if a following brake application should have to be made during this stage of the release, the initial application action of the Control Valve would be as quick in responding as though the recharge were complete.

If at this time the pressure in chamber E rises faster than the brake-pipe-pressure increase in chamber B, the higher pressure which will soon be built up. in

tirely exhausted (in the manner described in connection with the preceding chart) and its resistance displaced, the equalizing piston has been forced by the brake-pipe pressure in chamber A to the completion of its downward stroke, carrying with it its slide and equalizing valves, all parts of the Control Valve now having assumed the release position as shown in the plate. So far as discharging pressure from the service brake-cyl- chamber E will tend to move the release inder is concerned the final movement of the equalizing piston was not necessary for brake release, as the release was begun when the "release piston" completed emergency reservoir to chamber E, and its stroke, as explained in connection with the previous position, since when the application chamber and chamber C have been open through the release slide and graduating valves to the "applicationchamber-exhaust" port and the atmos

phere.

piston and its graduating valve up to the position of lap which will partly or wholly cut off the supply of air from the

der.

at the same time restrict or stop the discharge of pressure from the application chamber to the atmosphere (if this movement of the release piston should be caused before the brake is entirely released), thus providing for "graduated release," and which is not likely to be Air from the brake pipe may feed effected otherwise than by the engineer's through port i past the release piston for valve being placed in lap position, althe recharge of chamber E and the small though at a very slow recharge of brakevolumed pressure chamber, and this pipe pressure the more rapid auto-charge would represent the only drain at this of chamber E may intermittently break time of brake-pipe air-leaving the brake- the otherwise steady exhaust of air from pipe pressure to be more rapidly in- the application chamber and chamber C creased, to facilitate the prompt release to the atmosphere, and the release of of the brakes further to the rear, which braking pressure from the service cylinis one of the more important of the good features of the Control Valve. However, As already explained in connection this small recharge is not even wholly de- with a previous chart, this escape of air manded from the brake-pipe air, as will from the application chamber and chambe explained in the following paragraph. ber C to the atmosphere results in the It will be noted that in this position application-piston spring and the brakethe emergency reservoir is also connected cylinder pressure in chamber M acting with chamber E by way of the equalizing with such force on the right of the applislide-valve and the "direct and graduated cation piston as to move it and its atrelease cap" (which is adjusted now to tached "application" and "release" slideafford graduated release when desired), valves from their lapped position to the through the release slide-valve and past extreme left into the position of release, the end of the release graduating-valve; as shown in the present chart, in which the pressure in the emergency reservoir air from the brake cylinder is exhausted being substantially that of its original to the atmosphere by way of the exhaust charge equal to maximum brake-pipe valve and the service-cylinder-exhaust pressure and the pressure in chamber E port; but whether the brake-cylinder having been reduced correspondingly with that in the pressure chamber as the result of the brake-pipe reduction, air from the emergency reservoir at its original high pressure will therefore flow into chamber E in this position, and thence by way of the equalizing slide-valve to the pressure chamber and begin to increase their pressures about equally with As in the preceding position, the rethe rise of the recharging brake-pipe pres- duction-limiting chamber is connected sure in chamber B. This is an item of with the "reduction-limiting-chamber exquick recharge, in so far as the pressure haust" port to the atmosphere through chamber and chamber E are concerned, the equalizing slide-valve; and chamber S which, receiving air from the emergency under the small end of the emergency reservoir, is kept steady at the same ris- piston is connected now through the reing pressure as that in the brake pipe, lease slide-valve to the "emergency-pis, thus providing a further advantage that ton exhaust port" to the atmosphere,

pressure is partially or completely discharged, depends upon the amount of pressure exhausted from the application chamber and chamber C, for, as explained before, the pressure contained in these chambers always regulates to an equal amount the pressure in the service brakecylinder.

The movement of the equalizing slide- Air Brake Story Contest-Anvalve to full release position has connected chamber E with chamber K and

the emergency reservoir with chamber G; but whether this will open the "service reservoir charging valve" permitting the direct recharging of the service reservoir to begin immediately, depends on the comparative pressures in the pressure chamber and the emergency and service reservoirs; ordinarily it stays closed as shown in the present chart, preventing the "quick recharge" of the service reservoir by emergency-reservoir pressure; so that the pressure chamber and chamber E only will be in the state of recharge until having been increased to within about five pounds of that in the emergency reservoir.

nouncement of Prize Winners.

which recently offered $2,000.00 in prizes The Westinghouse Air-Brake Company, for the six best true stories illustrating the performance, capacity and value of Westinghouse air brakes, has announced the awards as follows:

