iliary reservoir and reapply the brake before the brake cylinder pressure has reduced to 15 pounds. Tests under practical conditions have resulted in retaining an average of 20 pounds on the rear brake, the one most difficult to recharge because of its distance from the locomotive. Again, a lesser train-pipe reduction is required to get the same cylinder pressure than where the valve is not in use. This means three sources of saving in air pressure and, consequently, in pump labor. First, less discharge from the train pipe. Second, less to be put into the cylinder because of that retained. And, third, less brake cylinder pressure needed to control the speed because of the latter increasing less owing to the braking power held while recharging. But above all else and brought about by the features described, is the all important advantage of increased train safety which the pressure retaining valve assures. 184. Recharging on Steep Grades.-"I would like to ask about how long it takes as a rule to recharge the brakes on a freight train going down a steep grade of about 100 feet to the mile? I have heard many opinions, but no one seems to have timed it and I have never worked on a road with such a grade."—O. B. T. Answer. The time required depends considerably on the main reservoir volume and maximum pressure, whether the pump capacity and time between recharging permits of fully restoring this pressure, on the number of brakes to be recharged, the amount of the previous reduction and on how clean the triple valve feed grooves are. The latter is about the same, except on cars in special service, such as cars that are kept in one locality, and is not very good. Last spring the writer had the opportunity of noting the time required to recharge a very heavy train down a grade a little steeper than mentioned. The main reservoir capacity was, as it is recalled, about 45,000 cubic inches, maximum main reservoir pressure 105 or 110 pounds and two 9-inch pumps. The time used in recharging averaged about 40 seconds. Where less than 30 to 35 seconds, as oc- curred in a few instances because of unfavorable conditions resulting in a rapid increase in speed, the brakes were not fully recharged. In fact, the conditions were so severe owing to the heavy load (coal), two large locomotives back in the train and not doing their share of the braking and a number of defective car brakes, that the water brake had to be used on the locomotive ahead so as to obtain time enough to recharge. For the same reasons the reductions had to be heavy, thus increasing the amount to be recharged. Train Rules and Train ·Practice. Answers by H. A. Dalby. 125. The Arriving Time.-"No. 27 is a second-class train and there are no restrictions on trains of this class with regard to arriving at a station as soon as they can after leaving the preceding station. Would No. 27 have a right to arrive at her district terminal as soon as she could after passing the last preceding station? her terminal station ahead of the time Some say that No. 27 could not arrive at she is due there, others say she could. would also ask if it was the intention of the Train Rules Committee to restrict a second or third-class train from arriving at the terminal ahead of time. No. 27 is a through train and stays one hour at the terminal. Kindly say which is right according to Canadian Pacific rules."R. H. C. I Answer.-Under the head of "Time Tables," Rule 5 of the Canadian Pacific code says that "Not more than two times are given for a train at any point; where one is given, it is, unless otherwise indicated, the leaving time." Rule 92, first paragraph, is as follows: "A train must not arrive at a station in advance of its schedule arriving time." As the time of No. 27 at its destination is doubtless marked "arrive," it constitutes an arriving time within the meaning of rules 5 and 92, therefore the train should not arrive before that time. Where but one time is shown at an intermediate station, it being the leaving time, the intention is to allow the train to arrive as soon as it can after leaving the last station so that it may do its work, if there is any, and leave on time. In the case of a train arriving at a district terminal or at any point where the only time is the arriving time, it is presumed that the intention is to give to yard engines or other trains working in the yard the benefit of the time, therefore the regular train can not arrive until such time. 126. Regarding Form F.-"We were on engine 1328, and left Anton with orders to display signals and run as 1st 82 Anton to Fredrick. When we got to Dalmouth we got order No. 2 reading, 'Engine 1328 is annulled as 1st No. 82 Dalmouth to Fredrick.' We had work to do and when we got ready to go we received order No. 3 as follows: Engine 1332 is annulled as 1st 82 Dalmouth to Fredrick. Engine 1328 will run as 1st No. 82 Dalmouth to Fredrick.' Did we have any right to accept the last order without the first one being annulled."-J. D. P. Answer. Yes. On receipt of order No. 2 your train was dead and could not move without some kind of orders and No. 3 simply conferred the right to proceed. 127. Annulling a Section.-"Please give your opinion on the following train order: Engine 694 is annulled as 4th No. 55 from Milan.' The order is O. K. and complete and we are ready to go, when our conductor decides that it is not a standard order and refuses to run on it and gets another reading. '4th No. 55 engine 694 of Monday, February 22d, has arrived at Milan and is annulled from Milan to Frogmore.' "The first order we received was addressed to us, No. 84, which is a thirdclass train. No. 55 is second-class. Third 55 had arrived at Frogmore with green signals. I claim that the first order was all we needed against 4th 55 as far as Milan. Our conductor claims that they can and did annul engine 694, but did not annul 4th 55 and could have put another engine on the train and run it the same as if no order had been issued, and I would like to know if 4th 55 was or was not annulled and if we would have been safe to run on the first order."