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"Interborough Inspection Shop Methods -- Modern Inspection Facilities..." (1924)

ELECTRIC RAILWAY JOURNAL · Vol. 64, No. 7 · August 16, 1924 · pp 238-242.

Interborough Inspection Shop Methods

Location of Inspection Buildings, Storage Yards and 148th Street Shop of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company.

Inspection of Elevated and Subway Cars on the Interborough Rapid Transit Railway Is on the Basis of 1,000 Miles for Motor Cars and 1,200 Miles for Trail Cars-- The Work Is Thoroughly Planned-- A Bonus Is Paid to Finders of Trouble of Vital Importance.

Work has recently been completed on a new inspection shed of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company at 180th Street. This is part of an extended plan for expanding the inspection and repair facilities of the company. There are now six inspection sheds of the company at which the work of making running repairs on the cars of the company is being conducted as follows: Bronx, 180th Street (completed); Bronx, Van Cortlandt Park (old shop); Bronx, West Farms (old shop); Bronx, Jerome Avenue (temporary); Brooklyn, Livonia Avenue (completed); Queens, Corona (temporary).

In additional, two other inspection sheds will be built as follows: Bronx, 239th Street; Bronx, Westchester.

This article will give an account of the methods followed in these inspection sheds. A later article will describe the shed recently completed at 180th Street.

Each day the mileage clerk makes out a list, giving the numbers of the cars that are due for inspection, with the number of trips or mileage that each of the individual cars on the list has made since the date of its last inspection. A careful record is kept of the mileage made each day by each car, and motor cars are inspected every 1,000 miles and trail cars every 1,200 miles. After the mileage clerk makes out his list of cars to be inspected, one copy is sent to the shop department and another copy to the train dispatcher.

As soon as a car is put in the inspection shed for inspection and repairs, the car checker compares the car numbers with his inspection list and puts a white inspection or work card on each car that is due for regular inspection. The front of the card so used is reproduced on page 240. The back of the card contains space for record of the inspection of the storage batteries, as each car on the system carries a battery for emergency lighting. There are 26 cells, and the gravity, height of electrolyte, volts per cell, and total volts are recorded. The fact that the inspection card carries a list of the jobs to be done relieves the individual workman from a great deal of bookkeeping, because he has simply to make his entries on this card. On roads of the size of the Interborough where several hundred men are employed on inspection and repair, it is considered very essential that each individual should be held directly responsible for the work he performs. This the work card illustrated allows, because it has listed all of the various parts of the equipment with space for the signature of the man who does the work. No car is allowed to leave the pit until all items have been signed up. There are two other cards somewhat similar to the inspection card, as will be described later. One is blue and the other is red. This distinguishes them from the general inspection card reproduced in the first illustration because it is white.

BLUE AND RED INSPECTION CARDS. The blue inspection card is attached to those cars in a train in the inspection shed which are not due for inspection, not having completed the mileage of 1,000 for motor cars and 1,200 for trail cars between inspections. Nevertheless, while these cars are in the shops, the company does give the more important parts, such as running gears, air brakes, draft rigging, and contact shoe devices a thorough inspection, and the parts of lesser importance a superficial inspection. The men sign up this card for work done in the same manner as with the white inspection card.

The other inspection card used is printed on red stock. It is used for regular inspection in the same way as the white card illustrated, but its color indicates that axle boxes, journals, etc., on the car are due for general oiling in addition to the inspection required on the rest of the car. The general oiling period is 10,000 miles. The entries on this card are printed somewhat closer together to allow for blanks covering the lubrication attention required. A separate entry on this card is made for motorman valves, feed valves, armature bearings, air compressors, center plates, triple valves, journal bearings, axle bearings and gears, and draft brake rigging and side bearings.

When all of the various classes of workmen have completed their work on a train and have properly signed the inspection cards, the train is pumped up, air brakes are tested, and brake rigging is adjusted, etc. The control and the motor circuits are then thoroughly tested. The train is then ready to return to service.

OTHER BLANKS AND FORMS USED. Space will not permit a reproduction of all the various blanks used, but one other is shown on page 240 and a brief reference will be made to the other more important forms. The one reproduced is that used for lamp and fuse renewals, cars cleaned, etc. Some of the other blanks used during this inspection work include the following:

Report of broken glass replaced on cars.

