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throttle again, it would be advisable to notify the proper official and get towed in. However, if the conditions are such that it would be advisable to connect up the throttle the boiler should be filled with water and the fire knocked out or banked with fine, wet coal, the boiler relieved of all pressure; then take off the dome cap and connect up the throttle connections again if possible. Replace the dome cap, fire up the boiler and proceed.

81. Q.-What precaution should be taken in case the throttle valve became disconnected and could not be closed?

A. Both injectors should be started to work, the dampers closed and the fire door opened so as to reduce the steam pressure as quickly as possible. The reverse lever should be put in the center notch of the quadrant and the brakes applied so as to get the train under complete control. The steam pressure should be kept at about 100 pounds so that the engineer can handle the reverse lever easily. The train crew should be notified so that they can assist in stopping the train if necessary. Give the valves an extra amount of oil so they can be handled easily, and the engine and train, handled by the reverse lever and the brake, should be taken to the nearest point where the engine can be exchanged for another one or be prepared to get towed in. When making a stop place the reverse lever in the center and apply the brakes.

82. Q.-How would you keep the feed pipes from freezing up in cold weather?

A. The pet cock in the branch pipe should be opened so as to drain of the water and the injector converted into a heater so as to prevent the feed pipe and the hose from freezing.

83. Q. How would you prevent the engine from freezing up in cold weather should it become necessary to draw the fire?

A. The boiler should be drained of all water; the drain cocks on all pipes, including the air pump, should be opened or the pipe joints cracked; the lubricators should be drained and both tank hose disconnected and the tank drained of all water to prevent freezing.

84. Q.-For what purposes are engines equipped with driving box shoes and wedges?

A. To protect the legs of the frame from wear and to take up any lost motion between the driving box and the wedges.

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A.-The best time to set up the wedges is when the engine is warm. Place the engine on a piece of straight and level track with the crank pin on the side to be set up on the top quarter, block the engine truck and tender wheels and give the engine a little steam so as to pull the driving boxes up against the dead wedges; this will leave all the play between the driving box and the wedge, then set the wedge up snug and draw it down about

inch so as to allow the box to move up and down freely, then tighten all lock nuts on the bolts to hold the wedge in place.

86. Q.-What is meant by an engine being "out of tram"?

A. It means that the axles are not parallel with each other, that is, the distance between axle centers on one side of the engine is not the same as the distance between axle centers on the opposite side of the engine.

87. Q.-What would you do were an engine truck wheel or axle to break on a four-wheel truck? On a two-wheel truck?

A. In case the axle is broken or the wheel broken off outside the box, jack up the front end of the engine so as to take the weight off the truck; raise the truck frame and the box having the broken axle to the same height as the one on the opposite side and block under the journal box and on top of the stay-plate; then chain that end of the truck up to the engine frame, also chain across from the corner of the truck frame where the axle is broken to the engine frame on the other side of the engine so as to crowd the good wheel up against the rail, then block on top of the opposite end of the equalizer on the disabled side and under the engine frame so that part of the truck will carry the weight. Remove the jack and run the engine carefully to the terminal. With a two-wheel truck the broken wheel should be removed and the engine truck chained up to the engine frame clear of the rail, and blocking placed on top of the cross-equalizer and under the belly of boiler; the engine should then be run carefully to the terminal.

88. Q.-What would you do were a wheel or axle to break on a tender truck?

A. If a broken wheel, would try to skid it to the next station so as to clear the main track. If the axle is broken, jack up that end of the tender and place

a tie across the top of the tank and chain each corner of the truck frame to it, and block over the good wheels in this truck and under the tender frame.

89. Q.-What would you do in case a main tire should break?

A. If no other damage is done, run that wheel up on a wedge until it is raised about the thickness of the tire above the rail; remove the oil cellar and fit a hardwood block in its place and another block between the bottom of the driving box and the pedestal brace. Fill the space around the journal with oil soaked waste so as to lubricate the journal. Next place a solid block between the top of the frame and under the spring saddle to relieve that box of its load, cut out the driver brake and proceed.

90. Q.-What would you do in case any tire other than a main wheel tire should break on any type of engine?

A. In case of a broken front tire would run that wheel up on a wedge until it was raised about its normal distance above the rail; remove the oil cellar and, fit a block of wood in its place, also blocking between the bottom of the driving box and the pedestal brace and between the spring saddle and top of frame over the disabled wheel so as to take the weight off that box; run the wheel off the wedge, cut out the driver brake and proceed. If a broken back tire, proceed to raise and block up the wheel in the same manner as above, but in this case it may be necessary to block over the driving box next ahead of the disabled wheel, and to carry part of the weight of the engine on the tender by placing a short piece of rail or tie on the engine deck with one end resting on the tender deck and chaining around the tail piece of the engine frame and this tie. Also, chain across from the step on the engine deck on the disabled side to the front corner of the tender frame on the opposite side to crowd the good wheel against the rail. Cut out the driver brake in this case also.

