Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-07-13
IN THE R%OUNDHOUsE
THE ATTENTION THAT is BESTOWED
UPON THE LOCOMOTIVES.
Constant and Careful Grooming Re-
auired by the Great Iron Horses
81 the Raii-How the Tires Of the
Bfs DrivinG wheels Are Tishtened.

Hfs Driyinx wheels Are frightened.
Any one at all familiar with rail-
roads has seen the engineer dlsmount
from the cab, oil can In hand. as soon
rs the train has come to a stop at some
way station: seer him walk slowly
about the ponderous machine. feeling
Of each bearing with his free hand as
he filed the cups with oil: seen him per.
laps tap a valve gently with a wrench
or examine critically some III working
air pump.
To any man all this Ia interesting,
but how many are there In all the vast
crowd that enter the city daily at the
great terminals who can tell offhand
what becomes Of the train when once
the cars are elnptied Of the passengersi
~ be sure, they have seen the cars on
Ii siding out Iii the yard, They know
perhaps that u %roundhouse is a place
/ where engines are kept when not In
actual use. But beyond this the ideas
of the ordinary man are a bit hazy.
As soon Ms the passengers have left
a train that has just come In from n
long dusty run IL Is backed out into
the yard, and the cars are set off on a
side track. Men 40 upon them mt once
and begin to put them In readiness for
| The next trip. The windows are wash.
ed. cars freed from all 9th and dirt,
seats cleaned, water tanks cared for
md the lighting apparatus put In order
The locomotive, after leaving the
ears. proceeds at once to the round
house. where the ponderOus machine
also receives q proper oyerhaullnG
First ~ all. the tanks are filed with
water and the fuel supply Is r%eplenisli-
ed. Then q few puffs bring the fire
box above the ash pit, where the fires
are cleaned and dumped altogether.
The next thing - 70 stable the grent
Iron horse.
The ronndhouse itself is a most nnin-
yiting place. with its SCOT begrimcd
walls and smoky interior. These build
ings are MI constructed on the same
general lines. low, one story structures,
generally built of brick and semicircn
lar In shape. The center Of the circle
il the center Of the tnrntable. Ar
ranged along the inner side of the
building Is Il line Of doors, each exactly
like its neIghbor. Under each runs a
track of standard gauge, giving the
whole an appearance not unlike a
spiders web. The center OF which Is the
turntabie.
The turntable itself consists of a pit
walled with stone, across which Is d
bridge free at the ends. but balanced at
tile center Oh Il spindle. Rails are laid
across this. as II 1t were a part OF the
roadbed,
When the fires of the locomotive
have been cared for the engineer runs
his machine upon the table. With dcft
hand Mt the throttle. he brings 1t to d
stop at the precise point where the
hundred tons OF steel balance on the
spindle that supports the bridge. Then
the ponderuus mass IL slowly rexoiytf
until the required track Is reached aud
the engine Is backed into the round
house.
Once within the house the engineers
duty Is done, He has hut to 60 to The
Office and report In a book prepared for
the purpose any repairs that are need
ed, and he can 80 home, assured that
his machine will be ready for him
when he starts on the next run.
The engine Ii now Turned over to the
ronndhouse crew. who 20 TO work on II
nj once. The attention that a locomo.
tive receives on arrival MT the round.
house Il about the same TINT one
would expect 10 see bestowed upon a
race horse. Wipcrs 20 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 why.
Throughout this work keen watch N
kept Tor any signs Of broken parts. and
any found are repaired. The hundred
or more tiues are cleaned by steam
pressure
An engine seldom comes to the house
that does not need repairs OF some
sort. The delicate mechanism IL con
stantly becoming broken. and uneeas
Ing attention II 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
rounded with d heavy steel tire. These
occasionally work loose, and II be
comes necessary that they be frightened
without sending the locomotive to the
shops.
! To do this a stream OF oil n fed an
tomatirnlly upon the tire and allowed
! TO burn as II runs down The result Is
, that the whole rim Is Dol a circle OF
flame. This is kept mp for a long time
and the tire, being heated faster than
the wheel itself on account OF the prov
unity OF the fire, expands until the thin
pieces Of sheet iron can be inserted be
tween the wheel aud the tire When ths
|, tire has agaIn become cold " contract.
and clutches the wheel hard and fast