Report of repairs made and defects found on the cars while in for inspection.

Report of journal brasses removed.

Report showing length of time the train was in the inspection shed.

Report of the cars inspected and mileage made since the last inspection.

After these reports are filled out in the inspection shed, they are sent to the assistant to the general manager weekly. They are then tabulated and graphs are plotted showing the recurrences of different troubles, life of parts, etc.

DIVISION OF INSPECTION FORCE AND LAYOUT OF GANGS. Outlines of the duties of the inspection force and of the work performed are given in the two lists, printed on pages 241 and 242.

At the 180th Street inspection shed as many as 144 cars per day are inspected and for this work nearly 250 men are employed. These men work one shift of nine hours, some coming on duty at six in the morning and others at seven. A cleaning force and two emergency men are on duty during the night.

Although the work of changing wheels is usually done only at the main repair shops at 148th Street, some of this work is done at the inspection sheds when it seems desirable.

The storeroom at the inspection sheds carries a very complete supply of replacement parts, but only a week's supply normally is kept on hand as the supply car makes a trip to the various locations every day. The oil supply is cared for in a little different manner. The company has an arrangement with the oil companies whereby an oil tank truck delivers the supply direct to the inspection buildings. Storage tanks capable of holding two weeks' supply of the various oils used are to be found in the oil room.

FOLLOWING UP THE WORK. The work performed at the inspection shed is constantly being followed by a corps of special inspectors. These men drop into the various inspection sheds at unexpected times and check up the work and methods being employed. They report their findings directly to the assistant to the general manager.

The work of inspection is also greatly helped by information received from the transportation department. This comes principally from the motorman's report book. The entries in this book are filled out by the motorman and conductor for every car that has trouble on the road. This report gives the number of the car, minutes delayed, time taken out of service, nature of trouble, names of conductor and motorman, etc. Two books of this kind are kept at each of the terminals, these books being used on alternate days. This permits one book to be sent each day to the shop foreman. The clerk makes a copy of the book each day and returns it to the terminal so that it will be available for the following day. In addition to the entries made by the trainmen, this book contains a space in which the shopman making the repairs enters the nature of the trouble actually found and the repairs made. Space is also provided for his signature.

In addition to the methods described for detecting trouble, the company follows the unusual plan of paying bonuses to employees for discovering vital defects. This bonus is paid to any employee, regardless of his classification or his rate of pay, who discovers and reports cracked or broken parts of the running gear of any car. This system of stimulating the detection of defects to the vital parts of the equipment keeps the men keyed up and is considered by the company the best possible insurance against serious road trouble happening.

When this system of discovering defects is combined with the system described by which every man working on a car personally signs the inspection card for each part of the equipment he inspects and passes, assurance is made doubly sure that all defects are discovered and the necessary repairs are made.

HEAVY REPAIR WORK. Heavy repair work is performed at the 148th Street shop for the subway division and the shop at 98th Street and Third Avenue for the Manhattan division. The former is shown in the map on page 238.

Inspection Routine on the Interborough (These regulations are referred to on page 239)

Contactors. Inspect and change when necessary, all arc chutes, contactor bases, auxiliary fingers, finger blocks and auxiliary contact plates. These parts are to be kept cleaned and properly adjusted. The contactor base bolts and shunts are to be kept tight. Inspect all motor and bus rheostat leads and jumpers on rheostats. Clean the insulating collars on the circuit breaker and reverser. Remove the covers of the control rheostat coils and inspect and clean them. Inspect the main bus and power fuse and wiring. Arcing plates are to be removed when loose, cracked or broken, and are to be cleaned on all inspections. The clock circuit fuse and fuse block are to be cleaned on all inspections. All relays are to be cleaned and the leads must be examined for loose connections. P. K. commutating drums are to be cleaned off with a damp kerosene cloth, and the fingers are to be adjusted and lubricated on every inspection. The bus and control connection boxes are to be cleaned and inspected on a 10,000-mile basis. The circuit breaker arc chutes are to be cleaned and the inspectors should see that the tips make proper contact, that all parts work freely, that the head is on tight and that the line breaker trips properly.

