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"Maintenance Methods on the Interborough -- Repair Shops of the Interborough..." (1925)

ELECTRIC RAILWAY JOURNAL · Vol. 63, No. 18 · March 21, 1925 · pp 440-449.

Maintenance Methods on the Interborough -- Repair Shops of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company

One of the Inspection Bays at the 147th Street Shops.

Under a Most Exacting Service, an Efficient System of Car Maintenance Has Been Built Up, by Which Delays per 1,000,000 Car-Miles Have Been Kept to a Low Figure.

This article describes the nature and extent of the repair problem, the methods followed in carrying out repairs and the organization by which this work is conducted in the shops of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company of New York. Previous articles on the repair shops, inspection methods and inspection shops of this company appeared in the issues of May 3, 1924; Aug. 16, 1924, and Aug. 30, 1924. Of the detail views accompanying this article those on pages 442 to 445 inclusive were taken at the 98th Street shops, and those on pages 447 to 449 inclusive were taken at the 147th Street shops.

The immensity of the task of maintaining the rolling stock of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company can be gathered from a few statistics of the traffic conducted, as compared with trunk-line railroads. During the calendar year of 1922, the last year for which statistics of this kind are available, the entire revenue-passenger business on the steam railroads or trunk-line railroads of the country (Classes I, II, and III) reporting to the Interstate Commerce Commission amounted to exactly 989,509,000 passengers, and it is estimated that the few small roads outside the jurisdiction of the commission would not be sufficient to make an aggregate of 1,000,000,000 passengers. During the same year, however, the twelve months ended Dec. 31, 1922, the number of passengers carried by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company was 1,001,730,481. This number was divided approximately two-thirds on the subway division and one-third on the elevated division. Yet this number was carried practically without accident. The figures of passengers carried by the Interborough for 1923 and 1924 are given in Table I.

The extent of the operations of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company can be indicated in another way. Each month this company operates between 15,000,000 and 17,000,000 car-miles. This mileage is more than that which would be taken by the operation of a subway car 20 times around the circumference of the earth at the equator every day for a month.

It is not only in number of passengers carried and car-miles run that the performance of the Interborough Rapid Transit lines is remarkable. The service conditions are probably the most severe in the world. Trains made up of steel cars, weighing between 38 and 40 tons each, have to be started, brought up to full speed and then braked to a stop, all day, at intervals of only about 1-1/2 to 3 minutes. Frequently on the subway individual cars average more than 5,000 miles per month, and during this time they have to make from 12,000 to 15,000 starts and stops. Again, if a car develops a defect after it has been put in service in a train, it cannot easily be cut out and put on a siding or hauled on a branch track to the repair shop, as would be the case with a line operating on the surface. If it breaks down entirely it delays not only its own train but every other train on the same track behind it and means a large loss of fares, as well as discomfort to the travelers. This demands that, in spite of the tremendously arduous railway conditions prevailing in subway operation, breakdowns from mechanical defects and pull-ins have to be kept practically to zero.

Finally, unlike most surface lines, rapid transit lines exist only where population density is high and where, in consequence, real estate is very expensive. This means that the repair shops and maintenance shops have to be designed to permit the smallest amount of space per car with which the maintenance department can get along. Added to all of these conditions which face the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, the city of New York, which is responsible for providing the necessary shop and inspection facilities under the dual contracts, is far behind in this part of its program. It is true that now, after long delay, the shop and inspection facilities of the company are being extended by the city, as described in the previous articles referred to, and an especially needed extension of the repair shops at 147th Street and Lenox Avenue for the subway division is now in course of construction. When this is completed, some time during this year, it will help the situation greatly.

In the meantime, of course, the company has not been able to wait for these new facilities and has had to conduct both inspection and repair work as best it could. In these circumstances, the low record of the company in delays per 1,000,000 car-miles from mechanical and electrical causes, as shown in the upper chart on page 444, is remarkable.

