full train at one time with no switching. These stations are usually located at a terminal point so that by the time a fresh engine is ready to pull out, the icing is done without delay. To conform with this arrangement of platform, the ice is elevated up and over or down and under the near track, then lowered or raised, as the case may be, to the icing platform level 14′ 6′′ or 16' 6" above the rail. We have found it best to go over the track. The type of machine to handle these conditions most satisfactorily seems to be the single double roller chain located centrally in the ante-room and extending the full length which allows loading from all points with very short hauls at a rate of about 10 to 12 cakes per minute. This chain runs in steel guides its entire length and as it approaches the track side of the building it is held in position as these guides curve up, continue at an angle, curve back to the horizontal and continue to a point central of the conveyor below, or by use of retarding device. The icing platform is usually 1,000 feet long, 15 feet wide, with chains located nearly central. The equipment consists of two single chain conveyors offset one from the other 6", the driving machinery being located 500 feet distant from each end of the platform. One motor, two clutches with the necessary gears and driving shafts make up the drive which is so designed that for a distance of 10 or 12 feet the chains run side by side, which allows the transfer of ice from one to the other in either direction without labor, assuming, of course, that the conveyors have been synchronized when started. This arrangement allows either one or both chains to be operated as requirements demand. Both chains always run in the same direction and are reversible, this being necessary in order to redistribute the ice to points where there is a shortage. Icing a train really starts about 2 to 4 of an hour before it arrives, at which time the chains are started, delivering ice to all points on the platform where it is kicked off, until the platform is full. Only one ice slide is required to deliver ice to the far bunker of one car, the ice for the near bunker of the other car being pushed direct from the platform. A carloading platform is usually installed between the near track and the plant, this platform being parallel to the track and approximately 600 feet long. A chain is used for transferring the ice from the anteroom to the cars, which are loaded and shipped to nearby points, either for retail business or for ice cars wherever there may be a shortage. However, it serves a second purpose, which is to receive carload ice from the cars and deliver it into the ante-room. This oftentimes happens when the icing business reaches unusual proportions; thus using up the entire amount in storage, leaving only the daily capacity of the tanks, which is insufficient. Attached hereto is a description of three different types of icing problems and facilities designed to meet requirements at each point. Icing Facilities-Gwin, Mississippi The icing facilities at Gwin, Miss., are used for the icing of all cars handling perishable freight north and south bound shipments. Usually switch engines handle the cars to and from the platform, but the yard is so arranged that road engines can take the trains direct to and from the platform. The original plant was owned by outside parties and consisted of a refrigerating plant of 100 tons capacity, two storage rooms of 3,750 tons and 800 tons capacity, and an elevator with operating machinery located in the large storage room. The ice was delivered by incline conveyors, from the storage rooms to the elevated icing platform, which was 1,080 ft. long, and thence along the platform by conveyor to the cars. This plant was totally destroyed by fire in July, 1919. In building the facilities described below on the same site, provision was only made for storage rooms and a train icing platform with a crusher to allow for handling crushed ice, in addition to the cake ice, as might be required. During the icing season, manufactured ice is brought daily in cars from plants at near-by towns and is handled direct to the elevated platform and into the cars, or to the house for storage, as the case demands. A sufficient amount of ice is retained in the house to provide for emergencies, or to carry over periods of light deliveries to the house. The present facilities lie northeast and southwest and consist of an ice storage house, a salt storage house, and ice crusher house, an elevated train icing platform, a gravity incline, electrically operated conveyors, a track on the west side for delivering ice into the house, and a track on the east for icing trains. The ice storage house has a capacity of 500 tons, it is 41 ft. wide and 181 ft. long, containing six storage rooms, each 41 ft. by 19 ft. with a 7 ft. 2 in. ceiling, and two anterooms 40 ft. by 19 ft. with an 8 ft. 11 in. ceiling height. The foundation and floor are of concrete and each storage room has a floor drain connecting with a gravel basin, and then to a sewer. The concrete floor is covered with removable sections of 2 in. by 8 in. cypress plank, spaced 1 in. apart, on 2 in. by 4 in. battens 24 in. apart. The superstructure of the house is of wood construction, the exterior walls of the ice storage rooms being made up of 2 in. by 10 in. studding 24 in. apart, the outside faces of which are covered with 1 in. D & M sheeting, and then with one layer of tarred felt paper over which is placed the cypress siding for the finished wall. The interior side of the studding, also both sides of the partition studding and the ceiling joists of the storage room are ceiled with two thicknesses of 1 in. D & M sheeting. A layer of tarred felt paper is placed between the two layers of sheeting on the walls only. The space between the studding of the exterior walls and partitions is filled with burnt granulated cork, while the space between the 2 in. by 12 in. ceiling joists is filled with shavings and covered with 1 in D & M sheeting. The exterior walls and interior partitions of the anterooms are made up of 2 in. by 6 in. studding, spaced 24 in. apart, and the ceiling joists are 2 in. by 6 in., spaced 24 in. apart. The roof rafters are 2 in. by 6 in., spaced 24 in., and are supported by a continuous plate carried on 2 in. by 4 in. struts, 48 in. apart, which are fastened to the 2 in. by 12 in. ceiling joist over the storage room, and 6 in. by 10 in. girders over the ante-rooms, 1 in. D & M sheeting being used for roof boards, covered with ready roofing. Along the ridge of the roof and extending the full length of the building is mounted a monitor 2. ft. wide and 2 ft. 3 in. high, with louvers on the sides, covered with No. 20 galvanized wire of 1⁄2 in. mesh. The space between the wall plate and the under side of the roof boards is left open, and covered with No. 20 galvanized 1⁄2 in. mesh wire, for ventilation, and to act as an insulator against sun action. The entire interior wall surface was given two coats of interior Spar varnish. The windows have double sash, and all doors in the house are insulated cold storage doors. The crusher house is located northeast of the ice storage house, and is supported on 8 in. by 8 in. posts on concrete footings. The floor joists are 3 in. by 10 in., 16 in. apart, with a sub-floor of 2 in. plank, a layer of ready roofing and then the finished floor of 1 in. D & M. The walls are 2 in. by 4 in. with sheeting and siding as in the ice house, but the layer of tarred felt paper and the cork filler between the wall studs were omitted in this case. The roof joists are 2 in. by 10 in., 24 in. apart, with monitor and similar construction as on the roof of the ice house. The carts are stored in the crusher house when not in use, and there is also space for the temporary storage of cake ice, if needed. The salt storage house, located north of the ice storage house, and west of the crusher house, is a car body remodeled for the purpose, with platforms and steps connecting these three buildings, which have different floor levels. The elevated train icing platform, located on the east side of the ice house and paralleling the icing tracks, is 14 ft. wide, 980 ft. long, and 13 ft. 3 in. above top of rail. It sets upon 8 in. by 8 in. posts, of 14 ft. centers, which in turn rest on concrete footings. The posts are cross braced with 3 in. by 8 in. plank. Two pieces of 4 in. by 16 in. notched into the posts, make up the girders, which carry 3 in. by 10 in. floor joists, 16 in. apart, with 2 in. plank flooring. The posts extend to the roof, which is 1 in. D & M boards and ready roofing. The west side of the platform is closed in with 1 in. by 12 in. boards and 1 in. by 2 in. battens, with windows hinged at the top, at every third bay of wall construction. The ice house floor is 1 ft. 6 in. above the top of rail, and on the same level, at the ante-room doors each side of the house, are platforms for handling ice in and out of the house. Those on the west side are |