF the Raii-How the Tires OF the
BiE Driving wheels Are Ttxhtencd.

Aul one 1T AL lai0lllaf WIN rail-
roads has seen the engineer dismount
FROM the cab. oil can i'm hand, as soon
rs the train has come TO a stop ar some
way station: seen him walk slowly
about the ponderous machine. feeling
CT each bearing with his free hand as
he filed the cups with oil: seen him per
baps tap n valve gently with a wrench
or examine critically some III working
air pump.
To any man all this is interesting.
but how many are there In all the vast
crowd that enter the city daily at the
great terminals who can tell ofthand
what becomes OF the train when once
the cars are emptied OF the pasSengers7
To be sure. they have seen the cars on
a siding out in the yard. They know
perhaps that roundhouSe Is Il place
where engines are kept when not I'm
actual use. Hut beyond this the ideas
OF the ordinary man are bit hazy.
As soon as the passengers have left
a train that has just come i'm from
long dusty run il is backed out into
the yard. and the cars are set or ON
side track. Men 40 upon them ut once
and begin 10 put them IN readiness for
the next trip. The windows are wash
ell. cars freed from all filth and dirt
seats cleaned. water tanks cared for
and the lighting apparatus put in order
The locomotive. after leaving the
cars. proceeds at once to the round
house. where the ponderous machine
also receives proper Overhauling
First Of all. the tanks are filed with
water and the fuel supply is replenish-
Ell. Then a few pu0s bring the fire
box above the ash pit. where the fires
are cleaned and dumped altogether.
The next thing is To stable the great
iron horse.
The rOundhouSc itself Is a most unin-
viting place with It's SCOT bcgrimed
walls and smoky interior. These build
ings are all constructed on the same
general lines. low. one story structures.
generally built OF brick and semicircu-
lar I'm shape The center OF the circle
is the center OF the turntablc Ar
ranged along the inner side of the
building is line OF doors. each exactly
like its nelghbor. Under each runs a
track of standard gauge. giving the
whole an appearance not unlike
spiders Web. the center OF which is the
urntabie.
The turntabc itself consists OF n pit
walled with stone. across which is
bss5-e free az the ends. but balanced at
the center Oh q spindle. Rails are laid
across this. As II IL 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 az the throttle. he brings il 10 n
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 70 go TO the
Office and report In book prepared for
tire purpose any repairs that are need
ed, and he can 20 home. assured that
his machine will be ready for him
when he starts on the next run.
The engine is now turned over TO the
roundhouse crew. who 20 10 work on IL
at once. The attention that n locomo-
tive receives on arrival NJ the round
house Is about the same that one
would expect 10 see bestowed upon n
race horse. Wipers 90 over every inch
OF the surface carefully, removing all
dust and oil Others drop into the pit
beneath the machine and wipe the run
ming gear The headlight is 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
my found are repaired. The hundred
or more fues are cleaned by steam
pressure.
An engine seldom comes 10 the house
that docs not need repairs Of some
sort The delicate mechanism is con-
stantly becoming broken. and unceas-
ing attention is required.
One or the most interesting OF all the
repairs that are made in the round
house is the tightening Of the tires on
rounded with a heavy steel tire. These
occasionally work loose. and 1t be
comes necessary that they be frightened
without sending the locomotive TO the
shops.
To do this stream OF oil is fed au-
tomatically upon the tire and allowed
to burn as il runs down. The result is
that the whole rim is soon circle OF
flame. 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 il contracts
and clutches the wheel hard and fast
The cumbersome repairs. such as
turning down worn drive wheels and
replacing boilers, 90 TO the shops
where latheS. cranes and FORCES are tc
be had. But all the minor troubles are
remedied at the stables" and the fore
man OF the rOundhouse is responsible
for the condition OF the engines. He is
the man to whom all look in an emer
gency, and il is he who must look for
ward and plan for the repairs in such {
way as not 10 interfere with the regu
lar operation CT the trains.-BostoI
Globe
When men speak i'll OF thee. live s,