194 POWER-HOUSE DESIGN 



platforms, etc., and the latter by the carrying capacity of the 

 bridges as well as the cars. Both vary for different roads and 

 even divisions or sections of the same road, and in many instances 

 considerable advantages may be gained by detouring. For 

 example, it may be found that the extra expense of dividing cer- 

 tain parts of a machine in sections may be so high that a consider- 

 able saving may be made by detouring the shipment over a 

 route whose limitations are such that the parts can be built and 

 shipped as one piece, even if the extra distance were quite great. 



Special cars may occasionally be obtained which will facilitate 

 the shipments of large capacity. These may be provided with 

 pits in which part of the machines may be recessed, thus decreasing 

 the over-all height, or they may be of extra large carrying capacity. 



Unloading. The question of unloading and transporting 

 material and machine parts from the nearest point on the railroad 

 should have careful consideration early in the design work. The 

 dimensions of the largest and the weights of the heaviest pieces 

 should be obtained from all companies interested. Also, one 

 should know how these pieces will be boxed and shipped. 



It is always preferable to deliver the machinery in the cars 

 under the station crane. Unfortunately this is often impossible 

 or impracticable on account of the expense involved. Local con- 

 ditions, however, usually determine the best arrangement for each 

 installation. In each case careful consideration should be given 

 to the job as a whole, and to all the material which must come in. 

 Steel cranes, water wheels, generators, transformers, switch- 

 board equipment, cable, piping, etc., must all be handled. 



A carefully designed erection equipment, with the job as a 

 whole in mind, will effect material savings, as various contractors 

 will either pay for the use of this equipment or make correspond- 

 ing reductions in the total price. 



In difficult country, or far from the railroads, it may be nec- 

 essary to arrange with the various manufacturers for shipment 

 partially, or totally, knocked down. The increased price should, 

 in such a case, be balanced against the transportation costs. 



Car ferries, inclined railways with car (Fig. 103), skidways or 

 heavy trucking equipment, whatever is decided on, had best 

 remain under the direct supervision of the resident engineer or 

 general superintendent, who can determine the best schedule for 

 handling all of the material. 



