The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-08-28
Pennsylvania Ry. is Working
Hard for Economy Promotion

PITTSBURG, Pa, Aug. 28-While
wide publicity is being given to statis-
tics showing, or purporting to show,
how the railroads waste millions every
year through unscientific methods.
some railroads are endeavoring to
show what they are doing to promote
economy.
The Pennsylvania railroad has de-
partments for the sole purpose of in
surfing it against loss through the use
of poor materials. These depart
| ments do not bring in a dollar of di-
rect revenue, but every year they save
the company hundreds of thousands of
dollars above the cost of their main
| tenance. Over two hundred men are
/ employed in these departments, and
among them are some of the most
skillful engineers and chemists in the
country. The departments are known
as the Test Department and the Chemi-
cal Laboratory. The first is in charge
of the Engineer of Tests and the Sec
ond is operated under the direction
of the Chemist of the Pennsylvania
railroad. Both are situated at AL
toona, Pa.
AS an instance of the saving posi-
bilities of this department, a short
time ago the engineers in charge of
the Locomotive Testing plant noticed
that a certain coal was not producing
the right amount of steam per pound.
Upon investigation it was found that
the coal was coming from an outcrop,
a vein lying outside the ground where
it was damaged by exposure to the
weather. Shipments from this source
were Immediately stopped when the
attention of the company furnishing
the coal was directed to the matter.
On the road it would probably not have
been noticed, and it is estimated that
the discovery saved enough to pay a
months expense of operating the Test
ing plant.
Some unique tests recently conduct
ed were those made in an effort to
find fire proof headlining for passen-
ger cars. The headlining is the thin
layer of material with which the cell
ing is finished. A steel coach was
filled with boards and shavings satu-
rated with oil. Two large cans of oil
were placed on scantlings run between
nited there was little doubt that any,
thing which withstood the ensuing
blaze was fireproof.
The longest and heaviest train ever
operated was run from Altoona to
Enola, Pa, distance of 127 miles, un-
der the direction Of this department.
The length of the train was 4,888 feet
more than nine-tenths of a mile
and the engine was connected with the
caboose by telephone. 1t consisted of
120 steel gondola cars loaded with g.
$50 tons of coal, and was pulled at the
rate of 13 miles an hour by single
locomotive of the type technically
known as the "H-8-b." Including
equipment the load was 16,S8S,O0O
pounds.
While it was announced that it was
not the intention of the Pennsylvania
railroad to operate such heavy trains
in regular service, the company stated
that the tests were made to deter
mine the capacity of it's freight loco
motive over the improved lines where
grades have been removed and curves
compensated. They have been made
frequently, but the latest one repre-
sents the heaviest movement ever Sc
cured.
Scientific management to gain pow
er is practiced by the Pennsylvania
railroad in the purchase of supplies,
and by supplies is meant everything
from a rubber band to steam locomo.
tives. Inspectors are stationed SO as
to be available at every mandatory
from which materials or equipment
are bought. Not only are the finished
products subjected to a rigid exami-
nation before they are accepted, but
the material which is bought by out.
side concerns must pass the scrutiny
Of these inspectors if it is destined for
equipment ordered by the Pennsyl
vania. Something of the Importance
of the work is indicated by the enor
nous amounts inspected by these men
each year. A few of the things they
passed on in 1910 are: 33,734,552
pounds of steel castings, of which 80.
I573,173 pounds were accepted and l.,
161,379 pounds were, rejected; 211,
453 wheels, of which 2Os,934 were &C
cepted, and 2,519 were rejected; and
1878 yards of plush, all of which was
accepted.
These outside inspectors are under
the direction of three resident in
spectors with headquarters at Altoona
Pittsburg and Philadelphia. Some
things such as car couplers, axles. etc
they test themselves at the works
where they are made. Usually, how
ever, specimens are sent to the labora
tories at Altoona, where they are put
through physical and chemical tests
the results of which are compared
with the specifications.
The company relies on its experts
to protect it and will accept nothing
that does not come up to the specified
tons prepared by them. These cover
practically everything that is used by
a railroad. The wide range of arti
cles they embrace is shown by glance
down the list, from automatic coup
lers, tin, and lumber for ties and tele
graph poles, to caustic soda, Tuscan
red sOap Messenger car thermom or ors