Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 289, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 December 1912 — Pipes and Switches Freeze. [ARTICLE]

Pipes and Switches Freeze.

When it Is necessary to uncouple the engine during very cold weather the pipes immediately begin to freeze. There is no way to prevent it until the engine is again attached and all the working pipes are again warmed up. Frogs are frozen solid and must he thawed out in order that switches and signals may be kept in smooth working order. It requires a thousand per cent more effort to get an engine to steam in winter than in summer. During cold weather there is always the risk of the air brakes sticking and refusing to release and thus the wheels become locked and more delay and inconvenience to the passengers follows. It Is impossible -to op erate a passenger equipment with a flat wheel and trains must be delayed and passengers moved to other cars. Sometimes it is not always possible to have these equipments at hand, and it Is necessary to bring a coach or sleeper from some other station. Much trouble is occasioned from water tanks freezing solid and the engine not being able to receive water. Track tanks must be kept free from Ice by means of hot water so that the engine may keep moving.