The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-15
RAILROAD NEWS.
Railroad Man Tells Why Trains
Are Late in Winter.
Block Signals Get Out OF order
and Cause Delay.
ENGINES FREEZE UP.
Locomotives Hard to "Steam"
in Cold Weather.
Other Items of General Interest
in Railroad Circles.

why are passenger trains almost
invariably off their schedule during the
winter season." was the question pro-
pounded to a practical railroad man
yesterday.
ITO answer that question exhaust
ively would consume many columns OF
SPACE" was the reply.
Eliminating the causes for delays
which are of minor importance, 1 VIII
tell you something about what nap
pens to a passenger train on It's run
from one terminal to another say OF
300 miles," he continued.
Trains working their way into the
depot are usually ahead and they move
slowly. The depot master and crew
feel relieved if they are able to get the
train backed into the station on time.
More often they are late Then comes
the loading of baggage and mail While
the passengers are clamberlng ABOARD
Mail from the east which the postoffice
department is anxious to forward on the
Limited, may be delayed and the oft1-
Gals are given an urgent plea to hold
the Limited for this mail In extreme
cases. few minutes wait is allowed;
Finally IL the passengers, mail ana
baggage are all loaded and inspection
in operation as well as all the pipes of
the throbbing locomotive ahead, tha
conductors high balls and the long
train shoots out of the station.
Slow Running Necessary.
Threading it's way over the joint
tracks again and crossing numberless
connecting roads, the train finally
reaches the city limits and a clear track.
Almost without exception, trains lose
time during this stretch of the long
journey. due to the reason previously
given. many of the interlocking plants
and switches working slowly and per
hapS frozen. When headed for Joliet,
the engineer hopes that he will be able
to make up some of the delay. Does
he do it? Not often. More often he
loses. One OF the most aggravating
sources Of delay is the electric blocks.
These delicately constructed safe
guards, are easily put out of business
by extreme cold, and when out of or
der. they show danger by dropping
their semaphore arm. Unless they are
known to be out of order. the engineer
must slow down to walking speed and
teel his way around curves until as
sured that there is nothing in his way.
This procedure consumes valuable time.
Stations where stops are made, the
wait is longer than usual. Bag
gagemen can not load and unload
trunks in winter time with their cold
cid summer time. Trains carrying eX-
press, have an added delay for the
same reason. A few additional minutes
ere wasted through this procedure. Null
tiplied by many stops, and the delay
becomes considerable.
Engines Freeze Up.
THE engineer and firemen are happy
despite all this delay, if they can see
the steam gauge keep about IT'S to 200,
but if the frigid atmosphere and the
heavy pull of the train. due to chilled
journals tracks covered With snow,
etc. develop lung trouble in their en-
CINE. then the crews have cause for
depression. If the f1ues begin to leak
or for some other reason. due to the
cold weather, the engine will not steam,
and the pressure drops to the neigh
borhoOd of a hundred pounds, then the
speed of the train begins to percepti-
bly, slacken until it drops to 20 to rs
miles per hour. Perhaps the engine be-
comes completely dead and it is nee
essary to substitute another engine.
This is usually miles away and many
minutes are consumed before the ex-
Change is made or the double header
coupled.
even while standing at stations, the
condensed steam in the air and steam
heat pipes. or the water in the injector
This too requires time. The operators
along the road. also have distressing
habit of blocking trains by their mat
tention to DUTY, keeping the stop board
out too long and in other ways arousing
the ire of the engineer and increasing
delays. Coal of the quality essential to