SKYLIGHTS FOR TRAIN SHEDS 315 



Experience with Skylight Construction for Railway Train 

 Sheds. In 1904 a committee was appointed by a prominent eastern 

 trunk line to investigate and report on train shed skylight failures and 

 their remedy. The committee examined the Broad Street Station train 

 shed, Camden and Reading Terminal train sheds, and other structures 

 in Philadelphia; the train shed at Jersey City; the North German 

 Lloyd Steamship piers at Hoboken ; the N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R. 

 train shed, the Macey Building, and other structures in New York; 

 the South Union, North Union, and Back Bay stations, and the 

 Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston; the Union Station, and the Pitts- 

 burg & Lake Erie station in Pittsburg; and the Westinghouse Shops 

 in East Pittsburg. A complete report is printed in Engineering News, 

 April 21, 1904. 



The conclusions of the committee were as follows : 



1. That gas and smoke from locomotives, because of its influence 

 on the metal framework of skylights, is the primary cause of the 

 breakage of glass. 



2. That the contraction and expansion of the metal frame is 

 also a serious cause of breakage where the glass is tightly fitted in 

 the frames. 



3. From the testimony elicited and from personal observations, 

 we find the percentage of breakage in ribbed, hammered, and wire 

 glass is about equal. We do not find that the breakage of wire glass 

 results from any internal stress being set up by the contraction and 

 expansion of the wire within. 



4. The larger sizes of glass break more readily than the smaller. 



5. Glass set horizontally, or at an angle, breaks more readily 

 than glass set vertically. 



6. Wire netting hung under glass, from the effect of gases upon 

 it, is unreliable. 



7. Wire glass is most desirable, because when fractured, the 

 wire will generally hold it in position until repairs can be made. 



8. Steel bars, such as are used in skylights at Broad Street and 

 Jersey City train sheds, because of the effect of the gases on same, are 

 unsatisfactory. 



9. Wooden bars, such as are used in skylights at the Jersey City 

 train shed, are desirable, being unaffected by gases. We recommend 

 a zinc cap in the place of the wooden cap. 



