The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1904-07-11
IN THE ROLNDHOJSE
The ATTENTION THATls BESTOWED
UPON THE LOCOMOTIVES

UPON THE LOCOMOTIVES
constant snd careful Grooming re-
auIE-ed ny the Great Iron Horses
of the RafI-Hsr-- Che Tires OF the
BiE DrivInE wheels Are frightened.
Any one at all familiar with rail-
roads has seen the engineer dIsmount
from the cab, oil can in hand, as soon
as 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 rs
he filed the cups with oil; seen him per
haps tap u valve gently with wrench
or examine critically some Ill working
air pump
To any man all this IS Interesting.
but how many are there in Hll the vast
crowd that enter the city daily ut the
great terminals who can tell ofhdnd
what becomes of the train when once
the cars are emptied of the passengers!
To be sure, they have seen the cars on
siding out in the yard. They know
perhnps that 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 as the passengers have left
n train that has just come In from
long dusty run 1t is backed out into
the yard, md tie cars are set OFF on
side track. Men go upon them mt oure
and begin to put them in readiness fer
the next trip. The windows are wash
ed, cars freed from all dIth and dirt.
seats cIc.:ncsi. water tanks cared for
and the lighting apparatus put in order.
The locomotive, after leaving the
cars. proceeds Mt once TO the round
house. where the ponderous machine
also receives a proper overlauling.
First of all. the tanks are filed With
water and the fuel supply is repienish-
ed. Then n few puts bring the fire
box above tile ash pit. where the fires
are cleaned and dumped altogether.
The next thing is to stable the great
iron horse.
The roundhouse itself is most unin-
wiling place. with its SCOT begrimed
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 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
track of standard gauge, giving the
whole nm appearance not unlike 4
spiders web. the center OF which is the
turntabI
The turntable itself consists of pit
walled with stone. across which is
bridge free at the ends, but balanced ut
the center on a spindle. Rails are laid
across this, as If it 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 deft
hand Mt the throttle, he brings 1t TO
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 ana report in book prepared for
the purpose amy repairs that are need
ed, and lie 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
roundhouse crew, who go to work on it
at once. The attention that locomo-
tive receives on arrival Mt the round
house is about the same that one
would expect to see bestowed upon
race horse. Wipers go 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
any found are repaired. The hundred
or more dues 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
rounded with heavy steel tire. These
occasionally work loose, and it be
comes necessary that they be frightened
without sending the locomotive to the
shops.
70 do this a stream OF oil is fed au-
tomuticalIy upon the tire and allowed
to burn as it runs down. The result is
that the whole rim is soon a circle of