91. Q.-What would you do in case a main driving axle should break?

A. If the axle is broken outside of the driving box and no other damage is done, remove all side rods and the main rod on the disabled side, block the crosshead in position, take down the valve rod, clamp the valve stem with the valve covering the ports. Remove the broken wheel and jack up the broken end of the axle to position and block between the bottom of the driving box and the pedestal brace

and between the spring saddle and top of frame so as to take the weight off that box. The driver brake should be cut out of service, and as the main driver on the opposite side is the only one in use the engine should be run very carefully to the terminal, noting whether the front crank pins will clear the crosshead. If the main spring will not carry its weight it will be necessary to block the end of the equalizer nearest the broken axle or else block over the driving box next to it. In case the axle is broken between the boxes or the main drivers have blind tires and no collars on the axle, both main wheels will have to be swung clear of the rail and blocked in position, and either chained together or chained to the main frames to hold them in place, and the engine towed into the terminal.

92. Q.-What would you do in case any other but the main axle should break?

A. In case of a front driving axle breaking on a ten-wheel engine outside of the driving box and no other damage is done, if the knuckle joint is back of the main pin it will be necessary to take down all side rods. Remove the broken wheel, jack up the broken end of the axle to position and block it there by placing a block between the bottom of the driving box and the pedestal brace, also blocking between the spring saddle and top of frame so as to relieve that box of its load. Cut out the driver brake and proceed, using the two main drivers. If a back driving axle should break outside of the driving box and no other damage is done, remove both back sections of side rods and block the broken end of the axle up to its normal position as before, also blocking between the spring saddle and frame or the equalizers and frame, as the case may be, so as to take the weight off that box. A solid block should be placed over the driving box next ahead on the disabled side to carry the extra weight placed on that box and spring. In this case if the back end of the engine settles very much carry part of the weight on the tender, as explained in answer to question 101. If the next pair of drivers ahead have blind tires it will be necessary to chain across from the tail piece of the engine frame on the disabled side to the tender frame on the opposite side so as to crowd the good wheel against the rail. Cut out the driver brake and proceed.

93. Q.-What would you do in case

a driving spring, a spring hanger or an equalizer should break?

A. As the method of procedure in case of broken springs and spring hangers is practically the same for all classes of engines it is hardly necessary to repeat the operation for each different class. In case of a broken driving spring, spring hanger or equalizer connecting the driv ing springs together run the wheel nearest to the one where the spring or spring hanger is broken up on a wedge so as to raise the frame off the driving box where the spring is broken, then block up between the top of the driving box and under the frame, or in case of a broken equalizer between the spring hanger and frame, so as to give the benefit of the springs, then run the wheel off the wedge and proceed. If the engine is not raised up high enough the first time the wheel is run up on the wedge, block between the top of the driving box and the frame, so as to take up all of the slack, and run the wheel up again. In case of a broken long equalizer on a mogul or consolidation engine the engine can be raised either by running the first pair of drivers back of the front drivers up on wedges

and then blocking between the crossequalizer and belly of boiler or by blocking between top of engine truck frame and main frames and running the engine truck up on wedges, so as to raise the main frame off the front driving boxes, and then blocking between the crossequalizer and belly of boiler. In case the cross-equalizer is broken, run the first pair of wheels back of the front drivers up on wedges, then block between top of front driving boxes and the frame; at the same time jack up the back end of the long equalizer connecting to the engine truck and chain it up to a piece of rail or tie laid across the frames, and then run the wheels off the wedges and proceed. In a case of this kind it may be advisable to remove the front driving springs and spring saddles to prevent them from jarring out and falling on the track, which might cause a derailment. With underhung springs, in case of a broken equalizer connecting the driving springs the engine can be blocked up by blocking between the ends of the driving springs and the frame, although it is usually easier to block up between the top of driving box and frame.

Echoes from the Firing Line

Improved Conditions.

Until a little over a year ago conditions on the road on which I am employed were very bad. A fireman was required to put all tools and supplies of every description on engine and also had to clean and polish engine in and outside the cab.

