The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-07
TESTS ARE FINISHED.
Santa Fee Plan to Save Ties by Use
of New Machine.

The test made by the tie and tim
Der department of the Santa Fe of
using screw spikes was finished today.
This test was conducted under the
direction Of Mr.. George E. Rex, as
sistant superintendent, tie and tim
Der department and Hermann Won
Schrenk, consulting timber engineer
of the Santa Fe at st. Louis, where
he also acts in a similar capacity for
the Rock Island. Frisco and United
States government.
The australian used in connection
with driving the screw spikes proved
very successful. The ties used in
this test were Nara ties from Japan
and Ohia. Hawaiian ties
This innovation is right in line with
the other policies of the Santa Fe
which have been adopted for the pro-
longatfon of the life of the railroad
tie. The tie problem is beginning to
assume serious proportions and the
Santa Fe is taking every precaution
against the shortage of ties which Is
sumption of tie timber is not les
sened.
The Santa Fe has let contracts for
large shipments of ties from Ecuador,
Hawaii and Japan. Mr.. E. o. Faulk-
ner, superintendent of the tie AID
present time and has but recently left
Australia where he closed contracts
for large deliveries Of eucalyptus ties.
| Tie treating is another method
| which is being generally resorted to
for the preservation of ties. BY
| guarded against decay and it's life of
| service prolonged. The plates have
| been placed between the ties and the
rails and these also have a beneficial
| effect upon the life of the ties.
| From tests which have been made
| df1,- f,,,- OF fhS hxy 40
| Santa Fe tests department 1t has been
| found that the spike which is COM
monty employed for securing the
| rail to the ties. distorts the fiber of
the wood and in this manner leaves
room for the tie to deteriorate right
| is fastened.
| A screw spike, however. in no way
| impairs the fiber of the wood The
screw spike, however, has failed to
| receive much consideration from rail-
| road men on account Of the extra
amount of trouble and time involved
| in placing screw spikes in the ties
| The work could not be satisfactorily
| done by hand. 1t is for this purpose
| that Au-tra-kar was designed by Mr..
H. w. Jacobs. assistant superintendent
| Of motive power, at the request of the
| tie and timber department.
| This machine is, in appearance, q
| we'll appointed railway motor car with
dos-a-dos seat. It is driven by a
| two cylinder opposed automobile type
gasoline engine of II morse power.
| Speeds of from S to 40 miles an hour
ahead and 10 miles an hour reverse
are obtainable. With all the car
weighs only 425 pounds and can
| therefore be easily lifted off the
track to pass a train or turn around.
When working at track laying a
| flexible shaft running a special gear
| box drives high speed drill for drill
| ing holes In the ties while telescope
shaft from the other end Of the car
| runs special reduction gear and
clutch for driving spikes. The
method of operation is for one man
| to go ahead, drill the holes and start
| the spikes, while the other man fol-
lows the car and screws in the spikes.
| The friction clutch on the spike
| driver is set so as to release when the
| head of the spike sets hard against
the rail and thus avoid roaming out
| the hole. A special Jig which slips
around the rail automatically spaces
the holes in the tie. Two men with
| this machine are able to put in the
spikes faster than the ordinary sized
| section gang can place the ties An
automatic tamping device is being
/ constructed and will soon be placed
| on the car.
| All those who Witnessed the test
yesterday were highly pleased and
new invention.
The Illinois Central is interested in
| the use of screw spikes, Mr.. Stein
| beck engineer of that system, being
! present to observe the test. Mr.. A.
| F. Robinson. chief bridge engineer of
| the Santa Fe observed the test also.
/ II ~