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"Truck Overhauling Systematized in Brooklyn" (1928)

ELECTRIC RAILWAY JOURNAL · Vol. 71, No. 16 · April 21, 1928 · pp 653-657.

Truck Overhauling Systematized in Brooklyn

By Clarence W. Squier, Associate Editor Electric Railway Journal

At left- Cutting off heads of rivets to loosen parts that require replacement. At right- Truck frames with parts marked in chalk for replacement and rivet heads cut off so as to loosen parts that are to be removed.

In the Coney Island shops of the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Lines car trucks are brought in on a dismantling track and go out on assembling tracks. Between and perpendicular to these tracks are eight bays used for inspection and repair work.

Continuous flow of the work along definite paths is an outstanding feature of the truck overhauling plan carried out in the Coney Island shops of the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Lines. The large volume of work handled permits specialization of the various subdivisions to a degree not found in many electric railway shops. Flexibility, so important in this class of work, results directly from the "spot" system used, in which truck frames are placed on stands in definite positions for various jobs, such as stripping, repairing and building up.

Some 20,000 sq.ft. of floor space in the central part of the large main repair shop is devoted to truck overhauling. On the west side of this section the trucks are brought in on one track and dismantled, and on the east side the trucks are assembled and returned to the car bodies on two similar tracks. The space between is divided into eight bays devoted to the detailed inspection and repair of the various parts after they are dismantled. Seven of these have 5-ton overhead traveling cranes controlled from the floor. A 15-ton overhead traveling crane serves the dismantling track and another traveling crane of the same size serves the two assembly tracks.

Trucks are brought into this section of the shop for overhauling every two years. Intermediate and running repairs are made in another section. During the intervening two-year period it frequently happens that trucks are changed, so that when the car comes in for its next overhauling it may have different trucks from those with which it went out originally. In that event the trucks which are under the car when it comes in for repairs are sent to the intermediate truck repair section, and those which were under the car when it went out originally are removed from other cars in the intermediate truck repair section and are sent to the truck overhauling section for the regular scheduled inspection and repair. The procedure insures that trucks are overhauled on their regular schedule and gives increased flexibility to intermediate repair work.

When cars are brought into the repair shop they come in on the track on the west side, which extends into the truck overhauling section. After the car body is lifted off, the trucks are pushed by storage-battery tractors into position on the dismantling track in the truck section. Provision has been made for future installation of control equipment so that trucks can be run under their own power into and out of this section. The proposed equipment consists of contactors and resistors controlled from push-button stations alongside the tracks. A single lead will supply power to the truck to be moved.

Stripping of Trucks is Done Rapidly. As soon as the truck is run in, all large parts are loosened and the 15-ton traveling crane over the incoming track is used to lift off removable parts, such as the motor, gearcase, bolster, elliptic springs, spring plank, radius bar and shoe beams. Motors enter the motor overhauling section immediately adjacent to the track on which the trucks are stripped. The journal boxes, with wheels and axles, are left on the track as the truck frame is lifted and carried to the cleaning room by the crane, after which they are moved to the wheel and axle shop. Waste and oil are removed from the journal boxes and are placed in large drums, which when filled are transported by electric tractors to the waste and oil reclaiming department.

The larger parts removed from the truck, such as bolsters, journal boxes, bottom brake rods, miscellaneous hangers and brake rigging parts, spring planks, radius bars and elliptic springs are placed on large trays with legs to raise them off the floor so that an elevating truck platform can be run underneath for raising and transporting this material to the cleaning room. A clamp is placed over one end of each complete elliptic spring so that the various sections comprising it are held together. Small parts such as bolts, nuts, etc., are put in pails and are carried to the cleaning room by the electric trucks.

The cleaning room at present has three tanks, each 10x14 ft., with its top 3 ft. above the floor level. Two of the tanks have a chemical cleaning solution, steam heated to the desired temperature. The third tank is for rinsing. Truck frames and parts to be cleaned are lowered into the cleaning solution by a 15-ton floor-operated overhead traveling crane which serves the cleaning room. With the present cleaning solution, when the truck and parts come out, after remaining in the tank for three hours, they are about 75 per cent clean. They then are placed over the washing tank and water is sprayed on them with a hose, the nozzle of which has a metal scraper at the end so that accumulations of grease and dirt can be loosened readily.

