Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 November 1892 — BUILDING A PASSENGER CAR. [ARTICLE]

BUILDING A PASSENGER CAR.

A Detailed Demstption of How the Work I» Accomplished. Thirty-five thousand passenger cam are now in use on the 175,000 miles of railroad in the United States and Territories, and these cars have cost over two hundred million dollars. A passenger car costs $5,000 to SB,OOO. An outline of the manner in which such cars are built cannot but be of interest, as this class of car construction constitutes an important in-du-try here. When an order is received for a given number o> cars it is accompanist} by carefully prepared drawings of every detail and by specifications which even enumerate the quantity and quality of screws, nails, bolts, castings, trimmings, etc., which are to be used. Those unfamiliar with this class of work would be astonished at the elaborate nature of the drawings, many of them of lull size, with all dimensions marked on them so that no mistakes may occur. The specifications aim to contain a clear statement of all the materials to be used, their quantity, quality and sizes; and the manner in which they are to be treated and built into the proposed cars, is also very carefully described; even the paint and varnishes are specified, as well as the number of coats of each, and the length of time each coat is to be given to dry. Thus it will be seen that a car is first carefully constructed in ths mind cf the designer and all details put upon paper, which serve as a guide to those having the construction in hand. When an order for cars is placed, bills of the materials required are made in each department and patterns for the iron and wood work are made, to guide tjie foremen in laying out their portions of the work. As speedily as possible departments are furnished with the raw or finished materials called for on their bills of materials with which to make their portions of the car. As an illustration, the wood machine shop gets out from the rough lumber the exact number of pieces of wood of every kind and form called for, and the blacksmith shop gets out the forgings required, the bolt department makes the exact number of bolts of various kinds needed, and the brass foundry fills its order for the necessary trimmings, which trimmings, when so specified, are taken in hand by the electro - plating department and plated with nickel, silver or gold, as called for. The glass department cuts the glass, etches it, and silvers it when required, and makes and furnishes all the mirrors. When everything Is ready the prepared materials are delivered as needed at the compartments where the cars are to be erected. First, the bottom materials, such as sills, floor-joists, flooring, draft-timbers, and transoms arrive and are taken in hand by the bottombuilders. At the completion of the bottom of a car, which comprises the work of the bottom-builders, it is turned over to the body-builders, who put up the frame work and complete the body of the car, their work consisting of applying posts, bracing, filling, belt railing, paneling, carlining, etc. The car is now taken by the roofers, who apply the roof-boards, moldings, etc., and then the tinners put on the metal covering. After a careful inspection the car is taken by the outside painters, and is entered at the same time by the inside finishers, who put in and finish the nice inside wood-work, which is of the best kinds of lumber, such as oak. ash, cherry, mahogany, or vermilion. The piping for heating and for lighting is set in before the seats are placed in position. The inside finish, too, conceals the electric wires which may be called for in the specifications. Cars are lighted by oil. gas or electricity. If by gas, it is carried iu condensed form in tanks underneath the car, and is conducted to lamps by suitable piping. Electric lights are derived from storage batteries, and from dynamos run in a baggage car, by steam from the engine. When the inside wood work is all in place, and some of this finish comprises exquisite carving, the inside painters go over the entire interior wood work, making the car ready for the trimmers, who place the bronzeor plated trimmings upon doors, sash, blinds, and walls. The upholstering, draperies, seat-coverings, carpets, etc., which have all been previously prepared, are now put in, and when the finishing touches are added by the equipment department the car is ready for delivery to its purchaser, to whom it is sometimes sent by special messenger. Parties for whom cars are building generally keep an inspector at the shops to s.e that all work and materials are in accordance with plans and specifications. All work in the construction department is carefully subdivided, many different gangs of men having their allotted tasks, which they perform with surprising quickness and dexterity. Mostof this passenger car work is paid for by piece wages.. These car works have the capacity for turning out twelve new passenger cars a week.— Pullman Journal.