The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-29
Master Mechanic Tells of Rail-
ways Advances.
John HickIy of Salt Lake City
Defends His Fellows.
MANY IMPROVEMENTS
Public Demands Have Forced
Lots of Changes.
Other Items of Interest to
Railway People.

John Hickey. of Salt Lake City
railroad master mechanic. takes excep-
tion to = published statement that lit
tie, if any. progress has been made by
railroads in the last 40 years. in
general way. is casting reflection on
railroad men and their methods Mr..
Hickey SAYS that he has no knowledge
from personal observation as to actual
conditions 40 years ago, but he does
know what ccnveniences were avail
able for operating the roads 25 years
ago. or more.
1t is we'll known by those who OBJ
served the condition then and will COM
pare them with the present. he says.
that great improvements have been
made toward safety in transportation
q well as in economy of results In
20 years might say within 10. great
iupro vements have been instituted in
the handling of railroads.
Take the tranScontinental lines a
our doors, and observe their through
trains and comUare them with what
they were even 10 years ago. No one
who has kept in touch with the con-
ditions will deny the marvellous change
instituted for both safety and comfort
of travellers. While it is true that Is
or 20 years ago trains developed spurts
OF speed equal 10 the present. this was
only for short distan noes. and on select
ed portions of track For scores of
miles our present through passenger
trains, weighing $50 tons. exclusive of
tOCCTlOIlEe- WIFI GlllTe SdIC-
" speeds of 80 and so miles per hour
and % TO As miles between stops. With
the equipment available 20 years ago
this performance was utterly impossl-
BIZ
What has permitted the changes2
Simply progressive work on the part OF
railroad men-heavier rails, better
loadbed greatly improved frogs and
switches the introduction of heavier
and improved construction on locomo-
tives the installation of the automatic
air brake. the air whistle in the hands
of the conductor for instantly notify
heating the cars with steam from the
locomotives. the introduction of steel
platforms. spring buffers. close ana
automatic couplers, wide vestibules. a
vast improvement in the construction
of trucks and axles and the Substltu-
ton of steel wheels for caStlron-
The automatic air brake alone Is
enc of the greatest inventions or TINS
property may be appreciated when 1t
is known that a train of 500 tons. at
speed of SIS miles an hour. can pc
brought 10 stop in less than LOCO
feet. Ten years ago II was ra
thing to find steel or steel-tire wheels
under passenger train equipment all
or nearly all. being castiron. AT pres
emf it is difficult to find any class OF
passenger train equlpment suppt NJ
wheels although the latter are more
tban 1--WE times as costly as the cast
iron. ;,5
managers to install heavier locomotives
az we'll as passenger cars for Incl eased
weight. For safety. economy In opera
ton. and to meet the demands OF tne
neople il was a necessity The pubic
cIan7ored for shorter time between i'm
portart points With this came a cry
for better service: the introduction OF
dining cars. improvements IN Day
coaches smokers and chair cars ana
of ali the demands were Ioudest IoP
more elaborate sleeperS-
ssThe improvements referred 10 not
only involved greater weight per car
huf of course. led to much heavier
trains hence the necessity of larger
locomotives to haul such trains Pre-
I-ious to the introduction OF the I'M
nroved attachments referred to. the
best coaches weighed from $4,000 70
20 600 pounds. Improved coaches OF
TODAY weigh from 10000 to 11O,OOO
hounds. The uo to date dining car
formerly we had none) weighs not
less than 10000 pounds, and sleepers
have been increased in weight from
100 900 to 10000 pounds
LAS before intirpated. 1t was not a