Evening journal., 1914-10-22
new Steel CABOOSE
SAFER FOR TRAINMEN.
Much Expected of All-Steel
Carrier Recently
Built
CAR IS NOW
BEING TESTED

Much is expected of the new eight
wheel all-steel caboose recently de-
signed and built at the Altoona shops
of the Pennsylvania railroad. Local
trainmen, as well as others on the
Pennsylvania system. will enjoy a
greater degree of safety. convenience
and comfort while riding on freight
trains. In recent years rear-end col
listens of freight trains in which the
cabooses were badly wrecked by the
heavy type engines, killing the occu-
pants, has demonstrated the practical
bility of a caboose of more substantial
construction. This car has not been
made standard, but is a tentative de-
sign and will be thoroughly tried out
on different parts of the road before
a decision is made as to its suitable
ity. The severe conditions to which
the car will be subjected makes il
necessary that the construction be as
strong as that of heavy steel freight
cars, and very careful consideration
has been given to each feature of the
design, including those which tend to
add to the comfort and convenience
OF the trainmen
So far as can be learned this is the
first all steel caboose ever built the
inside lining, the flooring through the
passageway, the platform floor and the
window sashes being the only parts for
which wood is used The ear weighs
$4,000 pounds, is 81 feet long from
face to face of drawheads and IA feet
and - inches high over the cupola
lamp. There is a 30-inch platform on
each end with a ! ga inch floor and
side steps. Ratchet hand brakes arr
used The center sill construction OF
the underframe is similar to that used
on Pennsylvania railroad steel freight
cars.
Convenience. comfort and safety were
given great consideration in fitting mp
the car The car is equipped with a
stove for heating and cooking purposes,
a drop table, water cooler, washstand
refrigerator, desk and hopper, as we'll
as lockers, drawers and cupboards for
the mems personal belongings. Three
pairs of hunks, upper and lower. are
located along the sides, one at the stove
end and two at the opposite end. The
lower hunks are of a box type, 6 feet
and 10 inches long and 2 feet 5 inches
wide, and are arranged for the storing
of equipment necessary to the car in
the bottom. The upper hunks, which
are of the same dimensions. are attach
ed to the belt rail by means of a cast
steel hinge bracket, and when not re-
Quired may be lowered and used as a
back for the lower bunk. when used for
seat. Including cupola seats, the car
has sleeping facilities for eight men, the
cupOla seats being the same width and
length as the hunks.
The lockers, which are located be-
tween the bulkheads and the lower
'cupola seats, contain the Refrigerator
in the lower center section, on the side
opposite the stove and the hopper in
one Of the end lockers on the other
side. The arrangement is so that there
is ample room for dishes, food, lamps,
oil and waste.
The side and end window are above
the belt rail, so that the light is not
cut off when the upper bunk is raised.
The side windows are fixed, while those
at the end, including the end door win
dows, may be dropped The cupola Is
also equipped with a safety rail, extend
ing between the end sheets of the cupo-
Ia on the center line of the car, which
is of convenience as a handhold when
descending from the cupola seat
The car is equipped with specially de-
signed arch bar trucks OF five feet
wheelbase, having axlcs with 3 "a inch
BY 7 inch journals. The usual column
castings are replaced by malleable
casting which serves as column east
ing, brake hanger support, spring seat,
and spring plank extension. The Dol
Fter is of the inverted L shaped type,
with malleable iron stiffening castings
spring seats and bolster guides.