Motor Inspection. Inspect armatures, commutator, brush-holder, brushes, etc.

Batteries. Remove all storage batteries (Edison type). Test each cell for voltage and specific gravity. Measure the height of the solution. Clean all cells and keep the top oiled. Use only distilled water when the solution is renewed. Clean the top of the cells with steam on a 60-day basis. Inspect the leads and see that they are properly insulated and that the connections are tight.

Jumpers. Change all train-line jumpers on a four-month schedule. Remove all jumpers that are in bad order or over the age limit. Clean out the coupler sockets and clean and spread and tighten all terminals in sockets and jumpers. Inspect the springs and covers on all sockets. See that all jumpers are properly inserted before the train leaves the barn.

Contact Shoe Device. Inspect and gage all contact shoes and beams. Remove the covers and examine the shoe fuses and leads on a 10,000-mile basis. Test out all shoe fuses on every inspection. See that all bolts in the contact devices are tight. Remove all shunts and jumpers where they are worn or broken. Remove all shoes when worn.

Compressors. Fill the crankcase with oil at the filling elbow. Fill the commutator oil well at the oil plug on the commutator side of the motor bearing. Do not oil on the crankcase side. Inspect and clean the inside of motor shell, fields, commutator and brush-holder and replace worn brushes, etc.

Governors and Relays. Inspect and adjust the magnet and air governor fingers and the battery charging switch.

Controllers. Remove the cover from the controller to inspect it. Remove the arc deflector. Inspect the main blow-out coil. Inspect and clean the fingerboard and flash shields. Remove the auxiliary fingers and block to inspect and clean contacts. See that all fingers are properly adjusted. Change all worn or burnt fingers. Clean the segments on the cylinders. Oil all bearing points on the cylinder and gear wheel. See that the screws in the controller top and water cap, controller handle and reverser cap are tight. Replace all weak or broken dog springs in the handle. Clean and adjust the fingers in the master electric-brake valve and engineer's valve. Inspect and repair all MS-41 and 10 switches. Install fuses where they are missing. See that all 1-in. pilot valve cut out cocks are sealed. Replace all worn parts.

Switchboards. Inspect and clean the switchboards and examine fuse clips, fuses, switches, etc., on each inspection, including the main switches. See that the proper rated fuses are in the circuits.

Light Circuits. Cut in the light switches on all cars and test all circuits and markers. Replace all missing and burnt-out lamps and broken sockets. Test out the emergency light circuit on all cars. Replace all missing and blown fuses on the switchboards.

Indication. Clean the indication boxes and disk on the pole contacts. Make necessary repairs on each inspection.

Clocks. Open the cabinets in all clocks (coasting recorders) and see that they are wound and supplied with tape. Test all clocks and circuit with a 4-volt battery. The clocks are to be changed once a year for general cleaning and repairs. Clean the clock relays on inspection.

Testing Indication. Test the motorman's indication circuit on all cars and in train formation. See that all trains are equipped with lamps, jumpers and plugs before they leave the barn. Replace any missing covers on the motorman's lamp boxes. Replace broken seals and rings in the signal box covers where they are missing or broken.

Air Brakes. Test the electric brake and control circuits from each controller and the brake valve in the train, using the electric brake key to determine whether the electric brake master switch is operating correctly and the electric brake fuse is in place. When the controller is in "on" position, let go of the button and make a test of the pilot and "E" valves. Pull all conductor's valve cords and test them for operation. Make a test of the compressors by cutting in all compressor switches. Test the balance circuit by cutting in one balance switch and noting if all the compressors are working. Note that the governors cut in at 85 lb. and out at 100 lb. pressure. Note that no leaks exist in the pipe system. Test the motor circuit on all cars by using a 5-lamp bank across main switch. See that all MS switches have fuses in and are left cut out. Examine the inspection tags and see that all work has been covered and signed for. No trains must be sent out until all work is completed, inspection tags signed, and car in good operating condition. Go around train and see that no men are at work on cars before the train is trolleyed out of the barn. Report all defects noted to the assistant general foreman.

