The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-13

hundred tons of steel balances on the
spindle that supports the bridge. This
lceks like a delicate task to the unin--
itfated, but it must be remembered
that the engineman knows his machine
as driver knows his horse. He un-
dcrstands just how 1t will behave I'M
himself accordingly. 1t is seldom nee
essary for an experienced engineer TO
throw the reverse lever In order to
bring his engine to a stop at the prop
er place.
Once in position men apply their
strength to the bars which project from
the ends of the bridge and begin to
walk along the brink of the pit. Slow
! IL the whole mass revolyes until the re-
duired track Is reached, and then the
engine glides gently and smoothly into
houses have power with which to OPP
crate the tables.
Watch for Broken Parts.
A roundhouse in summer when the
doors are all open presents splendid
picture for a lover of machinery. For
each engine Is backed into the house
circle one gets view of line of en-
gines each facing outward with the
numbers shining and headlights gleam-
ing in the sunlight
duty is done. He has but to go to the
office and report in a book prepared
for the purpose any repairs that are
needed and he can go 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
II at once. The attention that a loco
motive receives on arrival at the round
house is about the same that one would
expect to see bestowed upon "a race
horse. Wipers go over every inch of the
surface carefully, removing all dust and
oil. Others drop into the pit beneath
The headlight is carefully cared for
and the brass polished. In fact, the
whole machine is put in frst-class
Throuehout this work keen watch is
kept for any signs of broken parts,
and any found are repaired. The
hundred or more fiues are cleaned by
An engine seldom comes to the house
, that does not need repairs of some sort.
The delicate mechanism is constantly
becoming broken, and unceasfng atten-
Repairs at the "stabIe."
OF the numerous ills which befall an
engine a few may be mentioned. Valves
need repacking, automatic oilers be-
come clogged. causing no end of trou-
BILE: air pumps refuse to work properly
for any one of a dozen different causes,
kthe air brake apparatus often becomes
disarranged, the injectors which force
the water into the boiler get clogged,
dust from the coal gets into the tank
and is carried into the boiler with the
water cutting out valve seats all over
the machine; water glasses get broken,
CRATE oars DeCODn6 useless IN the IN
tense heat of the flrebox. All these and
numerous other ills are brought TO the
roundhouse for correction.
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 heavy steel tire. These
occ asionally work loose, and 1t becomes
necessary that they be frightened with
out sending the locomotive to the
shops.
TO do this a stream of oil is fed au-
tomatically upon the tire and allowed
- burn as ii runs down. The result is
that the whole rim is soon circle of
flame This is kept up for a long time
and the tire being heated faster than
the wheel itself, expands until thin
pieces of sheet iron can be inserted
between the wheel and the tire. When
the tire has again become cold II con-
tracts 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
lothes, cranes and FORCES are to be
bad 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
emergency. and IT is he who must look
forward and plan for the repairs In
such way as not to interfere with
the regular operations of the trains.
cROvE,s TASTETESa Chilli TonrTC