The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-13
GROOMING A
RAILROAD FLYER
GREATEST OF ALL DANDIES.
=. rcGER BUSINESS THAN GETTING
THE BABY READY FOR
CHRISTENING.

Of Palace Cars-HOw the LOcOmO-
live Is Looked After at the Round
House and Tested Before Each
Run-HoVv a Car Is Disinfected
After a Case of sickness Has Been
In 1t.
By James r. Millet.
When the baby is washed and
scrubbed and dressed and groomed
n 90 to church for the first time for
his christening, no greater pains are
taken over him than are taken every
dav to make the modern luxurious
railroad flyer" look spick and span.
Grooming an express train a most
difficult and expensive business. While
the most extravagant of up-to-date
dandies would not dream of having
more than three or four Wallets, at
most. the express will have anywhere
from hundred to a hundred and fifty,
each doing his own special part of the
work.
The illustrations of this army of
servants are paid every day, at the
end of a trip, which is often not more
than days run. When the engine
and its train of cars have done their
work, they are promptly rubbed down
and attended to, just like boxer aft
er he has finished his bout or an ath-
lete after a foot race.
The crew of men who work aboard
the flyer have nothing to do with look
ing after it at the end of the run.
al Of a re of hn
round house and the car sheds for that
purpose.
In number they equal two compa-
MES of soldiers, and they are as well
drilled as any military force. Each
man has his own particular work to
do, and knows exactly how to do it..
Very few orders need to be given, but
when one is necessary it is obeyed "on
the jump"
After Run.
When the locomotive enters the
round house a company of these civil
ian soldiers Immediately swarm all
over her, cleaning and polishing her
until she looks as smart as a new pin.
Even the wheels are rubbed over
with oil until they take on a beauti-
full luster Oil is also used to rub
down the outside of the cars. Water
is no longer used nowadays, for it
cracks the paint, while oil improves it
aneNg4ees it a beautiful color.
Some of the men who swarm aboard
the locomotive knock her fire." 9TH
ers clean all the flues and hampers,
the irepan and the machinery, and
take aboard coal and water for the
nexts days run; yet others carefully
test the air brakes, ejector pump and
other parts of the machinery, examine
the wheels, wipe down everything be-
low the running board with oil, fill up
the oil cups on the drivers, and gem
orally put the locomotive in first-class
shape for the next run.
Grooming n Locomotive.
It must not be supposed that this is
the work merely of laborers. Several
thoroughly trained experts, each with
his special branch of knowledge, go
most carefully over all the essential
parts Of the engine after each run, ex-
aiming and testing them. 1t is not
pertunctory examination, although
Is a daily one: for the men know
mat II there is any mishap on the run
which can be traced back to their neg
hgence they will be fired" to a dead
certainty.
when the passenger takes a railway
journey therefore. especially if he
Iues behind good modern flyer, he
may feel sure that everything which
skill and forethought can do to make
the trip a safe one has been done.
his comfort is attended to equally
as well as his safety. Sometimes the
patrons of palace car if they are ha-
pilual travellers, make a "lxick' be-
cause something or other is not just
az tney would have it: but habitual
nTr l..
upon 10 kick " whatever accommoda-
IONS they may get. At all events they
cannot fairly complain that the cars
are not clean. unless it be toward the
nu OF the days run, when they have
oeeh oegrimed by the dust of the track
ulla me smoke of the engine.
me Car Cleaners Job.
After the car has been taken down
70 me yards by a switch engine. it is
p ,,,l upon by small army of men,
~ give II sort of a preliminary
.tup-ooWn, and afterwards a most
b.oIough grooming before it is taken
'9 ,r TO the station for the next run.
me carpets are all taken out of the
.ar and blown by compressed air. a
e. oush way of cleaning them which
iot adopted even in the most ex-
'''e hotels once a week. let alone
,ii.o uay. The mattresses, cushions.
sn6 ana seats are also taken out
W., ploWh by compressed air. The
work glass and brass work ali
VNef The car are cleaned ana noIisbad
~ Gozens Of men. and the exterior
Ar I"VrK Is rubbed down with oil.
me-. lue running gear of the car is
80 carefully overhauled. Steamfit-
ey. eIectIlcians. engineers and Other
l'a examine in their special de-
IHents, and the lights and Air
~ l' s are rigidly tested. The cups
or 'le journals are filled with oil. ev-
T. D"lt or the wheels examined, and
~ .lorl Just as thorough a test made
liz we running-gear as in the case OF
~, locomotive herself.
MN sickness Has Been Abonrd
AZ there is a case Of sickness dur.
te "a run the conductor must locate
H., ~ y mis- duty to report, on arriv-
Witt tne yard, exactly the seat IN
ne we sick person sat. A space In
most carefully fumigated ana disen-
'tQ' no matter what tho rtaf,Ire n,
II ''gHness may have been. Whether
ON. INFECTIOUS or not. the railroad
tnl No. tdhe no chances with the health
f..,i',t or their passengers. This
ralf,a' ioh applies generally 10 All
cart ''1 cars not merely TO the palace
rna5a'olher large star attends 10 IN,
fr.m '9tins and equipping Of the car
NIIcb commissarlat department
attached 10 the station yard
mt. .,lal force Is even told on h
Nr., 'AIse of the supply Of clean bed
fsart. YNels and other articles 10 the
lrg.. cars. ~ goes without say.
Esen h , th.se are renewed every day