Air-Brake Valve Changes. Change for cleaning at the repair shop, all UE-5 triple-vent A & T valves, governors, etc., on a one-year basis. Change for cleaning the compressors head on a 90-day basis. Make pipe repairs. Tighten pipe leaks, etc.

Car-Body Inspection. Inspect and repair all manually and air-operated doors, draft rigging, car body, interiors, platforms, fitting, etc. Replace all missing and empty Pyrene fire extinguishers. Repair the markers and headlights. Replace any broken glass and missing shades. Inspect the sanitary hand holds. Test all emergency cords, bell cords and bells. Inspect all destination signs and see that each car is fully equipped with these signs. Remove and replace all signs that are disfigured. The foreman of car-body inspectors will make a personal inspection of all cars passing through the barn.

Safety Gates. Inspect, clean and lubricate all gates and slides. Unhook and inspect all locks and springs. Open the gate and inspect for broken rivets in it. Inspect hand holds on all cars passing through barn.

Trip-Device and Air-Hose Inspection. Inspect, gage and adjust all trip devices. Inspect all hose on the car for chafing, being loose at the nipple, or over the age limit. See that all pipe clamps are in place and tight and that all bolts in the air-hose clamps are tight. Mark the height of the tripper on the inspection tag when it is signed.

Axle Box Inspection. Inspect and tighten all axle box and gear pan bolts. Remove and replace all broken axle brasses.

Oil Armatures. Inspect the waste and bearings on all motors passing through the barn for inspection. Remove all waste above the bearing and see that it is well lubricated. Remove all short and hard waste. Gage the oil on every inspection.

Journal Inspection. Inspect the waste and brasses on all cars passing through the barn. Remove the waste and brasses on the general oiling. Test the waste on all inspections.

Drip Cups. Remove all oil from all drip cups on all motors. Lubricate all brake rigging and drawbar slides.

UE-5 Valve. Clean the high-pressure portion of the UE-5 valve and clean the brake cylinder pressure limiting valve on a 30-day basis. Clean the 1-in. dirt collector on inspection. Fill the oil well. Examine No. 3 vent valve and the motorman's emergency cocks on inspection.

Reservoirs. Reservoir tanks are to be drained on every car going through the barn.

Air Doors. Test all air doors. Clean and lubricate all hand bases, sides, rods and gears. Remove all dirt from the door track. See that the door works at proper speed. Make all repairs, including any required on the locking device.

Feed Valves. Change the cab and control feed valves every 30 days. Oil the motorman's brake valve on inspection. Clean the i-in. cab dirt collector on inspection.

Detailed Duties of Inspection Force on Interborough

The General Foreman is in full charge of the inspection barn and of all men assigned to the barn. He is responsible for the proper maintenance of the car equipment under his supervision. He also sees that full service at all times is available for the transportation department.

The Assistant General Foreman assists the general foreman and takes over his work when he is absent. The duties of the assistant general foreman are to run the floor, to check up on work of men, to see that trains are pulled out of the barn when turned over to transportation department, to inspect personally all cars that are cut out for the shop and all trains reported for trouble, and to see that all cars are properly tagged for the shop and are recorded in the log book. He also is responsible to see that the motorman's report book is checked, that the repairs called for in this book are made and that the book is signed to indicate that the repairs have been made.

The Assistant Carhouse Foreman's duty is to check up all cars reported by the transportation department as in bad order, also to check up the men working on the control circuits and to assist in making repairs.

The Clerks and Assistant Clerks keep the general records. They take care of all correspondence and see that the time cards are properly registered and the time recorded. On these and all other matters in which he is in doubt the chief clerk is to consult with the general foreman and assistant general foreman.

The Car Checker checks and tags all inspection and non-inspection cars. He, also checks the bad-order list for bad-order cars and reports on the trouble to the assistant general barn foreman.

The Storeroom Tender receives and cares for all material and sees that there is an adequate supply of material on hand at all times.

The Motor Cleaners clean the retaining rings, brush-holder insulators, and the inside of the motor shell, fields and connections.

The Car-Body Foremen are in charge of the car-body and air-door device inspectors. They also keep a record of all repairs made by them on car bodies.

The Car-Cleaner Foreman supervises all car-cleaning work.