Careful records are kept of the number of cars shopped for different causes. The charts shown on page 444 are typical records of this kind.

Table II shows car-miles operated on the two divisions for the 14 months ended with February, 1925. Table III gives the number of cars owned last fall, i.e., not including those on the recent order.

Organization of Mechanical Department. The car equipment department of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company is headed by a superintendent of car equipment, who is also assistant to the general manager. The fact that the head of the mechanical department is thus also in close official connection with the highest councils in the company shows the importance in which good maintenance is held on the Interborough and the authority which it is realized he should have. This official, James S. Doyle, has charge of all of inspection, maintenance, construction and engineering of rolling stock on both the elevated and subway divisions.

The company makes a distinct separation between its inspection work and its repair and overhaul work. The inspection is conducted in nine special inspection shops, located at different points in the system, as described in the previous articles mentioned. In these shops all cars are inspected on a mileage basis, the motor cars after every 1,000 miles and the trail cars after every 1,200 miles.

The repairs, except such light repairs as are carried on at the inspection sheds incident to inspection, are done at one of the two repair shops of the company. The subway rolling stock goes for all repairs except painting to the shops at 147th Street and Lenox Avenue, now being doubled in size. The cars for the elevated system are repaired at the shops belonging to the Manhattan Elevated Railway at 98th Street and Third Avenue. All painting of cars is also done at these shops. A considerable number of the executives connected with the maintenance department of the company have their offices at the shops at 98th Street and Third Avenue, and here also is the office of the superintendent of car equipment.

At these shops each car on the system is thoroughly gone over at least once a year, at which time all necessary repairs are performed. In addition, the heavy repairs, which, because of their character, are such that they cannot be advantageously performed at the inspection and running repair shops, are also carried on in these shops.

The principal causes for which cars are sent from the road to the repair shop, except at overhauling times, are: Armature and field trouble, wheel turning, worn journals or truck repairs, heavy car-body repairs and painting.

When a car comes into the repair shop, regardless of the nature of the trouble, a careful inspection is also made of the car body, including brake rigging, interior of body, platforms, roofs, sills, body bolsters, and control apparatus. If any defect is discovered the necessary repairs are made. In addition, a regular schedule is carried out with all cars.

Car Wiring Tests at Repair Shop. The control apparatus and car wiring are subject to the following inspection and tests as cars go through the shop.

The controllers are inspected, and if any worn fingers are found they are changed and new fingers are installed and adjusted. If any controller cylinders are found with worn or loose segments, they are removed and sent to the machine shop for repairs. The finger blocks and arc chutes are thoroughly cleaned and any necessary repairs are made. All mechanical parts such as shafts, pinions, gears and levers are repaired and readjusted, where this is needed.

All contactors are tested and inspected, and all worn or burnt contact tips, arc chutes, shunts, interlock fingers and worn mechanism base plates are replaced with new parts. All wire connections are gone over and tightened.

The reversers are tested, cleaned and oiled. All worn or burnt fingers or segment boards are replaced All wire connections are tightened.

The line switches are tested, and all worn, burnt or broken tips, levers, arcing horns and arc chutes are cleaned or replaced with new parts. Worn overload trip contacts and interlock fingers are replaced and adjusted. The operating magnet valves are overhauled and pin valve seats are ground on a six months basis.

The rheostats are inspected for broken or fused grids and loose connections. At this time, broken or burnt insulators are replaced and the insulating collars are cleaned and shellacked.

The coupler sockets are inspected, particularly for loose or cracked insulation blocks and for loose or broken contact fingers and covers.

All switches and fuse base and connection boxes are inspected, particularly for loose parts, and all connections are tightened. All wires are examined for broken strands.

Before any car is allowed to leave the repair shop the electrical wiring on the car is given a high-tension test of 1,200 volts, for break-down of insulation, short and open circuits and grounds.

