_INSPECTION OF THE LOCOMOTIVE._
LOCOMOTIVE INSPECTORS.
On railroads where the system of “long runs” for locomotives
prevails, there is a locomotive inspector employed, whose duty it is
to thoroughly examine every available point about every engine that
arrives at his station, and find out what repairs are needed, and to
detect the incipient defects which lead to disaster on the road. Some
roads that do not practice long runs have an inspector who examines
every engine. This plan is very effectually used on the elevated
railroads of New York, and has much to do with the immunity from
accident of their engines. These inspectors are not employed to exempt
engineers from looking over their engines, but merely to supplement
their care. In some cases engineers are brought sharply to task if they
overlook any important defect which is discovered by the inspector.
GOOD ENGINEERS INSPECT THEIR OWN ENGINES.
The engineer who has a liking for his work, and takes pride in making
his engine perform its part, so as to show the highest possible record,
does not require the fear of an inspector behind him as an incentive to
properly examine his engine, and keep it in the best running-order.
He recognizes the fact, that upon systematic and regular inspection of
the engine while at rest, depends in a great measure his success as a
runner, and his exemption from trouble.
WHAT COMES OF NEGLECTING SYSTEMATIC INSPECTION OF LOCOMOTIVES.
The man who habitually neglects the business of inspecting his engine,
and leaves to luck his chances of getting over the road safely, soon
finds that the worst kind of luck is always overtaking him on the road.
A careful man may have a run of bad luck occasionally, but the careless
man meets with nothing else. Among a great many men who have failed
as runners, I can recall numerous cases where carelessness about the
engine was the only and direct cause which led them to failure. One of
the most successful engineers that ever pulled a throttle on the Erie
Railroad was asked by a young runner to what cause he attributed his
extraordinary good fortune. His reply was, “I never went out without
giving my engine a good inspection.” This man had been running nearly
half a century, and never needed to have his engine hauled to the
round-house.
CONFIDENCE ON THE ROAD DERIVED FROM INSPECTION.
When a locomotive is thundering over a road ahead of a heavy train in
which may be hundreds of human beings, the engineer ought to understand
that the safety of this freight of lives depends to a great extent upon
his care and foresight. As the train rushes through darkened cuttings,
spans giddy bridges, or rounds curves edged by deep chasms, no one
can understand better than the engineer the importance of having every
nut and bolt about the engine in good condition, and in its proper
place. The consciousness that every thing is right, the knowledge
that a thorough inspection at the beginning of the journey proved the
locomotive to be in perfect condition, give a wonderful degree of
comfort and confidence to the engineer as he urges his train along at
the best speed of the engine.
INSPECTION ON THE PIT.
Between the time of an engine’s return from one trip and its
preparation for another, a thorough examination of all the machinery
and running-gear should be made while the engine is standing over a
pit. Monkey-wrench in one hand, and a torch in the other if necessary,
the engineer ought to enter the pit at the head of the engine, and
make the inspection systematically. The engine-truck, with all its
connections, comes in for the first scrutiny. Now is the time to
guard against the loss of bolts or screws, which leads to the loss of
oil-box cellars on the road. This is also the proper time to examine
the condition of the oil-box packing. The engineers of my acquaintance
who are most successful in getting trains over the road on time, attend
to the packing of the truck-boxes themselves. Nothing is more annoying
on the road than hot boxes. They are a fruitful source of delay and
danger, and nothing is better calculated to prevent such troubles
than good packing and clear oil-holes. The shop-men who are kept for
attending to this work are sometimes careless. They can hardly be
expected to feel so strongly impressed with the importance of having
boxes well packed as the engineer, who will be blamed for any delay.
He should, therefore, know from personal inspection that the work is
properly done.
When the engineer is satisfied that the truck, pilot-braces,
center-castings, and all their connections, are in proper condition,
he passes on to the motion. His trained eye scans every bolt, nut,
and key in search of defects. The eccentrics are examined, to see
that set screws and keys are all tight. Men who have wrestled over
the setting of eccentrics on the road are not likely to forget this
part. Eccentric-straps are another point of solicitude. A broken
eccentric-strap is a very common cause of break-down, and these straps
very seldom break through weakness or defect of the casting. In nearly
all cases the break occurs through loss of bolts, or on account of
oil-passages getting stopped up. The links are carefully gone over,
then the wedges and pedestal braces come in for an examination which
brings the assurance that no bolts are missing, or wedge-bolts loose.
Passing along, the careful engineer finds many points that claim his
attention; and, when he gets through, he feels comfortably certain that
no trouble from that part of the engine will be experienced during the
coming trip. The runners who do not follow this practice are not aware
of how much there is to be seen under a locomotive when the examination
is undertaken in a comprehensive manner.
OUTSIDE INSPECTION.
In going round the outside of the engine, the most important points for
examination are the guides and the rods. Guide-bolts, rod-bolts, and
keys, with the set screws of the latter, are the minutiæ most likely
to give trouble if neglected. In going about the engine oiling, or for
any other purpose, it is a good thing to get in the habit of searching
for defects. When a man trains himself to do this, it is surprising
how natural it comes to make running inspections. As he oils the
eccentric-straps, he sees every bolt and nut within sight; as he drops
some oil on the rods, he identifies the condition of the keys, set
screws, or bolts; while oiling the driving-boxes, the springs can be
conveniently examined; and, when he reaches the engine-trucks with the
oil-can, he is sure to be casting his searching eyes over the portions
of the running-gear within sight.