The Air-Brake Foreman is in charge of all air-brake and mechanical work, car body, brake and draft rigging, trucks, wheels, axle box, journal lubrication and packing.

The Air-Brake Inspectors inspect all work done by the brakemen and helpers on the inspection of cars. These inspectors also have charge of the general inspection of the "non-inspection" cars and give special attention to the toggle bar, brake pin, special lock washers and cotter keys.

The Electrical Inspector and Trouble Repairmen make the repairs to the electrical equipment and check the inspection of electrical apparatus.

The Motor Lead Inspector inspects the motor leads, ground leads, cleats, clamps, etc.

The Truck Inspector inspects all trucks for cracks on the side frame and in the transoms, equalizer bars, wheels, swing hangers, etc., for all cars going through barn.

The Wheel Inspector inspects all wheels, trucks, car body bolsters, king pins, drawbars and carriers, center casting and bolts, outside and inside equalizer bars.

The Wheel Inspector (Night) inspects all wheels, trucks, drawbars, shoe beams and general equipment. Every car in for the night must be so inspected. He also reports all defects which he discovers to the night barn foreman and leaves a written report for the general foreman.

The Valve-Room Men clean and test all feed valves, clean and grind the compressor heads, clean the compressor strainers and make minor air-valve repairs.

The Brakemen and Helpers inspect and renew brakeshoes, brake rigging, side bearings and truck chafing plates, pedestal and equalizer bars, etc., inside and out. New cotter keys must be used for all replacements. The key must fit tight in the brake pin.

The Car Inspectors will keep in touch with dispatchers and will report promptly when called by the train crews. They should keep a close check on the motorman's book and sign up when the repairs are made. They should immediately notify the general foreman when ordering a train out of service. In case of any train trouble or delay on the division to which the inspector is assigned he will give a detailed report of such trouble in the car inspector's book, which is provided for such reports. The car inspectors should see that all trains have markers when they leave the terminals. They should also make any necessary minor repairs to doors, signal circuits, markers and light circuits and control circuits.

The Lamp Trimmers equip all trains daily with refilled and clean tail lights. They should inspect the tail lamps on all trains each trip and should see that all lay-up trains are equipped with freshly trimmed lamps at both ends.

Trolleymen and foremen are the only ones allowed to apply the trolley to a train or to trolley a train out of the barn. The trolley is not to be applied to any car or train while men are working on it. Trolleyman will test brakes (electric and pneumatic) on all cars, but the brake adjustment is done by the air-brake inspector, as already described.

The Night Car Cleaners sweep and dust all cars and remove all newspapers from under seats.

The Day Car Cleaners carry out the following program: (1) Clean windows; (2) sponge seats and seat backs; (3) mop car floors; (4) clean and wash lamp shades; (5) wash sanitary hand holds; (6) wash white ceilings; (7) wash or wipe fan blades; (8) renovate the interior; (9) dry clean the interior; (10) clean the markers; (11) clean and dust under the seats, etc.

Rack for Testing Control and Bus Line Jumpers at 180th Street Inspection Shed.	As the Train Enters the Building a Clerk Places a Colored Tag on Each Car Indicating Kind of Inspection Needed.

[Left] Rack for Testing Various Brake Valves, Feed Valves and Other Pneumatic Equipment. [Right] Power for Moving Trains Is Taken from an Overhead Conductor Through Flexible Leads.

Above, One of the Blanks Used by the Inspection Force. At Right, Inspection Card Which Must Be Signed by the Man Doing the Work.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY JOURNAL · Vol. 64, No. 7 · August 30, 1924 · pp 305-308.

Modern Inspection Facilities for the Interborough System

The 180th Street Building Has Eight Tracks Each Accommodating a Ten-Car Train.

The City of New York Is Building Six Storage Yards and Inspection Buildings to Provide for 2,266 Cars of the Interborough Rapid Transit System These Will Provide for the Full Capacity of Present Lines of the Subway Division The Two Completed Are Described.