The truck trolleys and motor leads are inspected and removed on a time basis. The interval for the truck trolleys is every 18 months and that for the motor leads every 24 months. The flexible jumper connections between the cars, on which the reliability of the service depends to a large extent, are removed on a time basis of 18 months. The old jumper cable is scrapped and new cable is used so that the jumpers will be in 100 per cent condition.

All wire used on the cars is made to the Interborough's specifications. These specifications are very rigid, calling for 30 per cent pure Para rubber. Wire is purchased by the company only from certain manufacturers who have been found able and willing to make wire that meets the company's specifications.

While the car bodies are going through the body repair shop, the trucks, brake rigging, air compressors, air brake equipment and trip devices are sent to a separate department where they are thoroughly inspected and the necessary repairs are made. All drawheads, pins and coupling links and also all pinions and gears are checked up for wear with a limit gage. Before a car is returned to service the air brakes, control and motor circuits are tested and the brakes are adjusted. At the same time, the car body is checked for height and side bearing clearance.

Because of the high speed and the limited clearance of the cars with parts of the subway structure, good axles are even more of a necessity than on most electric railways. The company's specifications for axles are known among manufacturers to be very exacting. The original axles were annealed, but many years ago specifications were changed to call for higher-grade heat treatment such as is now used in the best automobile practice. Since the adoption of these specifications there has never been an axle failure under any of the Interborough cars. Although the use of this heat-treated material appears to be entirely safe, the company has always taken the extra precaution of having axles rigidly inspected at the mills before installation and subsequently tested periodically in service. The axles are tested at the shops on a 50,000-mile basis in the following manner:

The wheels and axles are removed from the trucks, and all rust and scale are removed from the axle. The axle is then immersed in a lye tank for 35 minutes. It is then thoroughly wiped clean with waste, after which it is put in a hot bath of oil at a temperature of 240 deg. F. for 35 minutes and again wiped clean and dry. The axle is then coated with whiting and alcohol. It is then vibrated and carefully examined with a magnifying glass for evidence of detail fractures. Views of these tests are given on page 442. The same test of being cleaned and oiled, then coated with whiting and vibrated, is applied to the wheels and also to the swing hangers, equalizer bars, king pins, car-body brake rods, pinions and axle cap bolts on all trucks when they are passing through the repair shop.

All pinions are heat treated. In the vibration test given to them every tooth is vibrated and examined for defects. Axle cap bolt lock washers are of the type known as parallel washer, made of high-powered steel. They are scrapped every time bolts are removed.

Motor Maintenance. The company has a large variety of motors, as shown in Table IV. The controller equipments are also listed in Table IV.

As motors go through the shop all field coils and armatures are inspected and tested for defects. Those found in bad order are tagged with a "bad order" card. This card, which is 5-1/2 x 7 in., carries an illustration of a field coil or armature, on which the position of the defect may be marked. The back of the card contains space for further remarks, as well as a duplicate illustration of the field coil or armature. Bad order tag cards for field coils are printed on white stock, those for interpole fields on blue stock and those for armatures on buff stock.

While the cars are in the shops all armatures are gaged and tested for lateral motion. The brush-holders are removed and the brush-holder insulators are cleaned. At the same time the brush-holder tension is tested with a spring balance. The commutator and the armature as a whole is also inspected and given an electrical test.

Turning Rolled Steel Wheels. The rolled-steel wheel is used exclusively on subway division motor trucks. Previous to its development, less than 20 years ago, steel tires were used, but owing to the high rates of braking they were not satisfactory. The heat from the action of the brakes used would tend to loosen the tire and special means had to be adopted to correct this trouble. The development of the rolled-steel wheel was therefore very acceptable to the operators of the rapid transit lines in New York. The Interborough company was the first to co-operate with the manufacturers in the introduction of the rolled-steel type of wheel for heavy traction work. Since its introduction the company has carefully followed up all later developments and performances of this type of wheel in heavy traction service.

