Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-03-31

I, 104 1877 cars were handled through the
yards.
/ While the yard performs as great
/ variety Of tasks as any other IN the
nation, perhaps its biggest feature IS
the classification department. An aV-
crage of IS trains per day is brought
into the yard from the North and
South. These have been made up at
the trains original yard without re-
gard TO the kind of freight IN the
various cars or the final destination
of those cars. AS result, cars OF
perishables are mixed up with dead
/ freight, there are occasional empty
! freight cars in the train, and Whlie
half of the cars in the train may be
| destined for the same point, they al
ternatc with cars in the train which
are bound for other points.
The trains average so cars each,
although this number has ben known
to run as high as 9S. The intricacy
of the problem of properly and ac-
curately asserting these cars and re-
building them into other trains is
shown by the fact that a train OF 30
cars necessitates an average OF III
cuts.
Experts Handle All Cars
On one side of the yards all north
hound traffic is handled and on the
other side all southbound traffic IS
handled. These general zones are
further broken UP into receiving
blocks, classification blocks and adj
vance blocks. :,
As train arrives at the yards it is
sent into the receiving block. There
il is subjected to a rigid inspection.
While ten experts examine the
mechanism of every car, score OF
clerks examine the way bills and
rates to see that the cargo is in pro-
per condition. Passing the inspection
the train moves on to the hump
and its various cars are ready Tor
classification.
The hump is situated at the mouth
of the classification block. From IN
front of this mound of earth and ce-
ment. 80 tracks, each bearing clasSi-
t;cation spread out in fan shape. AS
the train moves up TO the mound 2
brakeman climbs abroad the ilrst
cut" which is then released from
the train. Gravitation carries the car
down the slope.
Cars Are Classified
From Il high tower on top OF TIE
mound the car is directed through the
! intricate switching system by means
i of automatically controlled switches.
After the first cut has passed through
the first switch, the second cut IS re-
leased and proceeds 10 its class!hta-
ton.
After the cars have been properly
classified. and the Classification
tracks become crowded. the cars in
each particular classification arc
coupled together and arc ready to be
pushed TO the advance block to await
! the assigning of locomotives - pro-
pei them to their final destination.
With an average of 1000 cars conf
ing into the yards daily the highcs-
degree of efficiency and speed are C.
ouircd in keeping them moving be-
cause it is imperative that hey be
cotton out the same day as Their ar
rival owing to the fact that the
standing capacity of the yards Is
only 1900. On May 81, l.136 men
were employed in the yards: BY
means of this large force train cHn
be completely reclassiiied and dis
matched within three hours of its az
rival.
Some Freight Transferred
The fact that the roads running into
the yards from the south virtually
all travel through open country
while north of the yards there are
great number of trunels. adds an
other task to the many which are
performed in the yards Cars which
bring freight from the south and arc
bound north, are often found to BE
too large to enable them to pass
through the tunnels. This neccssl-
tatcs their unloading at the yards
) and the reloadirg of the freight into
, smaller cars.
Another feature of the yards is
; the large transfer station which Is
opcration in connection with the
classification work. To this station
) are sent the less than carload lot
, shipments sent by nearby farmers
and manufacturers. These shipments
are reloaded into carload lots and
. then shipped on I" their markets
As many as 100 carloads are mace
up at this station daily.
Refrigerator Cars Relccd
In the heat Of summer, when trat :
fic in pcrshablc fruits and foodstu'
) is heavy. every means must be take !
to prevent >poiIagc. To tins end.
large rcicinc plant IS Operated at
. The yards for the refrigerator cars
When the press Of traffic requires =
car can l." rciccd every m'nut" a,
) the plant. Sixty-four cnr, can ~ -
iced AT one time. On July =. 10.
cars were rciccd and i,l"1,oOO pounds
or ice was used in the process.
In sa.s . Southern r"nch Grove
should send carload OF peaches 1,
"A Northern market, and while thcA
were in transit ind that the market
in that particular city was bad, h'
naturally would not want l" send hls
} product thor. on falling market, =
the wards also 0prrat" holding
ward" IN order to handle THIS krnd u
, freight Produce can hr 'hlrp'd mt
the yard, AMI whom there "rlI ~ hell
To- distribution uuli lylrtHsrhH a.
. suuuiiuua ~ in thr market ~ wht,N
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