The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1904-08-18
THE CARE ENGINES NEED
THEY MUST BE eRooMED LIKE A
RACE HORSE.
What Happens to the Pondrous Ma
chine In the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Must Know His Machine as the
Driver Knows His Trotter.

0itflC WI ANG
Must Know His Machine as the
Driver Knows His Trotter.
Every n at all familiar with rail-
roads has seen the engineer dismoult
from the cab, oil in hand, as soon as
the train has come to a stop at some
way station; has seer him walk slowly
about the ponderous machine. feeling
of each bearing with his free hand as
he fills the cups with oil; seen him,
perhaps, tap a valve gently with a
wrench or examine critically ONE ill
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 oifhand
what becomes of the train when once
the cars are emptied of the passen-
gers? To be sure, they have seen the
cars on a siding out in the yard. They
know, perhaps, that a ~roundhouse is a
place where engines are kept when
not in actual use. But beyond this the
ideas of the ordinary man are q bit
hazy.
AS soon as the passengers have left
a train hat has just come in from a
long, dusty run, it is backed out into
the yard and the cars are set off on a
side track. Men go upon them at
once and begin to put them in readi-
ness for the next trip. The windows
are washed; cars freed from all filth
and dirt, seats cleaned, water tanks
cared for. and the lamps are put in
order. The more improved cars have
the gas system of lighting, and on
these the tanks under the cars are fill
ed from the gas pipes that are laid
alongside the tracks for that purpose.
The locomotive, after leaving the
cars, proceeds at once to the round
house, where the %ponderous machine
also receives a proper ~overhauling.
First of all the tanks are filled with
water and the fuel supply is replenish-
ed. Then a few puffs brings the fire.
box above the ashpit, where the fires
are cleaned or dumped altogether.
The next thing is to stable the great
iron horse.
The roundhouse itself is a most I'M
inviting place, with its soot-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 semi-cir-
cular in shape. The centre of the
circe is the centre of the turntable.
Arranged along the inner side of the
building is a line of doors, each exact
ly like it's neighbor. Under each runs
a track of standard gauge, giving the
whole an appearance not unlike a spi-
der's web, the centre of which is the
turntable.
The turntable itself consists of a pit
walled with stone, across which is a
bridge free at the ends, but balanced
at the centre 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 def hand at the throttle he
brings it to a stop at the precise point
where the hundred tons of steel bal
ances on the spindle that supports the
bridge. This looks like a delicate
task to the uninitiated, but it must be
remembered that the engineman
knows his machine as a driver knows
his horse. He understands Just how
it will behave under given circum-
stances, and governs himself accord
ingly. 1t is seldom necessary for an
experienced engineer to throw the re-
verse lever in order to bring his en-
CINE to a stop at the proper place.
Once in position men apply their
strength to the bars that project from
the ends of the bridge and begin to
walk along the brink of the pit. Slow
ly the whole mass revolves until the
required track is reached, and then
the engine glides gently and smoothly
into the house. Some of the more i'm
proved houses have power with which
to operate the tables.
A roundhouse in summer, when the
doors are all open. presents a SPLEEN
did picture for a lover of machinery.
sFor each engine is backed into the
house, and, therefore, through the
semi-circle one gets a view of a line
of engines, each facing outward with
the numbers shining and headlights
cleaning in the sunlight.
Once within the house the engi-
neer's duty is done. He has but to go
to the office and report in a book pre-
pared for the purpose any repairs that
are needed, and he can go home as
sured that his machine will be ready
for him when he starts on the next
rum.
The engine is now turne@ over to
the ~roundhouse crew, who 20 60 work
on it at nce The attention that a To-
connective receives on arrival at the
roundhouse is about the same that one
would expect to e 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 machine and wine the