The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-09-15

lND.ECONOMYH
ARE DESIRED
RAILROAD COMPANIES FIN D
THAT THEY CAN HAWL GREAT.
Err LOADS WITH LESS FUEL BY
USING BIG ENGINES.

USING BIG ENGINES.
Efficiency and economy seem to be
upnermost subjects in railroad oper-
alton. That this economy extends to
human endeavor as well as to the ex
penditure OF money is well cmphas.
ed In the operating results OF the
new freight locomotives now being
received by the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad. Based on the present dellv.
cry, by September Is, the Baltimore &
Ohio will hayc received the last OF
the order of 1G0 Mikado freight loco
motives contracted for several months
ago. These engines, which are the
largest and most powerful type Of
freight engines excepting the Mallets,
are being delivered at the rate OF 2
a day and Immediately upon arrival
are placed In service. The Mikados
have been distributed, 5j on the Phil.
adelphia and Baltimore, % on the
Cumberland, IA on the New Castle, 90
on the Chicago and Is on the Clevc.
land divisions.
These larger and more powerful To-
comotlves are hauling trains OF con-
slderably heavier tonnage than is
handled by the 10 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 AIikado en-.
sines is that they handle this incrcas.
ed tonnage while economiz!ng in tho
consumption ;of fuel coal per mile,
which means a lessening Of the man.
ual labor OF the fireman. y. y. -
These facts are the consensus OF d
fireman of one OF the AIlkado engines
at the Riverside roundhouse In Bal.
timorc few days ago, Just after his
arrival from Philadelphia with a train
OF 1900 tors. The fireman has been
employed BY the d. & o. for some 1G
years. He looked admiringly at the
great piece of machinery and pro.
nounced II the most satisfactory OF
freight locomotive he had ever fired.
He explained that on the 17G.mile run
from Brunswick to Philadelphia the
Mikados consume about tons of coal
while the smaller l0.wheel engines
burn 10 tons of coal on the same trip.
A shovel OF coal weighs about 16 lbs.
meaning that the fireman on the MI
ado engine had $50 shoyelfuls less
to handle than would have been the
case on the smaller ngine with less
tonnage.
Realizing the saving OF labor invol.
we'd the admiration expressed by the
fireman for the engine could be appre.
ciated and further Information was
secured from the Road Foreman OF
Engines concerning the performance
of the big Mikados.
The lesser consumption of fuel was
explained to he tho result of the in
creased crate area in the frebox OF
the Mikados. which is larger than in
any other type cf freight engines and
makes them casier TO fire. When the
engines arc properly handled this in.
creased crate nrca permits the. gener.
alton OF the large amount of steam
necessary to enable this type OF en-.
gine to re worked 10 its capacity, with
no greater consumption of fuel than
is used by the smaller engines haul.
ing fewer cars.
II was also explained that service
tests have been made on freight cars
b. force Of competent men assigned
to this work. These tests have been
between Philadelphia and Baltimore
which are typical of those made on
the remainder of the road, demon.
stratcd that with proper handling the
Mikados will pull larger freight
train over this 100 miles and burn
tons less coal.
In order that the entire Baltimore
and Ohio System may benefit by the
tests and experiments made on fuel
ccal. a Fuel Bureau has been organ
i2od In the Office of the General Man.
ager to conduct experiments based
on the performances of all classes
OF locomotives in both passenger and
freight service.