The method of turning wheels at the 147th Street shop was described in an article on page 443 of the issue of this paper for March 17, 1923, with some particulars of the piece-work system employed for practically all the repair and maintenance work of the company. The advantages of this system as a means of saving investment are perhaps no more prominently exhibited than in the work of turning wheels. Under the piece-work system the men have a strong incentive for speeding up, and the output of the lathes is correspondingly increased. The result of this is that at the 147th Street shop only three wheel lathes are required, each wheel lathe operated by one man turning out an average of 15 pairs of turned wheels per day.

Two of the charts reproduced on page 444 show the method of tabulating the number of cars shopped for wheels on the subway division and the number of flat wheels per month developed on the motor trucks and trailer trucks of the Manhattan division,

In one respect the repair situation of the company is complicated in that it has to care for the maintenance and repair of two entirely different kinds of cars, namely, wooden cars, as used on the Manhattan elevated division, and all-steel cars as used on the subway division. It is therefore in a position to be well acquainted with methods of maintenance and repair for both kinds of rolling stock and can offer to others the valuable experience it has gained in doing this work side by side with two distinct classes of equipment. While the same methods are followed in maintaining both the steel and wooden car bodies, the body repairs of each type require entirely different types of shop machinery. The steel cars are repaired at 147th Street and Lenox Avenue subway shop, which is equipped with the necessary iron-working machinery for making all classes of steel body repairs. All wooden cars are repaired at the 98th Street and Third Avenue shops, which have a full equipment of wood-working machinery.

Lubrication Practice. Owing to the exacting character of the service, special attention is given on both divisions of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company to proper and adequate lubrication. The methods employed represent an extended experience of the engineers of both the Interborough Rapid Transit Company and the Galena Signal Oil Company, which has a yearly contract with the railway company for the lubrication of car equipment at a guaranteed cost per 1,000 car-miles. A typical report showing the method of tabulating the amount and cost of lubrication is that reproduced in the accompanying table, which shows the lubricant chargeable to cost per 1,000 miles during March, 1924, for the subway division.

As will be seen, the averages for the different divisions vary considerably. This variation is due largely to differences in the type of equipment used. It will also be noticed that all costs are reduced to a basis of 1,000 car-miles.

Oiling of all moving parts is done at each car inspection, which is at intervals of 1,000 miles for motor cars and 1,200 miles for trail cars, but at the end of every tenth inspection the cars receive what is known as a general oiling. At this time, the waste is removed from the motor axles and journal boxes, which are then repacked. For this packing long-strand carpet wool waste is used.

Gears are lubricated with 4 lb. of gear grease every 10,000 miles, but for every 1,000 miles the pinion end of the armature bearing are given 2 gills of oil and the commutator end bearing l-1/2 gills. All armature bearings are drained every time a motor car is brought into a shop. The oil is then carefully strained through several layers of cheese cloth and is then used again for lubricating journal bearings, while the refuse is retained for greasing drawbars, brake riggings, side bearings sector bars, etc.

As already explained a great deal of attention is given to lubrication because of the hard service which the equipment has to perform and the knowledge that adequate lubrication is one of the greatest means of reducing maintenance.

To insure proper lubrication on the road, a representative of the Galena company pays a visit at least one a month to all depots and shops, taking up with the carhouse foremen their last lubrication report and inspecting the oil housings, tanks and filters with which the various shops and carhouses are provided.

To stimulate interest in better lubrication copies of the monthly reports of the lubrication expert to the superintendent of car equipment are sent to every division superintendent. At this time the superintendent of car equipment calls the attention of the division superintendents to any special points in the lubrication report which seem to call for consideration. Thus a record of an excessive amount of oil used is a reason for asking for an explanation of the conditions which brought about such a condition.

All general painting of cars is done at the 98th street shop. Records are kept in the main office showing the date on which each car was last in the paint shop, the time when it should return to the shop if not called in earlier and the kind of painting called for.

