The locomotive framestay is an important casting which supports the sides of the locomotive frame and the smokebox. If this casting is to pass its tests successfully, and stand up to its subsequent work in service, it must be fabricated from the highest quality of steel. Paradoxical as it may seem, the steel required for the purpose is manufactured from scrap and waste material from the engineering shops, the process being rendered possible by the use of the modern electric steel-making furnace.

Preliminary Work.

How does it come about that the scrap material referred to is transformed into the first-class casting of the highest quality steel, shewn in the illustrations accompanying this article?

In the first place plans of the casting are made. From these plans a model, exact in size and detail to the original design, is made in wood. The model is called a pattern, and is the work of the patternmaker. The pattern is then placed in the sand until a perfect imprint of it is obtained. This work is carried out by moulders, who reinforce the sand with nails, treacle, and fine silica flour, until it is strong enough to stand the ravages of molten steel, which will surge in later and fill every nook and cranny.

Now for the steel, which will compose the casting. Since it requires to stand up to certain loads and vigorous treatment in service, the steel must be strong and ductile. The prescribing of the steel is the work of the chemist, who juggles with the carbon, sulphur, phosphorus and other ingredients until a preconceived arrangement is reached, thus guaranteeing that the steel will stand up to its tests.

All is now ready for the casting, in conjunction with which test bars are cast. These bars are later removed and tested before the process of completion of the casting is taken to a further stage. After the casting of the steel, the mould is allowed to cool off, and the sand is then knocked away, leaving the casting as shewn in the illustration (right). The total weight of the casting as shewn, with runners and risers complete, is 28 cwt.

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The runners and risers are used to balance the “draw” of hot metal. The metal contracts in cooling, and the skilful allocation of the runners and risers prevents the casting from cracking.

Testing and Finishing.

The tests of the steel in the case of the framestay shewn in the illustration, came out as follows: —

The steel also withstood cold bending through 180° without signs of fracture. Altogether the steel was a high grade article, and met the rigorous specifications which guarantee efficiency and safety.

From the analytical data, the chemist was able to prescribe the temperature at which the casting was annealed, which was 1580° F. maintained for a period of ten hours. The annealing brings the casting to its full strength and ductility, and gives it good machining properties not possessed by unannealed steel.

After annealing the casting must be fettled and dressed ready for machining operations. This process, quite a problem in itself, involves the removal of the runners and risers, which in this case weighed 6 cwt.

The economical removal of the runners and risers is made possible by the modern invention of the oxy-acetylene flame, which cuts through the unwanted masses of steel like a spoon through custard.

The cleaning of the casting is another problem, happily and cheaply overcome by the sand blast method. An operator, protected by helmet, goggles, a strange protective uniform and high boots, and breathing from an airline from a supply of pure air, looks like an apparition from another world as he approaches the casting with a gun which shoots a stream of sand at high velocity. The casting is thus cleaned quickly and efficiently.

After the cleaning operation the casting weighed 21 cwt., and was handed over to the machinists, who perform skilful surgical operations on the casting until its size and form is perfect to the original design. The casting is then handed over to the erectors who, with every confidence, put it in its destined position on the new locomotive.

“She's a good job, that framestay,” said the men who handled it, and the inspectors who approved it.

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