The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-11-01
Repairs Provide Work For 1,2OO Mechanics
New Haven Road Sponsors Reconditioning Program
 in Anticipation of Increases in Traffic

bination mail-baggage cars, and nine luxurious diners. Many of these already are back in service.
 Readville Train Shops
 Working two eight-hour shifts, five days week, shop employees turn out slightly better than five locomotives and five cars weekly.
 The freight car shops recently completed repairs on POT box cars, and currently are fixing up 100 low side coal cars and B flat cars for work service.
 Reconditioning of locomotives and cars is a gargantuan task. No schedule at any human "body- build ing" resort was ever more string ent. No beauty clinic program was ever more meticulous.
 Crestfallen, as if aware it needed rejuvenation, the equipment to be repaired stands forlornly on tracks outside the shops in the plant which covers over 100 acres on the Read ville-Dedham town line. Patiently it submits to minute surveillance of inspectors who ferret out every pos- sible defect, visible and hidden.
 Temporarily and figuratively stripped of pride by this detailed in- spection, the equipment next under goes actual stripping. Off come all appurtenances, out come the very vitals, until finally the locomotive or ca ris left literally without wheel to roll on-for the trucks themselves are removed for repairs. Five-Day Treatment F Then only does the equipment be- gin the reconditioning journey through the shops. About five days later they emerge with vigor, power and beauty restored, with every part functioning perfectly.
 The most rigorous locomotive-re- conditioning job is known as Glass B." in which the steam -monarchs are denuded to their skeletal struc- ture. Standing in the rear of the locomotive shop only few feet from it's wheels, already detached and being refinished in the wheel shop, the newly-entered engine takes and being refinished in the wheel shop, the newly-entered en- zine takes its place at the end of line of colleagues undergoing sim liar rebuilding.
 In successive stages, each locomo- tive undergoes intensive scraping and cleaning, general boiler work and other necessary repairs while its "innards" are being refurnished in the adjacent machine, black smith, spring, boiler, flue and other shops. 4..-
 After each step, the locomotive is advanced" to the next spot up the line" until finally it rolls from the head of the line-a power-pack- ed ruler of the rails, ready for su- per-service.
 The advancing" of locomotives from spot to spot up the line is per- formed at night by huge overhead cranes. This work is done at night | to minimize the possibility of mis- haps, since fewer men work this shift.
 A heavy bar Is dropped under the rear of the locomotive, cradling the 1 under-dock casting. From another crane heavy cable sling is looped round the smoke box. In synchron- ism. the two cranes lift and carry the huge engines to their next po- Sition up the line.
 Meanwhile, passenger coaches, dining cars, and mail and baggage cars are undergoing similarly thor ough overhauling.
 Coaches Stripped
 Passenger coaches are stripped of seats, springs, wheels, window sash- es, steam and air pipes, and any other parts needing repair. While the cars are undergoing cleaning and repairing, the seats, cushions, window shades and rugs are restored to fresh newness in the upholstery shops.
 In these shops, also, are made the cars window shades and dining car drapes. Here, too, dining car napery is mended. ,.
 The cars themselves are painted inside an dout. Passenger coach in- teriors are frightened with eye pleasing color schemes. Those now being reconditioned are given a white "headlining" or ceiling. The sidewalks are painted aluminium down to the window bases, and from : there to the floor are colored blue- gray. A stripe line then is added, with the upholstery. For example, vermilion stripe line Is used with blue upholstery, a sal- mon stripe with green upholstery, and green stripe with brown-toned coverings. Cost of reconditioning these cars S estimated at about $6OO,OO0 year. Dining cars are most costly to re- with estimates. ranging rom $10,O00 to $12,000 each.
 Workers Proud New Haven car shop workers are proud of the recondi- ;ioned dining cars. One now ''in the works" will make dining aboard rain an event" in the life of even he most seasoned traveller. Interior walls will be of Flexwcod figured ribbon mahogany. An un- isual innovation will be the use of 'luorescent lights, necessitating the installation of motor generator set O convert direct current into al- ernating current. This car will be he last word in rail dining luxury.
 FIRST LESSON
 Miliza Korjus has given her five daughter. also named