Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-30
U. S. Sent MANY
L0COMO
TO BATTLE Zone
Engines Weighing Severity
Three Tons Built Complete
in This Country; Man.
ner Of Shipment.


American-built steam locomotives
weighing u tons each, and assem-
bled all but the smoke stack and the
tender so that they could move
away under their own steam within
few hours after their arrival in
France was among the accomplish
ment of the United States army
transport Force under stress of war
and has since been continued.
More than 400 of these locomo-
tives were SO shipped from New
York in few months, it was
learned here with the lifting of the
war censorship regulations, and
these were in addition to 1900
which were shipped in sections
nine to a locomotive packed in
cases. The ships used to transport
the locomotives, complete, were of
special type with three holds,
each hold measuring 60 by l02 feet
entered by matches 80 feet wide and
AZ feet long.
Packed in Baled Hay.
Into each. of the three holds was
placed II locomotives-36 to ship.
For bed or flooring on which they
rested for the voyage, was used
more than 5000 tons of steel rails.
The locomotives when in position
we're braced with heavy wooden
beams and the space between the
boilers to the level Of the top of the
steam dome packed solid with
highly compressed baled hay.
On this hay another flooring was
laid, and on this floor was placed
the tenders-the smoke stack, with
more baled hay or other light cargo,
packed in the space where coal is
to be carried. On top of the ten
d, was packed still more cargo to
the deck level, and during the rush
days" the above deck space filled
with Grated airplanes. When COM
pletely loaded with the Sc locomo-
tives and other cargo, each vessel
was carrying dead weight of $4,000
tons in addition to ship machinery,
bunker coal and crew supplies.
Loaded in 20 Minutes.
The loading of the locomotives
is an interesting sight. Steel rail-
road barges, carrying IA of the steel
monsters are made fast alongside a
lOO-ton capacity floating derrick
barge, in turn made fast to the ship.
An ordinary sling of steel wire is
placed around the forward end OF
the boilers. another under the sup
ports to the cab, the signal given
and the locomotive lifted 40 to 50
feet in the air, swung over and gent
ly loaded into the ships hold. The
whole operation required but 20
minutes, and it was accomplished
with the same ease and with the
Sine lack of excitement as pre-
vailed on steamer at an adjoining
deck which was taking on board
50O-pound bales of cotton.
The idea of shipping locomotives
C lplete was conceived when army
transport officers were informed
that England was shipping them
across the channel ready to move
away on arrival.
IF England can do it, so can
America" an officer said, and he
straightway commandeered a fleet
of ore-carrying vessels which were
constructed with matches large
enough to permit the handling of
such freight.
Only Small Part of Work.
When the movement was at its
height the following time was re-
corded for the movement of loco
motive from its builders to its base
of action behind the battle lines:
Shops to New Jersey terminals "a
hours; from rail to barges, six
hours; from terminals to ship side,
six hours; barge to ship, 20 min
utes; New York to France, nine
days; ship to army rail lines and
hooked to transport train bound
for the front, six hours; total of
less than II days.
Handling of 73-ton locomotives
as if they were but one-tenth OF
their weight, is only small part
of the tremendous work that has
been under way at army transport
piers since the United States trans
port service attained full swing.
Maj. Dan O'Brien, marine direc-
tor, an officer who has won his rank
by more than 20 years service in
every big port of the United States,
Cuba, Mexico, and the Philippines,
where. transport facilities of the
army were conferred, is the man who
handled the locomotives.