The committee of three judges, consisting of Mr. W. E. Symons, Mechanical Engineer, Chicago, Ill., Mr. Willard A. Smith, President and Manager, Railway Review, Chicago, Ill., and Mr. W. V. Wright, Managing Editor, Railway Age Gazette, New York, N. Y., in whose hands the Westinghouse Air Brake Company placed the decision as to the merits of the stories submitted in the Air Brake Story Contest recently conducted by them, has just rendered its report, which shows the prize winners to be as follows:

First prize, $1,000.00, Mr. Jas. Cain, Engineer, Wabash Railroad, Peru, Ind. Second prize, $500.00, Mr. H. C. Woodbridge, General Manager's Special Representative, Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad, Rochester, N. Y. Stewart, Engineer, Illinois Central RailThird prize, $200.00, Mr. Alex M. road, McComb, Miss.

Fourth prize, $150.00, Mr. D. Oxenford, Road Foreman of Engines, Lehigh Valley Railroad, New York, N. Y.

In the operation of brake release, if the brake-pipe recharge is continuous and steady, its pressure increasing at as rapid a rate as that in chamber E and the pressure chamber, the parts of the Control Valve will remain in the positions shown in the present chart until complete brake release and full recharge is effected-with just one exception as to position referring to the service-reservoir charging valve, during the stage of brake-release and pressure-chamber re- Fuller, Chief Engineer, Macon Railway Fifth prize, $100.00, Mr. Carl H. charge just explained, the pressure in and Light Company, Macon, Ga. chamber K against the larger end of the Sixth prize, $50.00, Mr. Millard F. valve has been increasing, while the pres- Cox, Assistant Superintendent Machinsure in chamber G against the smaller ery, Louisville and Nashville Railroad, Louisville, Ky. end of the valve has been getting somewhat lower: with the result that when the pressure chamber and chamber E have become recharged to within about Record No. 79, issued by The Baldwin five pounds of their normal maximum, this Locomotive Works, gives some interestpressure in chamber K will force the ing and detailed information regarding service-reservoir charging valve upward to the Pacific type of locomotive, a logical its open position (in which position it development of the ten-wheeled, or 4-6-0 was shown in Plate 80), the smaller pis- type, and designated "Pacific" because ton uncovering a port that will permit the Missouri Pacific Railway was the air from the emergency reservoir and first to use it in the United States. It chamber E (and, through the latter, from is handsomely illustrated with halftone the brake pipe) to flow to the service engravings of locomotives of this type reservoir to effect its recharge-this rep- which have been built for various railresenting the final stage of full Control roads and the general dimensions of each Valve recharge in the phase of complete are given.

brake release.

In case the engineer desires to only partially release the brake, and after having recharged the brake pipe by only a few pounds of pressure increase, places his brake valve in its lapped position, the Control Valve after having partially released the brake-cylinder pressure returns to the Release Lap Position to be described in the following number of the Magazine.

Pacific Type Locomotives.

New Publications-Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines,

A limited supply of the following publications is available for free distribution and may be had upon application to the Director of the Bureau of Mines, Washington, D. C. Applicants are asked to co-operate in insuring an equitable distribution by selecting publications that

are of special interest. The Bureau advises that requests for all papers can not be granted without satisfactory reason, and that publications should be ordered by number and title.

Bulletin 38. The origin of coal, by David White and Reinhardt Thiessen, with a chapter on the formation of coal, by C. A. Davis. 1914. 390 pp., 54 pls. Technical Paper 34. Experiments with furnaces for a hand-fired return tubular boiler, by S. C. Flagg. 1914. 32 pp., 4 figs.

der full of compressed air can be lost on applications regardless of the type of equipment, but there are many conditions under which a locomotive may be called upon to charge up a train of these cars.

In yard switching service many delays occur while trains of the cars are being charged, and as the general impression seems to prevail that 3 or 4 minutes is ample time for charging any passenger train with any kind of an air pump, it may be interesting to make an approxiTechnical Paper 63. Factors govern- mate estimate of the time required to ing the combustion of coal in boiler fur- charge a train of modern passenger cars naces, a preliminary report, by J. K. with an 11-in. pump. Assuming that we Clement, J. C. W. Frazer, and C. E. have a train of 12 cars, that may have Augustine. 1914. 46 pp., 26 figs. P. C., U. C., and single and double L. N. Technical Paper 77. Report of the equipments, we would find, with an 18-in. Committee on Resuscitation from Mine L. N., one 16 x 42 auxiliary reservoir and Gases, by W. B. Cannon, G. W. Crile, one 224 x 54 supplementary or two supJoseph Erlanger, Yandell Henderson, and plementary reservoirs with approximately S. T. Meltzer. 1914. 36 pp., 4 figs. the same capacity, namely, about 19,000 Technical Paper 79. Electric lights for cu. ins., and with 7,300 in the auxiliary use about oil and gas wells, by H. H. and at least 1,000 more in the brake pipe, Clark. 1914. 8 pp. we can find about 16 cu. ft. of space to Miners' Circular 17. Accidents from be filled with compressed air on such a falls of rock and ore, by Edwin Higgins. 1914. 15 pp., 8 figs.

