Grand Trunk equipment

The G.T.R. has recently made large expenditures in the renewal of rolling stock, which includes the purchase of locomotives, 1st-class cars & freight cars. It has been part of Mr. Hays' policy to place the rolling stock in the most efficient state, & for this purpose everything of an antiquated character in connection with the system has been eliminated. The equipment, in short, may be said to have been modernized since the advent of Mr. Hays. The 1st-class cars upon the G.T.R. are, for the most part, of the newest pattern, while the old ones which have been in service for many years & present an aspect of decay, are being steadily weeded out.

The workshops at Point St. Charles, Montréal, are engaged at present filling many orders for engines & cars. The engine department is specially active with repairing work. About 2 months ago contracts were signed for 24 engines, 12 passenger & 12 freight. It was decided later on, however, to construct the passenger engines first, leaving the building of the freight engines for a future order. The 12 passenger engines are now well under way, &it is expected will be finished for the New Year. They will be 10 wheelers, having 6 driving & 4 truck wheels. Several old Kingston engines are being rebuilt. These engines were bought up by the G.T.R. for special work, & are now, some of them, over 30 years old. They will receive new cylinders, new wagon top boilers, new motion work, & various other improvements that will enable them to carry twice as much as formerly.

The Co. has recently turned out of its Montréal shops 4 baggage cars, 60 ft. in length, of the full height of 14 ft. 2 ins. from top of rail, the width being 9 ft. 8 ins., with an elevated roof, & finished & painted with the new G.T. standard color. The cars are equipped with the Westinghouse air signals & brakes, & heated with steam. The total weight of car, including trucks, is 64,900 lbs., & the total carrying capacity 18,000 lbs.

The Co. is now turning out a number of refrigerator cars, designed especially to take care of the perishable shipments originating at points on their lines in Canada, the cars being about 35 ft. long, & 13 ft. high, with a carrying capacity of 60,000 lbs. each. These cars are equipped with ice boxes & attachments, 2 being at each end of the car, the ice being supplied through 4 trap doors in the roof, immediately over the ice boxes. They are also equipped with automatic draw-bars & Westinghouse air brakes, & designed to run at a high rate of speed. They are painted an orange color, the roof being white, with the roof edge being in black.

The Wells & French Car Co., Chicago, has just commenced the delivery to the G.T.R. of 500 30-ton capacity box cars, of the standard G.T. design & finish.

Railways: G.T.Ry.

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