Work Done by Steam Excavator in Six Months at Missouri Valley, Ia.
Repairs to locomotive, shovel and cars; material $457.14 Repairs to locomotive, shovel and cars; labor 211.80 Supplies for shovel 1,760.00 Rent of locomotive and cars 1,404.75 Supplies for locomotive 1,781.52 Wages of locomotive attendants 1,508.37 Wages of all other employees 10,680.01 ----------- Total cost $17,803.59 Cars loaded 32,141 Cost per car 55.38 cts. Cost per cubic yard 7 " Hours worked by gang 2,325 Hours worked by shovel 1,926
The report of the Roadmasters' Association for 1885 gives the cost of steam shovel work as follows:
Railway. Work. Cost per yd. Baltimore & Ohio Including everything, haul 5 to 25 miles 8.1 cts. Michigan Central Loading 4.5 " Michigan Central Hauling, 30 miles, labor only 4.0 " N. Y., P., & O. Loading 7.0 " Central Iowa Loading 4.75 " " " Unloading 1.9 " " " Engine service 3.1 " ---- " " Total 9.75 "
The detailed statement given in Table V. was prepared by Mr. E. A. Hill, Acting Chief Engineer of the Indianapolis, Decatur & Springfield R. R., and is a record of work done under the supervision of Mr. A. J. Diddle, Roadmaster. It shows marked economy and gives an excellent idea of how the expenses are apportioned. The Otis type of excavator was used, which cuts 24 ft. wide and to a depth of 4 ft. below the track. The banks were about 15 ft. high, the average haul 4,000 ft. Twelve flat cars constituted a train. By a special cable arrangement the time of plowing off, ordinarily requiring about 15 minutes, was reduced to 5 or 6 minutes.
Steam Shovel Work; Indianapolis, Decatur & Springfield R. R.
Sangamon Montezuma Sangamon Nichol's River Gravel River Guion Hollow Trestle. Pit. Trestle. Trestle. Trestle. 1885. 1886. 1886. 1887. 1887.
Total number of days 54 186 48 108 51 Number of working days 46 115 38 85 40 Days idle besides Sundays 0 45 3 7 4 Material handled light gravel. light light light clay. clay. clay. clay. Average height of bank 10 ft. 12 ft. 10 ft. 10 ft. 12 ft. Total No. cars loaded 2,899 8,631 2,771 5,254 2,528 Greatest No. load. per day 94 124 90 80 75 Least No. cars load. per day 22 16 50 30 15 Average No. loaded per day 63 75 73 61.8 63.2 Average length of haul 1 mile. 9 miles. 1 mile. 2 miles. 3/4 mile. Grade, shovel to dump, p. c. -1.00 varying. -1.00 -1.00 -1.00 Tons coal used, shov. & eng. 141 853 99 170 65 No. car loads per ton coal. 20.5 10 28 30.9 38.9