The Cairo bulletin., 1906-05-14
PROTECTING SNoWSHEDS.
Fire-Fighting Train Crews in the
West Have Ugly Work
to Do. A& @

The long line OF snowsheds betwee
Sacramento Cal, and Sparks. Ne,
Is peculiarly liable to destruction h
IRE The passing locomotives EN-
sparks which lodge in the timber
that are as dry as cracklings, and thi
{ is peculiarly liable to destruction i
IRE The passing locomotives EN-
francisco Call, forest fires and burr
ing brush often ignite the shed.
The pine lumber OF which the shed
are built is fat with pitch and thor
| onghly dried by the combined hea
OF the passing locomotives inside an
the rays OF the summer sun without
This makes excellent fuel for IN
flames. And when they are ono
started they spread with lightninglik
rapidly along the line Of sheds. as i
1t were a train Of powder The lon,
| line OF sheds acts as huge Gimme,
| with a powerful draught, and no
much time is required for small
blaze to develop into a fire OF ugly
proportions.
The protection of the sheds from
the rayages of fire IL a matter OF
prime Importance. The organization
of the fire brigade must be and is a.
highly efficient and as thoroughIy
trained as any company in a metro
politan fire department. The system
which secures this protection consists
OF two parts; first, the fire patrol, and
second, the fire trains and their crews
The fire patrol keeps the closest
watch for any outbreak Of fire through
the trackwalkers and lookouts. The
trackWalkers are men constantly ia,
trolling the track before and after
trains pass through the sheds to in.
spect the condition of the track and
see that distractions are removed to
prevent accidents. Their beat is usu
ally three miles in length. One OF
their most important duties is the de-
lection of fire in the sheds. At short
intervals along the line, about three,
fourths OF mile apart, there are sig.
nal boxes. connected with the stat,
lions where the fire trains are located.
When trackwalker discovers a fire
he turns in the alarm at the nearest
signal box, and the alarm is registered
1T Summit, Blue Canon and Truckee.
The main fire lookout is located on
he top Of Red mountain, a high peak |
If the Sierras, near Cisco. Red noun |
ain Is about 5000 feet high From
Is summit almost the entire line of
nowsheds is visible. The instant a
ire is detected by the watchers on
ted mountain the alarm Is sent to the
tations where the fire trains are held
n waiting.
On the portion of the Sacramento di. u
ision, where the snowsheds are To-
ated there are three fire trains |
Zach train is made up of fire en-
inc, which is a locomotive equipped
18th a powerful pump throwing three
-reams Of water, tender and two
alter cars. The trains are also
luipped with telegraph and telephone
itfits. The cars have tanks capable 4
holding lS,500 gallons of water.
hey are fully equipped with fire hose.
me OF it on reels and some laid out
the top of the cars, also ladders.
res. saws. ropes and pike poles
round the top Of the cars on which
e crew rides runs stout railing
keep the men from being pitched II
when rounding curves on the way
the fires The regular crew of the II
e train consists of engineer, fire X
IN and brakeman who devote their n
lole time to The fire train When an g
irm is turned in there are added 10 NJ
use grapher lineman. section h
IN and all others working for the r
npany around the station who are n
actually needed at home. n
When the train has reached the u
ne of the fire then comes the real n
rk of the run. The engineer usu- "
Y takes charge OF the situation and N
Gets the forces in the fight with q
fire The crew work together n
h rapdity and precision. The hose y
detached from the car and attached
the pump on the engine. and pow
al streams are soon playing on the 8
ming sheds. The water supply Is II
the tanks on the cars, which are a B
I of the train. If the fire is well
Ter way and has assumed danger
proportions. a second train may 4
sent from another station and the q
crews work from both sides OF .
fire But for ordinary fires one
n only is sent ont
lighting fire IN the sheds is some
rs an ugly piece OF work. as the
becomes intense. owing to the
lily infammable character OF the a
erial of which the sheds are built. v
the surrounding brush and trees
~ ignite and add 20 the extent Of
trouble. The hlistering heat FIRE
lily causes the heavy steel rails 10 IT
p and twist. rendering it neces-
To lay new track before trains
pass over the burned stretches.
le heavy loss entaiied BY destruc-
fires In the sheds which occur
Y year makes this branch Of rail
maintenance a vital part in the NJ
omv Of administration. The FIRE '''
and crew are most important far
In the various branches OF rail Ia