Two modern inspection buildings have recently been completed and placed in service by the subway division of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, New York City. These buildings, which embody the latest practices for facilitating inspection of rapid transit cars, along with the adjoining storage yards, are part of a plan under which the city of New York, under the direction of the Transit Commission, is adding to the inspection and storage facilities of the Interborough. Altogether there are six projects of this sort, including the two which have just been finished. Under the contract between the company and the city, the latter is responsible for supplying to the company all necessary facilities of this kind.

The capacity of the new inspection facilities is intended to be adequate not only for the present rolling stock, but also for such increases as are anticipated within the early future. The locations of these inspection buildings are at the ends of the lines and adjoin the storage yards so as to reduce dead car mileage to a minimum. In all the work of design the engineers of the railway company naturally worked closely with those of the commission, so that the finished shops represent the ideas of both.

The work contracted for under the Transit Commission includes only the shell of the building, with whatever conduits, steam piping and plumbing are necessary as permanent features of the construction. The operating company supplies the conduits and wires for lighting and power; lighting fixtures, cranes, testing apparatus, storeroom bins and other similar equipment which is not considered a part of the actual building. The trackwork within the building, however, is classified along with that outside and it is installed by the city.

The locations of the six inspection buildings and yards were shown on a map published on page 238 of the issue of this paper for Aug. 16, 1924, of the six inspection sheds. The two which are completed are those at 180th Street, the Bronx Park terminus of the Lexington Avenue line, and at Livonia Avenue in Brooklyn, at the end of the Eastern Parkway line. There is a storage yard accompanying each of these shops. The other four projects are at the end of the Jerome Avenue line, 239th Street at the end of the White Plains Road line, Westchester at the end of the Pelham line, and Corona at the end of the Flushing extension of the Corona line in Queens. The total storage capacity for all six of these yards and buildings, including the space over the inspection pits, is 2,266 cars, divided as shown in the following table:

The subway division of the Interborough at present comprises 222 miles of single track, and there are accommodations for storing approximately 2,000 cars in temporary sheds and on third track. On account of the operating demands the company has constantly been increasing the number of its cars, and this means that there should be corresponding increase in adequate storage space and inspection facilities. It is estimated that with 222 miles of track the maximum number of cars that can be operated is 3,000. Including the existing storage yard, the contemplated plans will only suffice to provide facilities until this number is reached.

THE PROJECT WILL COST $10,000,000. In the entire plan for shop and storage facilities for the Interborough Rapid Transit Railway approximately $10,000,000 is being spent, which averages a little more than $4,000 per car. This figure does not include the $5,000,000 required for the general overhaul and repair shops nearly completed at 148th Street on the Lenox Avenue branch of the Seventh Avenue line, and which were described in ELECTRIC RAILWAY JOURNAL May 3, 1924, page 688.

Each of the inspection projects has its individual characteristics, on account of the varying physical layout and the number of cars to be handled, but the cost of the 180th Street development, which amounted to approximately $2,540 per car, including those in the yard and over pits, is considered most representative. This entire project, costing some $965,000, may be subdivided as follows:

These figures do not include the cost of engineering, superintendence during construction, or interest on the investment during the construction period. The real estate was obtained by the city some years ago through condemnation proceedings, and when the value of property in the vicinity was somewhat lower than at present. The total construction cost is, therefore, somewhat less than the cost would be to duplicate the project today, although the building was only recently finished.

The conditions existing at the Livonia project, the other one which is completed, resulted in a considerably higher total cost, as follows:

Including 310 cars in the yard and 40 over the pits, this cost averages $4,600 per car.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE 180TH STREET SHOP. The inspection building at 180th Street is typical, both as to cost and general appearance, of those contemplated for the four other locations. The building is classed as semi-fireproof, being constructed without wood, but not having the steel work encased in concrete. The building is one story in height without a basement, and is 592 ft. long by 120 ft. wide. Inspection tracks with pits, extending the full length of the building, provide accommodations for 80 cars.

