The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-16

ton work. has been constructed in the
Tepeka shops of the Santa Fe and
will be placed in service this evening.
The car will go to Lawrence for the
nrst trip where it will be examined
BY engin eering students in the Uni
versity of Kansas
The car is fifty feet long The I'M
der frame side frame and roof frame
are constructed of steel This car IS
required to stand heavy blows in ser
vice as it is made TO run between the
. engine and the train The frame Is
of such size that it will Withstand a
blow of 100000 pounds The rigid
ity of the car IS greatly increased DN
means of a S Inch steel plate cover
ing the front end OF the under frame
The front section of the car is taken
up by working room. This contains
two large pieces of apprenticeship
dynam ometer proper and the record
ing apparatus The dynamon1eteI
consists of a double end cylinder with
a chamber for liquid (glycerine) at
either end The piston which is d.
rectlv connected to the draw bar by
lever arms is in order to reduce fric-
ton suspended by knife edges in the
cylinder When there is pull exert
ed on the draw bar by the engine the
end of the piston IS pressed against
sheet of rubber which is between the
draw bar and the liquid and transmits
the pressure to the liquid The pres
sure is transmitted from here through
pipe connections to the recording ap-
paratus.
The recording apparatus consists es-
sentially of a moving paper chart if
teen inches wide which passes under a
series Of eighteen operating. pens
The paper is driven by flexible con-
neetion to an auxiliary truck which is
shown in the outside view of the car
just behind the front truck When in
service this truck is lowered and the
wheels run on the rails
The pressure from the dynamOme-
ter passes to an ordinary steam engine
Indicator on the recording apparatus
To the lever of this Indicator is at
tached a pen. When n pull is eXerted
on the draw bar a record is made on
the chart. At the same time various
other records are made on the chart
speed recorder), air pressure in the
train line and brake cylinder. location
of mile posts. time (from an electric
cIock), amount Of coal fired position
Of throttle. reverse lever, engineers
valve and other features.
A series of gauges on the side wall
also show all the various conditions
such as air pressures in various parts,
contains also a Haushalter speed re-
corder which is driven by chain
from the axle
In case of special air brake tests
the recording apparatus paper is driV-
en- by means of motor instead of the
auxiliary truck. Three speeds are
provided for both auxiliary truck and
motor drive
The power for all the magnets.
motors. etc. is obtained from storage
batteries. The batteries are charged
BY means of a generator belt driven
from one OF the axles of the car.
Power for lighting the car is obtain
ed also from this source
The small cupola on top Of the car
IS used for taking running observa-
lions such as the location of mile
posts. stations. etc.
In making an engine test such as
rating work. in which it Is desired to |
determine the proper load for the
engine over a definite division. the |
car is placed between the engine and
the test train which is usually regu- |
lar train. regular run is made all
the observations being taken The |
chart then is removed from the re-
cOrding apparatus and calculations |
made to determine the horse power |
deveioDed and the efficiency of the To- !
connective under all conditions. After |
making a number of runs with the