The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1907-08-01
TASK FOR AN ENGINE.
Men Who Are Held Responsible When
1t Falls Short in Its Work.


When a locomotive is built it 10
expected to make a. certain mileage
before it receives a general overhaul
ing. When that overhauling is done
it is again required to make a del
mite mileage.
A modern passenger locomotive IS
expected, says the Ohio Magazine, to
cover 100000 miles between general
"shoppings," intermediate repairs be-
ing made at the various roundhouses.
Responsibility for failure OF a loco
motive to perform the worl: cut out
Tor it is easily fixed by means OF e
system of records. The suTerintend-
ent of shops is responsible for all
power cut out of service on the road
and placed inside the shop grounds,
and this responsibility does not emo
until the locomotive is ready for SER
vice again. From the time that 1t Is
ready for service until 1t is once more
cut out for repairs in the shop the
master mechanic shoulders the re-
sponsibility.
When the locomotive is ready to
leave the shops it Is inspected jointly
oy the shop inspector, under the sup
erintendent of shops, and an inspector
working under the master mechanic.
Every workman who has any part
whatever in the handling of the loco
motive is responsible to his immed1-
ate foreman, just as the foreman IS
responsible to his superiors.
In spite of the many intricate parts
of a locomotive the company records
show less than ore engine failure for
every $4,000 miles. An engine fall
ure" is delay of one minute or more
to any train, provided it is caused by
a failure of the machinery of the loco
motive.
Each OF the many locomotives OF a
big system-790 in one case-has a
decided individuality in the eyes OF
the railroad. At headquarters IS
known not only the cost of original
construction, but the cost of labor and
materials used in repairs ard the en-
tire expense of maintenance down to
date.
The labor of every man who works
tor even an hour upon a certain en-
gine, each mechanic recording his
labor upon slip Of paper known as
u daily time certificate. which in turn
| is certified to by his immediate fsre-
man and forwarded to the general
timekeeper. The records Of the road
enable the officials to show the exact
cost OF labor and material for each
mile that locomotive travels. or
each ton hauled.
In the case of collisions or wrecks,
where the fault is not one Of defec-
live workmanship or material, the
locomotive may enter the general
shops for rebuilding, even though II
may not have completed the mileage
assigned to it. and no responsibility
attaches itself to those on whom it
would otherwise fall. The locomotive
is simply repaired and is allowed to
complete the mileage originally as
signed to it.
When q locomotive is brought into
the shops for work it is first stripped
by the men who comprise what is
known as the stripping gang. This
gang Immediately takes off such parts
uf the engine as are necessary for the
respective job.
The parts to be repaired are cleaned
| In vat and the work is then distrib-
uted among the various employees OF
the machine and blacksmith depart
naents, each part when repaired to be
returned to the erecting side of the
| shop, to be mounted again on the
locomotive by the date on which it is
scheduled to go on the road. cc'he
dates are posted in conspicuous
-,1a,a cpnyeuiant IN each renoir gang