The foundation was placed on earth or piling where rock was not readily accessible. The walls are of concrete. About 50 per cent of the wall area, however, is taken up with windows having steel sash and wire glass. Due to the low roof, which has a clearance of only 4 ft. above the roofs of the cars, these windows are not depended on for lighting the entire floor area. The reinforced concrete roof has saw-teeth extending across the entire width of the building, although the steel trusses which support it do not run entirely across, but are supported at one end on a row of columns set up between two of the tracks. Pre-cast concrete slabs with wire mesh reinforcement cover the sloping sides of the roof, with a finish of roofing tile laid over roofing paper. The vertical faces of the saw-teeth are fitted with steel sash glazed with clear glass, the sections being arranged to swing open. Owing to the necessity of being economical of room because of the high value of real estate the clear spacing of the tracks is only 12 ft. between centers.

The stock room, carpenter shop, transformer room and office are located on the main floor along one wall of the building, while above these on the mezzanine floor are located the washroom, locker room and toilets, and a recreation room for the men has been provided on the second floor above the mezzanine, as these buildings are located in outlying districts of the city.

Each of the eight tracks in the building has a pit extending the entire length. These pits are 3 ft. deep below the base of the rail, and are 3 ft. 9 in. wide. The pit floors slope transversely for drainage. In each pit side wall are recesses for electric lamps and receptacles for attaching extension cords. As the pits are not open on the sides, no attempt has been made to provide storage for parts and tools on the pit floor.

The floor and pits are constructed of reinforced concrete. The pit walls are flush with the floor and longitudinal stringers 6-1/2 in. high are placed on top of them on which the track rails are laid. This makes a depression of the floor about 12 in. below the rail, but ramps are provided at each end of the building to bring the floor surface up level with the rail head. This arrangement was adopted to facilitate the work of the men who handle the lubrication of journals and side bearings.

Entrance to the building is made at one end, eight tracks branching off from a ladder outside the structure. In the building at 180th Street a separate rolling steel door is provided for each track, 16 ft. high and 12 ft. wide.

Low-pressure steam for heating is supplied from a boiler located adjacent to the main building. In this room are coal storage facilities and a small repair shop for maintenance of the steam heating equipment. Radiators are placed along the side end walls of the main shop, and additional steam coils are suspended from the roof trusses. These provide a sufficiently high temperature so that the men may work in the shop during the winter time without requiring extra clothing.

General interior illumination is furnished by rows of fixtures placed approximately 25 ft. apart, with the fixtures in each row spaced 12 ft. apart so as to be directly over the aisles between tracks, thus making nine fixtures in each row. Every second row contains single fixtures, each holding a 200-watt, 125-volt lamp, supplied from the 125-volt a.c. service. The fixtures in the other rows each contain five 40-watt lamps, operated from the 600-volt d.c. railway power circuit. Each fixture has a dome type reflector to throw the light down to cover the floor with as little overlapping as possible. The alternating-current circuit may be supplied either from the Interborough's line or the New York Edison Company's service, both of which operate on 33,000 volts. With these three sources of light it is considered improbable that the building will at any time be in complete darkness.

LIVONIA INSPECTION BUILDING. A different construction was adopted at the Livonia inspection building, as the entire yard and structure were placed on a heavy fill. Although the yard tracks were very conveniently supported directly on the fill, it was considered inadvisable to place the building on such an unstable foundation as was offered by the filled ground. The building was, therefore, mounted on steel columns, with the main floor supported on steel girders to bring it level with the yard. In the space beneath are located the boiler room, coal bins and other storage space. The floor girders support the track rails, these in turn being supported by steel columns. The base is of reinforced concrete. The main inspection floor between the pits is of reinforced concrete, with the top 6-1/2 in. below the base of the rail.

At Livonia Avenue the doors are hand operated and of the jack-knife type. They are hinged horizontally in two sections and when opened fold up against the roof.

Typical Cross-Section Through Pits Showing the Pits Under Each Track and the Saw-Tooth Roof Construction.

[Left] A Portion of the 180th Street Inspection Building of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, Showing Roof Construction. [Right] Interior of the 180th Street Building. The Tracks Are Raised About 1 Ft. Above the Floor to Facilitate the Inspection of Brakes and Journals.

[Left] One of the Pits at 180th Street, Showing Lamp Pocket and Track Construction. [Right] The Storeroom Has a Complete Stock, but by Carrying Small Quantities Its Size Is Reduced.

Sources: Electric Railway Journal, McGraw Hill Company, Digitized by Microsoft, Americana Collection, archive.org.