Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-07-21

under which the machine is known.
and the Remembering begins The
boiler is taken of the trucks, stripped
and he dismembered parts go. TO vari-
Gus departments. where they are given
expert attention and again assembled
near the west entrance
Many are unaware that they do not
see the real boiler when they see it in
operation. but that the outer jacket
has under it an inch of asbestos and
the boiler plate is within this. Such
is the fact In the process Of repair
ing this outer covering is stripped off
and all parts of the big. rusty steel
box is gone over thoroughly. Then new
asbestos is placed on in sections some
what resembling barrel slaves. and the
other jacket is once more adjusted.
The boiler and other parts having been
made ready. the various attachments
are put in place and the travelling
crane again picks up the pOnderous
machine. carries it perhaps a hundred
yards. turns it about and sets it down
On the wheels and trucks that have
been placed on one of the tracks n
The shops, ami presently the locJmo-
live is again ready for duty.
~ We'll Ordered.
10 The casual visitor all seems con
'n= on in the shops There j. - Ialca
laise enc IS made dizzy. B!ackoned
a.,.n- are l.pv:n- about inside OF. above.
around and over the huge machine
upon which thc5 ara NJ work With lat
he gcmb.ancc of orderly cndeavor. Bur
there is q system back Of il all. and il
is very accurate system ii that.
When an engine is taken III a schedule
is made of its parts and the foremen
of the different departments where
work VIII he done on IT arc Interviewed
uAd name time when they
can have the certain parts that
come TO them finished. These details
are all carefully compiled and daily
clerks go about and check up. If
job is not finished when it is promised
the reason therefor Is ascertained. By
means of these reports the superin-
tcndent is able at all times to know
just what is being done at all places.
There are - locomotives in the
shops now. with lG more waiting out
side for attention. Forty-four were
finished last month. and it is expected
a slightly better record will be made
this month II viii thus be seen that
on the average ii requires month or
more to put a machine entirely through
the mill. II costs about 81 500 on the
average TO complete this process.
When engines become TOO old or worn
out TO pay for repairing. or their types
become obsolete. they are sent To the
scrap pile and dismembered. a few of
The parts that can he used in other
engines being saved and the remainder
piled up and sold for junk. Occasion
ally a wrecked locomotive comes in.
bu; repairing such forms an exceeding
lly small part OF the business of the
plant There IS not a machine now in
hand with the exception of pile
driver of the b. c. II. & y. that was
sent in because OF damages sustained
in accidents.
Cranes Powerful.
Everywhere in the shops are great
travelling cranes that move with pom
derous precision The two in the cen
ter OF the machine shop are probably
50 feet ,oug and run on tracks al each
end. They are more than capable OF
sustaining the heaviest load there is
TO carry in the establishment, that of
the larger types of locomotives. weigh.
ing $50 tons or more. The two great
cranes move under separate operators,
guided by the foreman. who signals
from the floor TO the men in the cages
above. Yesterday the visitors saw the
cranes pick up a great boiler and set
il safely and gently on its wheels. In
each of the wings of the main shop
there are smaller travelling cranes.
each able 10 lift scores of tons All
move quickly and noiseIessIy by means
of electric motors No better illustra-
ton of the power of the magnet could
be had than one of these big machines
drawing away from the earth mon
strous mass of metal. Cranes are used
/ 10 distribute the new wheels that are
/ kept on tracks ar The east end Of the
shops, and IN loading and unloading
/ cars in the supply department
| Scarcely less interesting than the
machine shop though much smaller, IS
the blacksmith shop, where the heating
and shaping of The metal takes place
/ Most OF the heavier parts are purchas
cd already made. bur some forging Is
! done here. Nearly ali the shop ma
cE5Gery Is OF ponderous type. capable
al planins, cutting and turning steel
IN tie same manner wood is commonly
worked
I Power Plant a Revelation.
! More interesting 10 many than the