Book Description

Excerpt from Locomotive Appliances: This Volume Describes Important Attachments Used on Locomotives and the Rules and Regulations for Their Care and Operation; Forming One of the Series of Volumes Comprised in the Revised and Enlarged Edition of "Kirkman's Science of Railways" Within the radius of his arm are a multitude of levers and cocks, the touching of which sets in motion complicated mechanisms that perform some necessary function in the movement of his train. Originally, the engineer's control was limited to his machine; now he is master of the whole train from the headlight to the last truck on the rear of his train. With his injector he controls his water supply; the automatic lubricator has supplanted the hand oiler; the air pump controls the brakes; his steam, air and steam heating gauges keep him advised of the needs of his train in these directions; his speed recorder tells him what work his engine is accomplishing; and so on. Each of these appliances, and many others treated of in this volume, has come into being to meet some apparent need or answer some well defined purpose, and the sum of them all has transformed the locomotive from the rampant, noisy, spasmodic pigmy of its inventor to the graceful, unfailing and swift giant of to-day. When it is remembered that it is but a part of the locomotive engineer's or fireman's business to be informed as to the construction, operation and care of these and many other appliances, it is not surprising that he should be classed among the most skilled artisans of the age. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.