After this cleaning, the trucks and parts are returned to the section between the incoming and outgoing tracks and are placed on assembling stands which raise the truck frame up to a convenient height for the workmen. The general type of truck overhauling stand used in the B.-M.T. shops was described in ELECTRIC RAILWAY JOURNAL for May 19, 1923, page 853. Those used in the Coney Island shops have locked chests for tools extending across one end. The workman has one key and the foreman a duplicate.

Testing For Defects is Done Thoroughly. In the overhauling bay, truck frames are cleaned with a wire brush. An inspector goes over them carefully to discover cracked parts, loose rivets and worn parts which are to be replaced. He indicates any changes in construction that are to be made. The practice of the company is not only to put the trucks in as good condition as they were when new, hut to incorporate any improvements in material or design that are available. Some of the changes that are now being made during overhauling are the installation of manganese wear plates on journal boxes and pedestals, installation of new end frames, new spring plates and Potter end castings on elliptic springs. The inspector chalks with X marks the parts which are to be taken out and replaced. Parts which in general are being replaced, but which will not be changed on a particular truck are marked O.K. with chalk. For instance, the installation of manganese wear plates has been going on for some time. On some of the trucks that come in the replacement already has been made. The inspector tests the plates with a magnetized iron bar. as manganese steel is non-magnetic, to determine whether the plates are to be replaced or not. He detects cracks in gusset castings which it would be impossible to see without the thorough cleaning to which the trucks are subjected. All defective material is indicated for removal.

After the inspection all rivet heads are burned off with an oxy-acetylene cutting torch if the rivets need replacing or if it is necessary to loosen parts that must be removed. Where cracks in large parts are found, these are burned out to determine their depth and to see if a satisfactory weld can be made. After the heads are cut off, the rivets are driven out with an air punch.

Following removal of defective parts or those which are to be replaced, the new material is installed. New parts are held with rivets if this was called for originally. For this purpose there are several rivet-heating furnaces which can be moved alongside the work for the convenience of workmen. In assembling, all joints are coated with red lead. After the new parts have been attached, the truck is placed over a test jig to make certain that the pedestal jaws line up and have proper clearance. The present practice is to have the jaws 1/16th in. wider apart than the journal boxes.

Individual Parts are Brought Back to Standard Dimensions. All of the material removed from the trucks goes to adjacent benches or departments for dismantling and individual repairs. Brake rigging, for instance, is taken to a bench and completely dismantled. Worn holes are filled in by electric welding and are redrilled. Worn surfaces are also built up and finished to size. This includes such parts as live and dead leaders, motor nose suspensions and shoe-head hangers.

Journal boxes are taken to the blacksmith shop after they come out of the cleaning tank. The old liners for the pedestal ways are removed and the boxes made ready for installation of new ones. From the blacksmith shop they go to the machine shop and are assembled ready for installation in the truck. New torsion springs are installed for the journal box lids. As these require a little more clearance than the springs previously used, a recess has to be cut with the oxy-acetylene torch. The old wear pieces are taken off journal bearings, which then go to the babbitt room, where they are rebabbitted. A new wear piece is then installed and they finally are finished to proper dimensions.

One section of the shop is devoted to inspection and repair of springs. The truck elliptic springs have six sections. After being cleaned with a wire brush, each is inspected carefully for broken leaves. After defective parts have been replaced, the assembled springs are dipped in an oil bath and placed on a rack to drain. Motor nose suspension springs go through the same process.

Assembling is Done on Stands. After everything except the larger parts has been assembled, the truck frames are brought to the truck assembly track and have the journal boxes, wheels and axles placed under them. They then rest on elevated stands while the remaining work is going on. Repair holsters, elliptic springs, spring planks, radius bars, etc., are installed, and motors with gearcases, axle caps, etc., are put in place. The truck frames are sprayed with one coat of black paint before the assembling commences and with another coat after it is completed. The work goes on before the first coat is dry. Dipping tanks and draining racks will be installed later, so that trucks can be dipped in paint at the beginning and end of the assembling instead of paint being sprayed on.

After final adjustments have been made, the trucks are run back to the car repair shop for placing under the car bodies. High-voltage tests and running tests are given the equipment after it is installed in the cars.