25

Storage Capacity of Passenger
Brakes.*

We frequently overhear remarks to the effect that with the advent of the large capacity air compressor, the tightening up of brake-pipe leakage has been relegated to the lost arts, but be that as it may, there is, nevertheless, a heavy demand for the large compressor for both freight and passenger service. It cannot be disputed that these compressors are a necessity where trains of from 90 to 140 freight cars are being hauled in one train, because if there is to be any assurance whatever of a release of brakes on the rear end of the trains large capacity compressors must be used. With the long trains of today, main reservoir volume is a secondary consideration to proper air pump capacity.

As to whether the cross compound and duplex compressors are necessary for passenger service, a glance at the sizes of auxiliary, service, emergency and supplementary reservoirs on modern passenger cars will give a very fair idea of the type of air pump required. It is well known that nearly all terminals are equipped with storage plants and that during an application of train brakes either in full service or emergency, but a brake cylin

*From Railway and Locomotive Engineering.

car.

An L. N. equipment of two 14-in. cylinders will have two 14 x 33 reservoirs, and two 20 x 36 supplementary reservoirs, with a total of about 30,000 cu. ins. or about 17 cu. ft.

A P. C. 2-16 will have a 20 x 36 service reservoir of 20,000 cu. ins., and an emergency reservoir 16 x 48 of over 8,500, which with the brake pipe and pressure chamber will have about 12 cu. ft. of space to be filled.

The U. C. 16 will have a 20 x 48 emergency reservoir of 14,000 cu. ins., one 4 x 33 service, a 10 x 33 auxiliary, and a 10 x 33 additional emergency reservoir, and in all about 13 cu. ft. of space to be charged on one of these cars.

An L. N. 16 will contain about 11 cu.

ft., and a P. C. 2-14 or an L. N. 2-12 will contain approximately 9 ft. each, which will in itself give a good general idea of the demand upon an air compressor in charging these cars.

Assuming then that 12 cars averaging 13 cu. ft. each and no allowance whatever for train signal, water raising or lighting systems, 13 x 12, will mean 156 cu. ft. of space to be filled with compressed air for the brake system alone.

In 110 lbs. gage pressure there are 8.5 atmospheres, and to charge this train would require 7.5 atmospheres from the compressor or 156 x 7.5 = 1,160 cu. ft. of free air required.

=

It will be understood that the main reservoir pressure on the engine would

not reduce the volume required, as that As it is only desired to give an apadmitted to the brake pipe for recharging proximate estimate of the time required must necessarily be replaced before maxi- to charge one of these trains, the technimum pressure is attained, and in addi- calities may be disregarded, and when an tion to this leakage must be taken into engine with an 11-in. pump is coupled to consideration. 100 strokes per minute, and the capacity such a train, the recommended speed is about 45 cu. ft. of free air per minute, and if the speed is increased, say to 130 strokes, which is nearly the maximum speed, with a 1-in. steampipe working against 100 lbs. air pressure with 200 lbs. steam pressure, the capacity of the pump may be increased to about 55 cu. ft., and if 15 ft. per minute is lost through leakage, the time required to charge this train of 12 modern cars, from 0 to 110 lbs., is 1,160 40 (55 · 15), or = 29 minutes'

Supposing an average leakage of 1 lbs. per minute from the cars and locomotive, but considering for convenience the cars alone, at 110 lbs. pressure, 1-110 of 1,160 cu. ft., or a little over 10 cu. ft., would escape per minute, and at 14 lbs. about 15 cu. ft. per minute would be lost. If this was intended to be accurate in technical details, we would assume that one of the atmospheres could not escape through leakage, then it would be assumed that only a percentage of 7.5 atmospheres would escape, and with a little calculation it will appear that one pound per minute leakage means the same number of cu. ft. of free air expanded regardless of the pressure so long as the volume of the brake pipe does not vary. With an opening of fixed size, the higher the pressure the greater the number of cu. ft. of free air that can escape per minute, but where rate of leakage remains constant, it may be assumed that the loss in cu. ft. of free air is constant. As an example at 70 lbs. pressure 4.7 atmospheres are free to escape under pressure, and 156 x 4.7 = 7,330, of which 1-70 is a little over 10 cu. ft., and similarly, at 30 lbs. pressure two atmospheres can escape through leakage when 156 x 2 312, of which 1-30 is also a little over 10 cu. ft.

time.

