The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-27
The Wrecking Train.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun. s.
1t takes just about five minutes for the
New York Central wrecking crew at Uti-
ca, N. Y, to get under way when
wreck happens somewhere east of Kirk
vile or west of Albany, which is the US
ual territory covered by this crew, dis
tance of 38 miles to the westward and 81
miles to the eastward. Five minutes is
the time required if the wreck happens in
the daytime If the accident happens at
night the use of the telephone gets every
member out OF bed, in which case 1t re-
qures about Is minutes to get tho crew
together and the engine hitched to the
seven-car train The wrecking aggrega-
ton located at Utica is typical of the
wrecking outfits on the Central railroad.
When two trains run into each other
and mess things up and hurt somebody,
the wrecking crews first business is to
care for the wounded. In Utica the New
York Central has the names of four ply
sicians on It's list and when the wrecking
crew hears that someone Is hurt, one of
these doctors Is notified. II the wreck
is a large one not only are all four doc
tors taken along, but also all others who
can be obtained The wrecking train is
also supplied with first-aid- to- the-injured
outfits.
The wrecking train consists of seven
cars. the steam crane, the idler, over
which the boom hangs, with cabin on
the other end in which ride the crane
engineer and rgger; a dining and sleep
ing car combined, In which the crew eats
and sleeps; a tool car, a blocking car,
which carries the blocks used In blocking
up cars, and two cars loaded with trucks.
which may be placed under cars when
wheels or axles have been twisted
An ordinary wrecking crew consists of
the wrecking master, crane engineer,
a rigger and eight wreckers. The assist
ant train master accompanies the crew
to learn how the wreck happened and to
attend to other matters. When the wreck
Is large the size of the crew Is increased
The steam crane constantly keeps steam
up ready for business, and the fire Is
never drawn without the permission of
the superintendent. When the wreoking
crew learns of a wreck the first available
engine is hooked to the seven cars. and
no time is wasted in arriving at the
scene of action.
The first thing the steam crane does
Is to hoist the debris off the track. Just
as soon as one of the tracks has been
opened the wrecking master reports to
the superintendent and gives him an esti-
mate of the length of time 1t will require
to open the other tracks.
The wrecking master Ia in full command
at the wreck. One of the wreckers acts
as a clerk and takes note of every bit of
damage done, for 1t will be his business
to make a detailed report of what hap
pened In the mix-up. If the nature Of the
wreck indicates the cause he will report
that also.
The crane has a lift rating of 60 tons.
which is sufficient to hoist a freight car
bodily upon a track. When 1t tackles a
pa ssenger car 1t can lift one end at a
time Whenever the crew goes to the
electrified Lake Shore railroad the MEM
bers wear rubber boots and rubber gloves
as extra precautions, although the cur
rent is supposed to be turned off from the
third rail after a wreck has happened. 81