The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-09-21
GREATER TONNAGE
BY NEW ENGINES
Is Hauled on the Baltimore
and Ohio with Much
Less Fuel.

BALTIMORE, Sept 15.-Eficiency
and economy seem to be uppermost
subjects in railroad operation. That
this economy extends to human en-.
deayor as well as to the expenditure
of money is well emphasized in the
operating results OF the new freight
locomotives now being received by
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
Based on the present delivery today
the Baltimore and Ohio has received
the last OF the order OF 100 Mtkado
freight locomotives contracted for
several months ago. These engines,
which are the largest and most pow
erful type OF freight engines except
ing the Mallets, are bling delivered
at the rate OF two day and i'm
medIately upon arrival are placed In
service. The Mikados have been dis
trlbuted, tifty-fve on the Philadelphia
and Baltimore, twenty-five on the
Cumberland. fourteen on the New
Castle. twenty-three on the Chicago
and eighteen on the Cleveland divi-
sions.
These larger and more powerful
locomotives are hauling trains OF con-
siderably heavier tonnage than is
handled by the ten wheel locomotive
which preceded them in the service
and for years were looked upon as
the maximum in railroad efficiency
A notable feature of the Mikado en-
gines is that they handle this in
creased tonnage while economizins
in the consumption of fuel coal per
mile. which means a lessening Of the
manual labor of the flrcmen.
These facts are the consensus OF a
statement made by fireman of one
of the Mikado engines at the River
side roundhouse in Baltimore few
days ago, just after his arrival from
Philadelphia with train OF 1900
tons. The fireman has been employed
by the Baltimore and Ohio for some
sixteen years. He looked admiringiy
at the great piece of machinery and
pronounced it the most satisfactory
freight locomotive he had ever AIRED.
lie explained that On the 176-mile run
from Brunswick TO Philadelphia the
,Aiikados consume about eight tons OF
coal while the smaller ten-wheel en-
gines burn ten tons of coal on the
game trip. A shovel of coal weighs
about sixteen pounds, meaning that
the fireman on the Mikado engine had
$50 shovelfuls less to handle than
would have been the case on the
smaller engine with less tonnage.
Realizing the saving of labor in
volved the admiration expressed by
the fireman for the engine could be
appreciated and further information
was secured from the road foreman
OF engines concerning the perform
ance Of the big Mikados.
The lesser consumption OF fuel was
explained to be the result of the in
creased CRATE area in the frebox of
the Mikados, which is larger than in
any other type Of freight engines and
makes them easier to fire. When the
engines are properly handled this in
lcreased CRATE area permits the gen
Grafton of the large amount of capa-
city. with no greater consumption of
fuel than Is used by the smaller
engines hauling fewer cars.
1t was also explained that service
tests have been made on freight
trains by a force OF competent men
assigned to the work. These tests
have been made at various points On
the road with an idea of determining
the best method OF firing the Mikado
engines to secure greater efficiency
and to render the fremans labor as
easy as possible, These tests not
only demonstrated that the fireman
had less coal to handle but the firing
=--===----- ---=====-