-W. E. C. Answer. The Standard Code provides but one form for annulling a section and the first order is correctly worded and correctly applied, according to the provisions of Form F. The wording of the second order is not according to any form given in the Standard Code and, strictly speaking, is not a permissible form. The first order was the only one that could have been issued according to rule and could have but one meaning, i. e., that there was no train following 3d No. 55 using the same schedule. The above interpretation is according to the plain terms of Form F, which we consider are unmistakable in their meaning, and we are required to use the rules and forms laid down in the code under which we work when they will apply to the case in hand. At the same time there is considerable common sense in the argument of the conductor, who says that they annulled engine 694 but did not annul 4th 55. We have expressed the opinion before that the form is open to criticism for the reason which has been expressed, although the title, "For annulling a section," can mean but one thing, and that is that, on receipt of an order in this form, there is not, at that time, any section of the number indicated. There is nothing that prevents the dispatcher from again creating 4th No. 55, but a conductor and engineer holding an order according to the Standard Code form "For annulling a section" has official information that there is no section of that number. 128. Taking an Engine from a Regular Train."No. 27 runs from A to D and is a second-class train. The only thing received at A, the initial point, was a terminal clearance. Arriving at B we received orders to run extra from B to D ahead of No. 27. Was this a proper order? Some say that No. 27 should have been annulled, and others say they would take the order and run as an extra. Which is right?”—A. B. Answer. It is usually considered in such cases that an order of this kind is sufficient and we should accept it and run on it unless there were some instructions to the contrary. It is not necessary to annul No. 27. As extras are designated by their engine numbers the real question in this case is whether or not engine 125 (for instance) can be taken off No. 27 and assigned to another train without a train order. We know of no rules or instrueis generally accepted that the necessary tions to cover this point, but we believe it authority for such change is governed by the manner in which the engine was assigned to the train. In the case before us it was no more than an ordinary terminal assignment for a single train to run on schedule No. 27. Therefore we consider that a message, at most, from the proper authority is sufficient. The writer has frequently issued this kind of an order and the train has proceeded as an extra without any further instructions. If, on the other hand, engine 125 had been on 1st No. 27 and had received a train order to run as that train, or if, for any reason, it had started from an intermediate station, which would also require an order, we should consider an order necessary annulling the engine as that train. 129. Extending Working Limits.-" "Order No. 1: Engine 1046 will work June 4th half a mile east and half a mile west of B from 6 a. m. until 6 p. m.' 'Order No. 2: Engine 1046 working limit extended to C.' 'Order No. 3: Order No. 2 is annulled.' Does Order No. 2 supersede Order No. 1? How would you regard these orders if you were on Engine 1046?"- 3, we should say that Order No. 2 was A. B. all that was annulled, and that Order No. 1 was still good. Answer.-Order No. 2 is not according to the Standard Code or any other code of which we know, therefore we have no authoritative information as to what it means. It does not supersede Order No. 1, for that can only be accomplished by the use of Form P. If the dispatcher issued it and the conductor and engineer accepted it, afterward receiving Order No. We strongly urge against the practice of using forms not authorized by the code, unless it is necessary, and, we think conductors and engineers are justified in refusing such orders, as they are more than likely to lead to complications and misunderstandings. In Our Care O, we would ride away up there Or whether they be of our heart or not, The wearers of robes of royalty, Yes, we would ride away up there In the cab, behind the light, And take this trust through twilight's gates Far out into the night: The babe asleep upon the breast, Beneath its mother's eyes, The man who dreams of love and home As in his berth he lies. O, we would ride away up there In the cab, o'er the churning rods, Those who have been on mission sad, Or those with laughter gay and free, Yes, we would ride away up there Of the world between the night and dawn, Then over its shadowy ledge, And down to where there are loving hearts Who wait with tear and prayer For thundering echoes that waken the morn, And the loved ones in our care. ED E. SHEASGREEN. Railway Club Proceedings Compressed Acetylene Gas for gas storage system, therefore new studies and experiments became necessary. About Fouche, a French engineer, conceived the two and one-half years ago Edward idea of packing the gas cylinder or tank with an absorbant or porous material, thereby filling the entire air space except, of course, the small cells in the porous material, then introducing sufficient acetone to moisten the cell walls of the porous material, then pumping in the gas. This, as exhaustive trials have proven, makes an absolutely safe structure for storing and transporting acetylene gas, either in large or small quantities, at high pressure. I have here before you one of our small tanks, 6x30, such as we use for lighting small sailing yachts. These cylinders are packed with asbestos discs from end to end before the head of the cylinder is sealed, and when it is desired to charge them with gas we first pump into the tank about 40 per cent. of its cubic capacity of acetone. The cubic capacity of this tank is a little more than half of one cubic foot. It will hold 34 