The present schedule requires that nine cars be completed each 5-day week, which means that eighteen trucks must be overhauled in the same time, or a maximum of four per day. More than four trucks at a time are being handled, since otherwise one set of workmen might interfere with another. In the overhauling bays are a large number of repair stands on which rest trucks in various stages of repair. The man doing a particular job moves from one truck to the next and completes his work, and then another follows along. This makes the system very flexible and enables the work to be done with surprisingly few workmen. One man is sufficient to do most of the jobs. Of course this could not be done were it not for the ample facilities in labor-saving equipment in the shop.

When the truck comes into the overhauling section, one man dismantles the large parts with the aid of a man in the overhead crane. There is but one man in the cleaning room. The dismantling of brake-rigging parts, such as live and dead levers, motor nose suspensions, and shoehead hangers, is done by one man, who also carries the parts to the benches. There another man dismantles the various parts and does the bench work. The wire-brush cleaning is done by one man, and one inspector locates defects and looks after parts to be replaced. He tests all rivets with a hammer, and marks any blowholes which might be dangerous and require filling up. One man with a blow torch loosens all defective parts, while a machinist with one helper puts on the new ones. A crew of three men do the riveting. One heats the rivets, one operates the air riveter, and the other holds on. Where a rivet hole is too large, or oblong, a welder fills it up and then it is redrilled with an air drill. One man puts on small parts, such as brake-rigging springs. A total of four men do the bench work and inspect various detail parts. On the general assembling track where four trucks are being worked on at the same time, only four men with two helpers are needed.

In the layout of shop equipment and facilities particular attention has been given to prevent unnecessary movement of the workmen in obtaining material for the repairs, in handling it to the job and in the use of any hand tools needed for the work. The material and spare parts for truck repairs are kept on racks and in steel bins and cabinets alongside the work. No order forms or requisitions are used for obtaining parts from these free stores. Most of the parts are of such a nature that there is no temptation toward theft and parts that are of brass or copper are kept in locked cabinets.

Small parts such as bolts, nuts, rivets, etc., are kept in steel cabinets with bins of convenient size. The practice is to replenish material from the general storeroom or from departmental stores at frequent intervals and about one week's supply is kept on hand in the truck overhauling section. This method also provides a convenient check of the material on hand or which may be needed in the immediate future. It also insures that the material is at the spot ready for use as required.

Portable hand and air tools such as riveters, punches, drills, chisels, etc., are issued to workmen on a check system. Each workman has a tool box right at his job to hold his tools, and he can lock it to make sure that the tools are always in place when they are needed. Duplicate keys to all lockers are in charge of the general foreman of the section.

The section is also provided with waste bins and receptacles for parts which are to be moved to other sections of the shop for reclaiming or repairs. All bins and receptacles are of such a form that they can be picked up quickly by an elevating platform truck and moved swiftly and without confusion. The section is also equipped with several inclosed urinals but near the work so no time is lost and workmen have no excuse for leaving the section when work is in progress. All these facilities help to speed up work and insure that highest efficiency is maintained.

Truck overhauling section in Coney Island shops of Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Lines.	Dropping out wheels and journal boxes while the truck frame is lifted and carried by overhead crane to the cleaning room.

Placing a truck frame cleaning tank.	Dismantling brake rigging at a bench.

Center, left- Washing a truck frame after it has been removed from the chemical cleaning tank. Center, right- Cleaning a frame with a wire brush. At bottom- A truck frame and stand containing journal boxes after they have been removed from the cleaning tank.

At left- Heating rivets in a portable fuel oil forge alongside the work. At right- Riveting new manganese wear plates to truck pedestals.

At top- Jig for testing trueness of pedestal guides on truck frames. At bottom- Placing a truck frame on the testing jig.	At top- Truck assembly section bolsters, springs, motors, shoe beams, etc., are placed on trucks here. At bottom- Pushing an overhauled truck by means of an electric tractor out of the overhauling section for placing under car body.

Dipping tanks and draining racks for springs. The tank at the left contains oil in which the springs are dipped. A quantity of motor suspension springs are shown in piles on the draining basin at the extreme end of the rack are three elliptic springs.	Free stores are located immediately adjacent to the truck overhauling section, parts are kept in bins and larger parts in racks.

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