The cars on the subway and elevated divisions are treated from a painting standpoint in an entirely different manner. The elevated cars, being very conspicuous from the street, are painted an orange color with black striping and considerable lettering. The use of so light a color is not considered necessary in the subway, so the cars on the subway division are painted a Pullman green with no lettering except the word "Interborough" on the letterboard, and the number of the car on each side at each end.

An important feature in the paint shop is the use of the piece-work system, which was adopted in 1905. Portions of the piece-work schedule for Manhattan cars are published on page 446. Other figures with typical blanks used in the shops of the company were published in the issue of this paper for March 17, 1923.

The Interborough Rapid Transit Company has two main repair shops. The one shown in the upper view is that originally used by the Manhattan Elevated Railway. It is between 98th and 99th Streets on Third Avenue and occupies the greater part of two city blocks. The yard on Third Avenue is on a level with the elevated structure.

The lower view shows the new shops and the office building at 147th Street and Seventh Avenue. These shops, yards and storage space, when completed, will extend along the Harlem River from 145th Street to 151st Street, with western frontage for part of the property on Lenox Avenue and for part of the property on Seventh Avenue.

The Five Illustrations on This Page Show the Methods of Inspecting Wheels by the Vibration Test and Magnifying Glass. As explained in the text, a great deal of study has been given by the engineers of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company to methods of testing wheels, axles and pinions. The five accompanying views show the processes used when the wheels come into the repair shop. (1) The dirt is scraped and wiped oft. The axle is then immersed in a lye tank for 30 or 35 minutes, and then thoroughly cleaned with waste...

(2) It is then put in a hot bath of oil...

... and (3) then wiped clean and dry again.	(4) The axle, wheel and spokes are then coated with whiting and the axle is vibrated with a hammer.

(5) It is then carefully examined with a magnifying glass for evidence of detail fractures. Any crack is usually at the junction of the wheel and axle. Three of the views show a motor axle and two show a trailer axle. Both are treated in the same way.	The Five Illustrations on This Page Show Babbitting, Pinion Testing and the Safety Features of Mill Practice. The first view shows the babbitting room at the 98th Street shops. The babbitt furnaces, the pyrometer and the racks for bearings of different sizes are at the right. There is still a larger babbitting room at the 147th Street shops.

The next two views show tile method of testing new motor pinions by the vibration method. It is very similar to the method used for testing wheels, as described on the opposite page. View 2 shows the blow being given to a pinion coated with whiting. Below are piles of coated and uncoated pinions and an oil bath tank.	View 3 illustrates the examination of these pinions with the magnifying glass.

Views 4 and 5 are from the wood mill in the 98th Street shops. The machine in View 4 is a variety molder and shaper. Note the mandrel which slips over the end of the shaft to hold it in place. Note also the safety guards over the revolving parts. These guards are so arranged that while they can be raised they cannot be removed from the machine.	View 5 is of a circular saw and also shows a guard so arranged that it cannot be removed from the machine.

[Top] Delays Due to Electrical and Mechanical Causes — Subway Division. [Bottom] Wheels Flat — Manhattan Division. The Upper Drawing is for Motor Trucks, the Lower Drawing for Trailer Trucks.

Road Failures Due to Grounded, Open and Short Circuited Train Line Juniper Wires.

A Few Typical Charts of Maintenance Records. No. 1. Lubrication cost per thousand car-miles — Manhattan division. No. 2. Lubrication cost per thousand car-miles — Subway division. No. 3. Cars shopped for pinions and gears — Subway division. No. 4. Cars shopped for car body defects - Subway division.

Four Interesting Machines In the Machine Shop at 98th Street and Third Avenue. Views 1 and 3 show the lathes used in turning axle brasses. The outside of a pair of journal brasses is being finished in View 1 and the inside in View 3. The two halves are held together by a band so they will make a perfect fit.	The ring on the arbor of the boring tool in View 3 is a measuring gage.