gallons of acetone, 40 per cent. of which is about 12 gallons. This cylinder now contains 78 cubic feet of acetylene gas under a normal pressure of 16 atmospheres, or sufficient to supply two 2-foot burners for 78 hours continuous burning. To better explain the great storage capacity secured through the use of acetone, I presume, being railway men, you are all familiar with the size of the tank used by the Pintsch Gas Company in lighting cars. They are 20x124 inches and have a capacity of about 22 cubic feet. This size tank as used for Pintsch gas will hold, at 10 atmospheres, 220 cubic feet of Pintsch gas, while by the use of acetone and asbestos 2,200 cubic feet of acetylene gas can be stored in the same tank at the same pressure. We go further, however, as it is perfectly safe, and charge the tank at 16 atmospheres, which enables us to store 3,500 cubic feet of acetylene in 22 cubic feet of space that has already been filled with asbestos discs, and the asbestos saturated with 375 pounds of acetone. Furthermore, this tank, as above described, contains as many cubic feet of gas as there are in 16 Pintsch tanks, and as we consume but one cubic foot of acetylene gas while they consume 3 cubic feet of Pintsch gas, the burning hours of 3,500 cubic feet of acetylene are equal to 10,500 cubic feet of Pintsch gas. In other words, one tank under the Commercial Acetylene Company's safety storage system, charged at 16 atmospheres, is equal in gas storage to 48 tanks of same size filled with Pintsch gas at 10 atmospheres, and according to recent photometric tests made by Mr. J. M. Morehead, gas and electric engineer of Chicago, and Mr. F. W. Thomas, engineer of tests of the Santa Fe Railway, the relative candle power between acetylene and Pintsch gas is nearly 1 to 7, or 8.6 candle power per cubic foot of Pintsch as against 56 candle power per cubic foot of acetylene gas. By this we find that 3,500 cubic feet of acetylene produces a total of 196,000 candle power, while 10,500 cubic feet of Pintsch gas produces but 90,300 candle power. Cost to Manufacture and Compress Acetylene Gas.-In order to properly establish this system on railways the first thing to be considered is a generating and compressing plant or plants, their location and capacity. The small cost of such plants being one of the great advantages of this system, the cost of which will vary (according to capacity required) from $2,500 to $10,000. The size of such a plant will, of course, depend upon conditions and requirements of each case. However, I think you will agree with me that better service can be obtained with two small plants costing from $3,500 to $4,000 each, and located at principal division points, than with one large plant costing $10,000. But even on the largest railway system very few plants would be required. The plant consists principally of a generator, steam actuated compressor, meter, gas holder, and catch basin for residuum. Such a plant requires but two men of ordinary intelligence to operate it; the residuum for plastering walls of buildings, and also cold water paint or whitewash for fences, buildings, etc. It is also a good fertilizer. Calcium carbide can be purchased in car lots, packed in 1,000 pound returnable drums, delivered at almost any point between Chicago and Omaha for $64 per ton, and it is quite probable that it may soon be selling for 50 cents per ton. One ton of carbide will produce about 10,000 cubic feet of acetylene gas, and the highest authorities say, and our own experience teaches, that $7.50 per 1,000 cubic feet will cover all expense of manufacture, with carbide selling at $64 per ton; and, according to a well-known authority, acetylene gas at $7.50 per 1,000 cubic feet for large lighting, is 62 per cent. cheaper than city gas at $1.25 per 1,000, 52 per cent. cheaper than gasoline, and 76 per cent. cheaper than electricity. Acetone Consumed.-About 1 per cent. of the quantity of acetone passes out with the gas. This 1 per cent. of acetone, which is absorbed and carried away and consumed, might appear, at first sight, as a loss, but, on the contrary, it is a saving, as one pound of acetone costing 11 cents will produce a larger volume of vapor than 6 pounds of carbide costing 21 cents, consequently, as the acetone vapor must mix with the gas to be carried away, the volume of the gas plus the volume of acetone vapor must pass through the burner, and as the burners will only consume a certain quantity per hour we thus gain an increased burner hour for a given amount of acetylene. Furthermore, acetone being of the alcohol family, prevents the carbonization of the acetylene at the burners. Lighting of Shops.-With a generating and compressing plant located near the shops, or other buildings, in order to utilize acetylene for lighting, it is only necessary to connect the pipe of the building with the gas holder, the bell of which being of proper weight will force the gas through pipes at burning pressure on the same principle as city gas plants are operated. Lighting of Stations and Other Buildings. To use this system for station lighting, the idea is to charge the tanks at the charging station, and transfer them to stations and other buildings along the line. At Morris, Illinois, last March, one of our car equipments, with 192x124-inch tank containing 3,280 cubic feet of available gas, was installed for lighting the station building for the C. R. I. & P. Ry. To make this application it was only necessary to place the tank, regulating valves and pressure gauge in one corner of the baggage room, connect the tank with the station pipe, change the burners on the fixture, and it was ready for operation. Inside this station there are twenty-six lights or burners, and the average monthly gas bill for lighting by the city gas company for a year previous to March 1, 1903, was $23.51, for the poorest kind of oil gas, whereas with commercial acetylene gas, requiring no attention, except the changing of the tanks once in three months, the average monthly cost has been but $8, making a saving of about |