On June 1, 1910, there were only two white firemen on through freight runs and most of the passenger runs were held by negroes. We received 45 per cent. of engineer's pay, and the negroes got 40 per cent. There was practically no organization here. We started to organize about one year ago, and now we have all white men on freight and switch

He also had to fill rod and eccentric engines and fifty per cent. white men on cups, and seniority by no means controlled assignment to regular runs. Most of the firemen were negroes, but there were some white men who found it advisable to comply with certain "unusual" requirements in the matter of advancement to better runs and promotion and who are still with us as engineers.

passenger runs. Our schedule of pay is as follows: White men, passenger, $2.13; freight, $2.71; local, $2.73. Colored men, passenger, $1.74; freight, $2.21; local, $2.24. On local engines having 21 x 28 inch and 22 x 30 inch cylinders the rates are $2.84 and $2.33 respectively. Switch firemen, $2.12 per

day. The above is equal to 55 per cent. engineers' pay.

We do not have to clean engines outside of cab and we do not have to put equipment or supplies of any kind on or take same from any engine, or to fill rod or eccentric cups. Before the change took place it was a hard matter to keep a white fireman on this road. Now we have developed a set of real "home guards." Conditions on many Southern roads are just about what they were here, and for some of them there is I fear at present little hope. On others, however, lack of interest is mainly responsible for undesirable conditions, as every one waits for the other fellow to

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we have, they being of the Mogul type. We are furnished with lamp-black and a hump-back shovel to fire with. We are obliged to go 89 miles for coal and our officials are working all the hardships they can on our men. We leave the terminal with our tenders minus four or five tons of coal, and if we ask that they be filled up we are told that they cannot do it, as the superintendent has given orders not to refill them. Our engineers make out the work reports for repairs to be done on our engines, but they might as well not waste the time doing it, as the work is never done. We haul 4,550 tons on our division half way and are given orders to fill out to 4,750 tons the remaining half, and if we complain of being sick we are told that we are laying Gown on the job. Our engines are so big and hot that one man cannot stand it this kind of weather for the 147 miles. We are not given time to eat on the division, and if we take the time we are given a suspension. Now if this is not working a hardship on the firemen I would like to know what is.

MEMBER LODGE 434.

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Our Special Study Course

LOCOMOTIVE BOILER ATTACHMENTS AND

ACCESSORIES

Copyright, 1911, by Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen.

1. General.-In the Instruction Paper on the Locomotive Boiler we described the complete locomotive boiler ready to generate and furnish steam for use in the cylinders, so far as the boiler itself is concerned. Before steam can be generated, however, it is necessary to have water in the boiler and fire in the firebox, because, as explained in the Instruction Paper referred to, steam can only be generated by means of the energy contained in the heat being imparted to water; therefore several accessories are required before the boiler is ready to be used as a steam generator. In the first place, provision must be made for supplying the boiler with water and enable the supply to be kept up as fast as it is converted into steam and the steam used. For this purpose the present-day locomotives are fitted with injectors, which superseded the pumps that were formerly used, except on engines equipped with a feed water heater, in which case the feed water is heated to a higher temperature than can be handled by an injector. The injector or pump will force the water into the boiler, but some provision must be made to retain it there after it has been forced in. For this purpose we have what are termed boiler check valves.

We must know at all times how much water we have in the boiler, because if we have not enough to cover the crown sheet of the firebox it would become overheated and damaged, while if we have too much water in the boiler there would be little room for dry steam; consequently, water would be carried over into the cylinders when the throttle is opened, which is likewise detrimental; therefore our boiler must be provided with gauges, either of the water glass type or gauge cocks, or both, which will register the correct water level.

We must know what pressure of steam the boiler is carrying, for if there was not enough it would not enable us to handle our train, and too much might lead to disaster unless guarded against. For this reason the boiler is provided with a steam gauge to register the steam pressure.

We must also guard against any excess pressure above that which the boiler is designed to carry, and for this purpose the boiler is provided with safety valves. Again, there are times when through some cause too much water has been forced into the boiler and it is desired to get rid of some of it quickly, and for this purpose we have blow-off cocks. Each of these boiler accessories, together with their operation, etc., will be explained in detail.

2.

Generating Steam.-Assuming now that the boiler has been filled with cold water, the first thing necessary will be to generate steam. In order to generate steam, as has been explained, it is necessary to have heat, or, in other words, a fire in the firebox. In order to cause the fire to burn freely and rapidly it will be necessary to produce a draft on the fire. When the locomotive is running it is produced by the action of the steam issuing from the exhaust nozzle. In the present instance, however, we have no steam in the boiler, and consequently cannot move the engine and produce a draft through the exhaust nozzle, so other means must be provided for.

3. The Blower.-With an engine in the roundhouse, and it is desired to generate steam in the boiler with as little delay as possible, draft is produced by means of a blower, which is attached to a steam line in the roundhouse. When an engine is fired up on the road, however, natural draft is depended upon un

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