View 2 shows a pneumatic hammer for forming fiber disks for magnetic coils, washers, etc. This hammer was made from pick-up material in the shop. The fiber disks formed on this machine are first punched fiat from strips. Then they are laid on a hot die and stamped to a dished form with this pneumatic hammer. This is a great saving in time over the old way of turning these disks on a lathe. A safety feature of this hammer is that the operator must use both hands on the machine while the hammer descends.

The machine in View 4 is a device for winding brass wire into the form of spiral armor for motor and other leads. One great advantage of this machine is that it makes this wire armor of uniform size. It is also very rapid. The former method of making this armor was with a lathe with which 1,000 lb. of armor a week was a good record. This machine winds 1,000 lb. easily in a day.

Air Brake and Brush-Holder Repairs Are Facilitated by Special Equipment. The left-hand view shows the testing department for motorman's operating air valves. The valves are tested as in regular service. At the right, a portion of the brush-holder repair department is shown.

Electrical Tests for Car Wiring and Armatures Detect Open Circuits, Short Circuits and Grounds. High-tension tests on car wiring are made at 3,000 volts a.c. The convenient portable transformer outfit shown in the view at the left is used. It can be operated from a 110-volt a.c. socket. The view at the right shows the method of telephone testing armature and commutator connections to show short circuits and grounds.

Equipment for Wheel Turning at the 147th Street Shops. These powerful lathes for turning steel wheels have been of enormous help in keeping the cars used in New York rapid transit service supplied with wheels.

Packing Armature Bearings with New Oil-Saturated Wool Waste.	Riveting a Roof Plate on a Car by a Pneumatic Riveter.

Samples of Piecework Prices Used in Painting Manhattan Division Standard Cars

NOTE: Contracts include reflnishing all work found unsatisfactory by foreman or inspector; preparation work; stacking and racking work; delivery of material to and from car and bench, etc.

Body Exterior — Motor, or trail car, burn off enamel with burning machine, sand and putty, letterboards, side and end window posts, window stops, post battens, pier panels, window stools, aprons, sheathings, panels, battens, end body doors, end door posts and headers, door post battens, body corner posts and battens, bulkhead panels, hood bows, hood sheathing, and end stationary sash. Operations: Burning, per car $11.66; Sanding, per car $2.54.

Body Exterlor — Motor or trail car. Enamel (orange color). Side and end window posts, window stops, post battens, pier panels, window stools, aprons, sheathings, panels, battens, end body doors, end door posts and battens, body corner posts and battens, end stationary sash. Operations: Enameling, first coat, per car.... $1.55; Enameling, second coat, per car.. $2.07.

Body Exterior — Motor or trail car. Enamel (black color). Letterboards, lower deck crown moldings, end door headers, bulkhead panels, hood bows, hood sheathing and battens. Operations: Enameling, first coat, per car. . . . $0.86; Enameling, second coat, per car.. $0.95.

Clear Story — Exterior motor or trail car. Enamel (black color). Upper deck sill and plate posts, panels moldings and sash stops, car ends, roof sheathing at eaves, and hood sweep panels. Operations: Enameling, first coat, per car $0.68.

Body Exterior - Motor or trail car. Re-enameled type. Sand and putty, letterboards, side and end window posts, window stops, post battens, pier panels, window stools, aprons, sheathing panels, battens, end body doors, end door posts, and headers, post battens, bulkhead panels, bows, head sheathing, end stationary sash, upper body side end sash. Operations: Sanding complete, per car $1.40. Puttying, complete, per car. $0.23.

Body Exterior — Motor or trail car. Re-enameled type. Enamel (orange color). Side and end window posts, window stops, post battens, pier panels, window stools, aprons, sheathing, panels, battens, end body doors, end door posts and battens, end stationary sash, upper body side and end sash. Operations: Enameling. Apply first coat, per car $1.85; Enameling. Apply second coat, per car $2.20.

