9. Q.-What becomes of the condensation from the vapor remaining in the heating coil?

A. It drips out at the drain pipe from cut-out valve. (Art. 3.)

10. Q.-Should the operative ever try to govern the pressure in the heating coils by moving the handle of the vapor cut-out valve to an intermediate position?

A.-No, the vapor cut-out valve should invariably be carried in the fully open or closed position. (Art. 4.)

11. Q.-When is it permissible to place the handle of the vapor cut-out valve in the blind position midway between "open" and "shut"?

A. In the uncommon event of an accident happening to the vapor regulator, such as a burst expansion diaphragm. (Art. 4.)

12. Q.-In what respect has the vapor regulator any similarity to the thermostatic devices in the pressure-heating systems?

A. Only in that it depends for its operation on the action of an expansion diaphragm or thermostat located in the bottom of the regulator, at the outlet of the heating pipes, where it is acted on by the vapor and heat of the escaping condensation. (Art. 5.)

13. Q.-How is this diaphragm constructed?

A. It consists of a round, flat-shaped box made of spring brass, which is partly filled with an expansive fluid and hermetically sealed. (Art. 5.) 14. Q.-At what temperature does this fluid boil?

A.-At about 180 degrees. (Art. 5.)

15. Q.-What temperature of the fluid is necessary to cause the flat sides of the diaphragm to swell out a distance of about % of an inch?

A.

16.

About 200 to 212 degrees. (Art. 5.)

Q.-What is meant by multiple regulation?

A. It is where one regulator supplies vapor for two or more coils. (Art. 6.)

Technical Contributions

AIR BRAKE ASSOCIATION CONVENTION

BY F. B. FARMER

The sales of the special instruction books have been large and a new edition of the No. 2-B book has recently been printed.

The Caboose Air Gauge and Conductor's
Valve.

An interesting and valuable paper on
the above subject was presented by Mr.
Mark Purcell, General A. B. I., Northern
Pacific Railway. He called attention to

The twenty-first annual convention of the Air Brake Association was held in Detroit, Mich., May 5th to 8th, Mr. W. J. Hatch, General A. B. I., Canadian Pacific Railway, presiding. In his interesting address Mr. Hatch paid a deserving tribute to the late George Westinghouse, and afterwards suitable resolutions, extolling his worth to humanity and particularly to the members of the Air Brake Association, were presented by a committee and unanimously adopted by a rising vote. The convention was addressed extemporaneously by Mr. H. H. Vaughan, Assistant and stop trains having relieved trainmen to President Canadian Pacific Railway, of the danger and drudgery of the past one of the inventors of the Vaughan-Mc- where this work was done with hand Kee automatic brake valve that is in use on so many locomotives fitted with New York brakes. He congratulated the Association on the progress made and advised that they continue to confine their activities to air brakes.

the universal use of air brakes to control

brakes, and that this has shifted the responsibility to the engineer; therefore, that it is reasonable to expect trainmen to exercise all practicable care and vigilance to prevent accidents from possible failure of the air brakes to operate as expected.

Another interesting address was by Mr. W. H. Garrett, then chief executive officer Stating that the universal reliance on of the Pere Marquette. He told of the air brakes results in their failure being difficulties experienced by this and other attended by correspondingly greater hazroads that are limited in their earning ard and that one of the chief essentials is power by State and Federal regulations to know that the brakes are properly that are particularly burdensome in com- coupled and charged the entire length of parison with roads having dense traffic the train, that the air pressure is being territories. He said that if we are to maintained and that the brakes are under have privately-owned roads merely supervised and regulated by the government the owners, users and employes must work together; that the alternative is government ownership; and that if this existed at present the rates for transportation would have to be increased, the wages of employes would have to be decreased or the resultant deficit would have to be cared for by higher taxes. He emphasized the importance of "safety first," giving one of the prime requisites as no liquor.

An interesting ceremony followed, being the presentation to each past president of a special badge. Quite fortunately over half of them were present.