OIL-CUPS.
The oil-cups should be carefully examined, to see that they are in good
feeding-order. A great many feeders have been invented, which guarantee
to supply oil automatically; but I have never yet seen the cup which
could long dispense with personal attention. And this does not apply
to locomotives alone, but to all kinds of machinery. The worst sort of
oil-cup will perform its functions fairly in the hands of a capable
man, and the most pretentious cup will soon cease to lubricate
regularly if the engineer neglects it. The oil-cups should be cleaned
out at regular intervals: for mud, cinders, and dust work in; and they
sometimes retain glutinous matter from the oil, which forms a sticky
mixture that prevents the oil from running. The eccentric-strap cups
and the tops of the driving-boxes should receive similar attention.
In looking round an engine, it is a good plan to watch the different
oil-cups to see that they are not working loose. Many cups that are
strewed over the country could be saved by a little more attention. A
cup flying off a rod when an engine is running fast becomes a dangerous
projectile. I have known several cases where cups went back through the
cab-window. I have also seen several cases where cups worked off the
guides or cross-head, and got between the guides, doing serious damage.
One instance was that of an engine out on the trial-trip. It smashed
the cross-head to pieces, and let the piston through the cylinder-head.
INSPECTION OF RUNNING-GEAR.
A sharp tap with a hammer on the tread of the cast-iron wheel will
produce a clear, ringing sound if the wheel is in good order. The
drivers can generally be effectively inspected by the eye. If oil be
observed working out between the wheel and axle, attention is demanded;
for the wheel may be getting loose. Moisture and dirt issuing from
between the tire and wheel indicate that the former is becoming loose,
and this is a common occurrence when the tires are worn thin. When a
wheel is running so that the flange is cutting itself on the rail,
something is wrong, which also demands immediate attention. Oblique
travel of wheels may be produced by various causes. If the axles of
the driving-wheels are not secured at right angles to the frames, and
parallel with each other, the wheels will run tangentially to the
track, according to the inclination of the axles. Violent strains or
concussions, such as result from engines jumping the track about
switches, sometimes spring the frames, and twist the axle-box jaws
away from their true position enough to cause cutting of flanges
without disabling the engine. Tires wearing unevenly in consequence
of one being harder than the other, produce a similar effect. Where
there are movable wedges forward and aft of the boxes, the wheels are
often thrown out of square by unskillful manipulation of these wedges.
Engineers running engines of this kind should leave the forward wedges
alone. Sometimes the center-pin of the engine-truck gets moved from
the true central position, leading the drivers towards the ditch.
Diagnosing the cause of wheel-cutting is no simple matter, and it is a
wise plan for engineers to allow the shop-men to devise a remedy.
ATTENTIONS TO THE BOILER.
On our well-regulated roads, engineers are not required to inspect
their boilers; as expert boiler-makers, who can readily detect a broken
stay-bolt, or broken brace, have to make periodical examinations.
But a prudent engineer will keep a sharp lookout for indications
that show weak points about any part of the boiler or fire-box. This
department can not receive too much vigilance. A seam or stay-bolt
leaking is a sign of distress, and should receive immediate attention.
Leaks under the jacket should never be neglected, although they are
hard to reach; for they may proceed from the beginning of a dangerous
rupture. A leak starting in the boiler-head should make the engineer
ascertain that none of the longitudinal braces have broken. I once
had some rivet-heads on my boiler-head start leaking, and presently
the water-glass broke. After shutting off the cocks, I found that the
boiler-head was bulged out. I reduced the pressure on the boiler as
quickly as possible. When the boiler was inspected, it was found that
two of the longitudinal braces were broken, and the head-sheet was bent
out two inches.
MISCELLANEOUS ATTENTIONS.
If an engineer is going to take out an engine the first time after it
has been in the shop for repairs, it is a good plan to examine the tank
to see if the workmen have left it free from bagging, greasy waste,
and other impediments, which are not conducive to the free action of
pumps or injectors. Keeping the tank clean at all times saves no end of
trouble through derangement to feeding-apparatus. The smoke-box door
should be opened regularly, and the petticoat-pipe and cone examined.
These things wear out by use, and it is better to have them renewed
or repaired before they break down on the road. A cone dropping down
through failure of the braces makes a troublesome accident on the
road. I have known of several cabs being badly damaged by fire through
the cone dropping down, and closing up the stack. Where engines have
extended smoke-boxes, the nettings and deflectors must be inspected at
frequent intervals.
REWARD OF THOROUGH INSPECTION.
To go over an engine in the manner indicated, requires perseverance
and industry. The work will, however, bring its full reward to every
man who practices the care and watchfulness entailed by regular and
systematic inspection. It is the sure road to success. He who regards
his work from a higher plane than that of mere labor well done, will
experience satisfaction from the knowledge, that, understanding
the nobility of his duties, he performed them with the vigor and
intelligence worthy of his responsible calling.