The rapidity with which modern passenger traffic is handled does not permit of 29 minutes' time for charging a train, for a brake test, therefore yard test plants are provided, even if they are not always accessible from all yard tracks, and where conditions may necessitate the charging of trains with yard or road engines, the advantage of the cross-compound compressor is readily observed, as it will easily compress 115 cu. ft. of free air per minute against 110 lbs. gage pressure with 200 lbs. steam pressure, so that in doing the work that required 29 minutes for the 11-in. pump the cross compound will consume but about 11 minutes, or 1,160 100 (115 — 15) = 11.6.

=

Echoes from the Firing Line

The Mechanical Stoker.

It has been my sincere desire to have an article published on the mechanical stoker ever since I was assigned to my first, which was of the over-feed type. Nevertheless, I was satisfied to await further developments. They are practically the same today as they were two years ago, excepting that they have different grates and stronger elevator chains.

The hopper bottom plate in a great many has become worn and bent and coal dust accumulates and becomes packed,

causing the stoker engine to labor and stop. This creates a strain and wear on and causes the oil rings to become shoulconveyor chains as well as valve packing, dered or worn. On the left side of the cab it is almost necessary in a great many cases to use an umbrella to keep the hot oil and water from splashing in one's face.

During all this time we have been hearing of intended improvements with practically the same results-we to furnish the brains and help the stokers out with the grate shaker, rake, poker and shovel.

Now a fireman might as well have a

student fireman on a shovel-fired engine beclouded. He can protect his eyes with each trip, because he can learn more than a stoker and is capable of doing on a large scale what a seasoned fireman must always do for a stoker.

On a windy, dry day the dust and dirt will almost drive a man off the engine. On a rainy day it is a very hard matter to get over the road, because a stoker will not handle wet coal successfully, which also accounts for the dust and dirt referred to in the preceding sentence, as it will not do to wet the coal down. On a shovel-fired engine a fireman can wet the coal and keep the cab clean, and at all times keep down dust and dirt with the sprinkling hose.

After dark, when called upon to help a stoker-fired engine with a shovel or rake, it causes the fireman to have a temporary fit of blind staggers and he is unable thereafter to distinguish colors for as long as two or three minutes at a time. Then, again, there is nothing worse than a bad steaming engine fired by a mechanical stoker, because it is much more laborious to rake and poke the fire on a stoker-fed engine than on a shovel-fired engine.

A "failing" trip on a stoker-fired engine is likely to be very unhealthy, because when stalling for steam and it is necessary to stand before an open fire door to fix the fire, a man becomes thoroughly overheated and, in addition to that, the experience is quite exhausting. While still in this condition, after getting the engine hot one is compelled to stand either in the gangway or back in the cold tender with clothes wet witl. rspiration in order to see that the coal can properly get into the conveyer. If it is dry and windy at the time, the fireman with each breath is drawing into his nose, mouth and lungs the dust and dirt with which the atmosphere in that vicinity is thickly

goggles and his ears with cotton, or a cap, but there is no contrivance yet invented that will prove successful in keeping the dust and dirt out of his lungs, and any strong man in the condition and under the circumstances I describe is susceptible to tuberculosis.

Now on the other hand, if two firemen are used each one can exercise his own brain power in firing these immense engines; give them a steam coal digger and grate shaker, and allow them to relieve each other at intervals. They will fire more uniformly, maintain a regular steam pressure, save the company the loss on boiler repairs, and generally avoid failures, tie-ups or giving up of trains.

The royalty on a stoker possibly amounts to more than would the wages of a second fireman.

As for the steaming qualities of a stoker-fired engine, railroad officials know that when they try to use anything but a good grade of fuel on a stoker-fired engine it is a case of tie-up, cut-off and go in light, or the entire crew be relieved out on the road. Almost any fireman on a stoker-fired engine would regard a request to be relieved before the sixteen hours were up as equal to dismissal from the service.

The mechanical stoker is making physical wrecks of the firemen on stoker-fired engines. Make a confidential canvass of all the men who have fired a stoker-fired engine for say two years, and you will not find one in as good health as he was when he started. For my part, I would like to see the mechanical stoker abolished, or some form of legislation adopted whereby the number of cars in trains would be so limited that it would not take such massive locomotives to haul them.

MEMBER.