The secretary's report showed a satisfactory condition of the Association both as regards membership, approximately 1200, and finances, a balance of $1300 and $1500 worth of books.

the full control of the engineer, he then shows the imperative need of a suitabe and reliable air gauge in the caboose if these results are to be expected. He shows, also, in addition to the question of safety, that reasonable observation of this gauge and acting accordingly will go far toward reducing flat wheels, break-in-twos and their incident delays, stating as follows:

Caboose Air Gauge.-"This points directly to the importance of having all cabooses equipped with reliable air gauges, so the trainmen, when in the caboose, may at all times know the amount of pressure had in the brake pipe, and have a means of noting the variations when brakes are applied and released, and from this, together with the knowledge gained from the car-to-car inspections made in the standing tests required by the rules,

be enabled to judge of the efficiency of the pairs made sufficiently often to prevent it brakes. becoming inaccurate."

Caboose Conductor's Valve. Of this device he had the following to say:

"Provision should be made on all cabooses for easily and quickly applying brakes at times when impending danger to life or property makes it necessary to apply them from the rear on account of inability to make known to the engineer the need of a prompt application. The most important features in connection with this are: that the valve be of sufficient capacity to cause quick action, and that it be located in an accessible place.

"The rate of rise in pressure at the rear end of the train when charging up after the brake pipe has been cut for any cause and recoupled, and when releasing brakes after ordinary applications, failure to maintain brake-pipe pressure without variation while brakes are not being operated, any considerable decrease in pressure while en route without a corresponding application of the brakes being felt, etc., are conditions that may be promptly noted. From the knowledge thus indicated of possible or imminent danger from sliding or overheating wheels, or of the "Some authorities suggest providing a engineer not being able to properly op- combination valve for this purpose, which, erate the brakes throughout the entire when the handle is moved one way, a length of the train, the trainmen are quick opening will be made to cause an warned in time so that measures can be emergency application, and when moved taken to prevent serious consequences. In fact the caboose gauge places the men at the rear end of the train on an equal footing with the engineer as to knowledge of what is taking place in the air brake system.

That this is not only desirable, but necessary, for safe and economical operation, I think will not be questioned.

"The caboose gauge, to give the best results, should be accurate, should not be smaller than five inches in diameter of dial, should have figures of sufficient size to be easily distinguished from a distance of several feet, should be of good, serviceable quality of material and workmanship in all its parts, and should have a tested capacity of not less than 50 per cent in excess of the maximum pressure to be put upon it in service. There are many cheap gauges on the market, but they seldom render satisfactory service, and the added first cost to procure a reliable article is fully justified by the longer and better service secured.

"The gauge should be located in the cupola, and so it can be seen from the floor in the passageway and by those occupying the cupola seats. It must be well lighted. A lamp, having a shade with an opening in it just large enough to allow the light to strike the face of the gauge without interfering with the view of objects to be seen from the cupola windows, and held in place by a substantial bracket, should be provided for that purpose.

"A cut-out cock, having a tee handle, with a plugged pipe tee between it and the gauge, should be placed in the pipe about 20 inches from the gauge, to permit of removal and replacement or repairs when necessary, while the brakes are charged. The tee is for the purpose of attaching a pressure recorder or a test gauge. The caboose gauge should be tested and re

a

in the opposite direction, will cause slow reduction and make a service application of the brakes. The writer of this paper is not in favor of using a device of that kind, on the ground that when an emergency application is desired, the operator is liable to become confused and move the handle in the wrong direction, and not become aware of his mistake until the possibility of getting quick action has been destroyed, and for the further reason that providing the service application feature would quite naturally be looked upon by trainmen as an endorsement of the practice of making stops by applying brakes from the rear to avoid the inconvenience of transmitting signals to the engineer, instead of having the application made by means of the brake valve on the engine, which automatically provides for making the reduction at the right rate, to insure the least liability of undesired quick action and damage to the train. The subject of the proper use and the abuse of this device is worthy of more lengthy discussion than can be given it in this paper. However, it should be pointed out that, the fact of unwarranted damage to equipment invariably resulting from the promiscuous use of the Conductor's Valve does not permit of any excuse for using it in any other than cases of emergency.