Lettering, etc. — Motor or trail car. Exterior. Letter side panels or side sheathing in dark blue color, letterboards orange color, number side of car dark blue color, end door header and bulkhead panels in imitation gold, stencil cross-seat front rail in imitation gold; includes: layout, stripe and cut in. Operations: Lettering. Paint words "Interborough" on letterboards, per car $1.10; Lettering. Paint words "Open Air Line" on side of car, per car $1.83; Numbering. Paint four figure car, 16 numbers on side of car, per car $0.84.

Body Equipment — Exterior motor car. Clean and paint rheostat frames and hangers, contact boxes, fuse boxes, junction boxes, compressor and cradle, brake cylinder, air reservoirs, pipes, cleats, rods, clamps, asbestos, linings, truss rods, posts, needle beams and needle-beam truss rods, end caps and nuts. Operations: Cleaning, per car $2.352; Painting, per car $2.898.

Interior, Skinned Off Motor Car - below advertisement signs. Remove varnish with remover and revarnish advertisement sign and window moldings, window cappings, pier panels, wainscotings, wire moldings at cross-seats, blind stops, cross and side seat framing and risers, end bulkhead partitions, end stationary sash, swing sash, switch boxes, cab partitions both sides, end doors, cab doors both sides, all wood trim not removed from car. Operations: Removing varnish, bleach and sand, per car $16.00; Varnishing, Fill, shellac, putty and varnish first coat, per car $4.26; Varnishing, Sandpaper and varnish, second coat, per car $1.896.

Interior, Complete - Revarnished motor car, upper deck posts, castings and sash, panels, deck sill, and plate ... and moldings, upper and lower.. headlining, edge moldings.. poles, advertisement sign and window moldings, window cappings, upper body side and end sash, pier panels, wainscoting, wire molding between ..., end and side seat framing, and risers, end bulkhead partitions and bulkhead panels, end stationary sash, swing sash, switch boxes, cab partitions and bulkhead panels, end stationary sash, swing sash, switch boxes, cab partitions and head panels, both sides, blind stops, partings and casings, end doors, cab door both sides, and all wood trim not removed from car. Operations: Shellacking. Sand, bleach, stain and shellac in part, per car. . . . $$1.1...; Varnish. Sand and varnish, per car $2.8....

Stripping — Manhattan motor car, curtain or blind type. Strip complete as follows: Remove signal bells, bell and emergency cords, window guards and grab handles, end door locks complete with keepers, swing sash catches and keepers, cab door locks, stile reinforcement plates, upper and lower sash, partings and frame casings, cab pocket, upper and lower drop sash, casings, partings, lifts, lock and lock stops, motorman arm rests; sash, body side upper and lower, partings, casings, lifts, locks and lock stops; blinds, partings and lifts; destination sign boxes and brackets, notice signs, fire extinguishers, emergency pipe cleats, side and cross-seat backs; stencil sash, partings and castings; place all hardware in boxes and bundle up wood trim. Strip complete including upper sash; Motor car, 24 window curtain, per car $2.3...

Trimming — Manhattan Motor Car curtain or blind type, when not equipped with Dahlstrom posts. Trim as follows: Apply window guards, signal bells, bell cord, anchors, hooks and eyebolts, emergency cords, anchors, hooks and eyebolts, end doors, casings, locks, lock keepers, chafing plates, anti-rattlers, rubber bumpers, cab doors, locks, lock keepers, seat rests, and lock stile brace plates, cab upper and lower sashes, lifts, locks, lock stops, casings and partings, cab seats, swing sash catches and keepers, upper and lower body sashes, blinds, curtains, sash and blind lifts, partings and casings, sash locks and stops, notice signs, cross and side seat backs, fire extinguisher box complete, destination sign box and sign blade brackets. Includes: fit and drill all holes, replace all broken or missing parts found on inspection. Trim complete: Motor curtain type, 24 window, per car $9.5...

Typical Monthly Report for January 1925, of Lubricants...

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