The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-25
RAILROAD NEWS.
Premium System Is Suggested
for All Enginemen.
Stimulate Greater Care in
Handling of Locomotives.
BASED ON MILEAGE.
Man Who Extends Time Be-
tween ShOppings Gets Pay
Other Items of General Interest
in Railroad World.
BASED ON MILEAGE.

The efforts to keep the expenses of
mechanical department operation
within reasonable bounds have been
directed largely to the operation of
shops engaged in the repair of loco
motives and cars, says the Railway
Age-Gazette. 1t has been proposed
to introduce a premium system for
enginemen so as to stimulate greater
interest and care in the handling of
locomotives, by substantial rewards in
money, which will result in larger
mileage and less annual cost for re-
pairs.
Something in the same line has been
adopted for master mechanics and
road foremen of engines on one road
and substantial gains have resulted
both for the road and the men. 1t in
sureS closer supervision of the work
of engine repairs and engine operation
by enlisting greater interest than be-
fore. 1t should make the enginemen
more painstal1ing in the care of the
engines. While they would not do
more manual work, more thought
would be exercised, greater skill de-
veloped, and a larger interest shown
in seeing that engines were properly
cared for in the rOundhOuse.
In the efforts to reduce the expense
of locomotive repairs, shop and
roundhouse operations only have been
COnSlQer6O, Out the cost per mile TOT
these repairs is evidently less If the
engine makes a large mileage between
shoppings, and little has been done in
a systematic way to increase this mile
age. Locomotives which have been
properly repaired and are well main
tanned should render nearly uniform
mileage between shoppings; as there
IS a very wide difference in the mile
age of different locomotives in the
same service on a given division, it
must be due in part to the manner in
which they are operated, and to the
care which the enginemen take to
keep them in good working order al
ways excepting such locomotives as
require repairs by reason of wrecks
or to which new devices may be ap-
piled.
The amount of breakage and wear
of locomotives, for which the engine
men are responsible, is difficult to
measure. but with a large number of
locomotives the records show that the
mileage between shoppings is a fair
indication of the interest the engineer
has taken in having his locomotive
maintained in good running condition.
The record mileages for locomotives
which have been obtained by faithful
and skilled enginemen, show the great
value of these qualities in the men,
and If they became the rule instead of
the exception there would result a
large saving to the railways; it would
almost be equivalent to returning to
the old-time method when each man
had his own engine, and took a per-
sonal pride not only in It's appearance
but also in its working condition. The
irregularity of the service obtained
from locomotives. as indicated by
mileage between shoppings, has been
shown by the records from many d.
visions.
In the application of the premium
system to the wages of enginemen, one
railway proposes to establish separate
allotments for each class of engine on
the different divisions. which shall be
predetermined standard figures for
the cost of running and light repairs
per mile. The efficiency is the result
of dividing the allotment cost by the
actual cost. The payment of the pre-
MUM begins at about rs per cent eff
fciency. Above this efficiency the
payments increase proportionally
much more rapidly than the efficiency. |
in order to encourage the men to
reach 100 per cent, when the sum is
large enough to be appreciated. If
the allotment is cents per mile, and |
the actual cost $50 cents. the eff |
cheney is 80 per cent. and the engineer !
ing total of $3.72 for the month. BY |
careful work on the part of the en-
ginemen the cost may be so reduced |
as to net them a total premium of SIS |
or $50 per month. It is also intended |
to use a different allotment cost for |
running and light repairs per mile, |
varying according to the time the en- |
CINE has been out of shop. the figure |
increasing for one class of engine |
about 40 cent per mile for each |
1000 miles of service.