"It is the writer's opinion that the best practical device for this purpose is a valve that can be opened quickly, and will provide a sufficient opening to insure quick action of the brakes the entire length of the train, or that can be opened gradually, and a small amount, to produce a slow reduction to cause a service application, in cases of an immediate stop being necessary, and yet sufficient time being available to permit of exercising care to avoid quick action of the brakes,

Conductor's Valve, to apply brakes on a

"It should be located in the cupola at freight train, it should be left open until the same end as the air gauge. The the train stops. The standard Conduc- handle to move down against the stop to

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such which he had participated in failed to develop a practical device, yet the evident need to do all possible to conserve train safety is alone ample warrant for the two devices recommended by the paper.

close, upward to open, and point outward and that although an investigation of toward the passageway so it can be reached easily either from the passageway, or from the cupola, and yet so located that it may not be opened accidentally by being brushed against by those passing through the car. With the handle down against the stop to close, there is less liability of the valve being opened accidentally when trainmen are climbing to and from the cupola."

Mr. George H. Wood, General A. B. I., A. T. and S. F. Ry., endorsed all Mr. Langan had said and added that the caboose gauge aids in reducing break-inMr. Purcell's paper gave the accom- twos by discouraging giving signal to panying illustration of the recommended start when it shows that the pressure at arrangement in the caboose of the gauge, the rear is too low to give reasonable asconductor's valve and piping. Another valuable detail shown, but not commented surance of all brakes having released. on, is the caboose brake release valve. It is a duplicate of the one used with freight car brakes, but located convenient for use from inside the caboose. Trainmen will appreciate its convenience when "making a drop" of the caboose and at times when wheel sliding is probable or occurring.

DISCUSSION.

While the paper produced much discussion the arguments and illustrations advanced were almost entirely in favor of it, particularly so the caboose air gauge.

and W. Ry., Mr. T. W. Dow, General A. Mr. George Frederick, A. B. I., P. B. B. I., Erie R. R., Mr. Shaw, I. and G. A. B. Co., had known of cases where the N. Ry., and Mr. William Owens, N. Y. caboose gauge and conductor's valve averted accidents and endorsed them.

Mr. Charles Remfry, A. B. I., D. M. and N. Ry., endorsed the paper and mentioned an instance that had occurred within three weeks where the caboose gauge and conductor's valve doubtless averted an accident. Starting with a heavily loaded ore train and with 90 pounds, the standard pressure for the Mr. John Alexander, General Road loaded ore trains, before reaching the For. Engs., P. R. R., argued against the summit, about 1 miles, the pressure had caboose air gauge, expressing the opinion dropped to 70 pounds and was still gothat the place for trainmen while de- ing down, owing to the engineer failing scending a steep grade is out on top of to change the feed valve from 55 pounds, the train. He said he was once on a the pressure used with the empty trains. road where the cabooses were fittted with In spite of the loss mentioned no brakes air gauges and noted later that on a had applied, at least to an extent to be grade they had a run-a-way. He consid- noticeable. The conductor observed the ered the caboose gauge means divided loss in pressure and stopped the train. responsibility and deemed this undesir- He mentioned two other instances, each able. He asked why, if it is a good with 2900-ton trains on the same grade, thing, there is no gauge at the rear of where an accidentally closed angle cock passenger trains. He expressed the and consequent loss in pressure back of opinion that the standard self-locking this point was noted by the conductor angle cock is never closed accidentally and the train stopped by prompt use of and preference for dependence on the the conductor's valve. proper tests to insure that the brake pipe is open to the rear. He was not in favor of the caboose conductor's valve.

There was some discussion regarding abuse of the conductor's valve, Mr. Wilson, engineman, I. C. Ry., describing an instance where it caused a break-in-two. A member recommending sealing this valve and requiring a report when the seal had to be broken, but this met with no favor, the preference seeming to be in favor of education as to proper use and holding any responsible who caused inexcusable damage.

Mr. P. J. Langan, General A. B. I., D. L. and W. Ry., favored both devices strongly, and said he could cite at least twelve cases where the caboose gauge saved serious accidents, three of which were on a descending grade where engineers used poor judgment. By the caboose gauge the conductors noted it, took prompt action and saved the trains. He Mr. James F. Slattery, Supt., D. and recommended use of a first-class gauge R. G. Ry., formerly General A. B. I., and testing same every month. He com- endorsed both devices heartily, stating mented on the safety agitation having that they have been standard on Western resulted, among other things, in many roads for many years. He, also, adso-called automatic safety-stop devices vised of knowing of instances where these