The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-26
COST OF A RAILROAD CAR.
Interesting Details From the Shops
of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

interesting Details From the Shops
of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
From the New York Sun.
The auditing department of a great
American railroad corporation rivals in re-
spect of its records and transactions a
government department. Fhe earnings of
all the lines of the Pennsylvania railroad
system in year average about $3.50, 900 600
and the gross earnings of the Vanderbilt
system amount to rather more-$45, 900 900
from the New York Central, S2l, 100000
from the Lake Shore, $1O,O00,OOO from the
West Shore and Nickel Plate, SSS, 900 600
from the Chicago and Northwest, $1S.OOO-
600 from the Michigan Central and about
$15,OO0,OO0 from collateral lines or systems.
These figures are large, but they appear
still larger when they are compared with
items of federal revenue The total re-
ceipts of the United States government
from customs during the fiscal year end
ing in 1896 were $150,009,O00 and from in
ternal revenue taxes $146, 100000. The two
together made up 1926 100000 of public rev.
enue for the government of the affairs
of a nation of 75,O010OO inhabitants, but
the two railroad systems referred to rep
resent together receipts of $275, 100000, and
if third big railroad system were added
the receipts of the federal government
would be exceeded.
The accounts of big railroad corpora
lions require care and much hard work,
and the system of precise bookkeeping i'm
railroad accounts (now a special branch
of accounting has been carried close to
the point of perfection by the Pennsyl-
wanna railroad, which, for instance, gives
to the fraction of a cent the expenses in
cident to the construction of a car or a
locomotive. There are $4,000 passenger
cars and 5000 baggage, mail and express
cars in actual use on the railroads of the
United States and the ordinary passenger
car costs anywhere from $1,000 to IS 900.
the difference representing added improve
ments in furnishing
There has recently appeared a detailed
statement of the cost of constructing AT
the Altoona shops of the PENNSYLVANIA
railroad sample first-class, modern. nm
to-date, luxurious passenger car, and
some of the items are of interest The
wheels and aXles represent a cost of 1892 az.
the trucks upon which the car rests cost
S533.62; the air brake represents S131. "a.
the seat hxtures-twenty-fi i'm number
cost 5000; the three bronze lamps. $l350:
the two gas tanks $S4; the chandeliers
$5O72 and the item of screws. which
might not appear to be an important one.
$5l.8 For the building of car like the
one taken in illustration, 24s0 feet of POP
lar wood, 3,434 of ash, LOO of white pine.
1850 of yellow pine. $50 feet of hickory
400 of cherry, 700 of Michigan pine, 500 of
oak and 439 of maple veneer were re-
quired. To build the car there was re-
CURED in addition 10 gallons of varnish.
40 pounds of glue, and nearly 5000 pounds
of iron, exclusive of 800 pounds Of iron
castings For the furnishing of the car
there were required 60 yards OF scarlet
plush A yards of green plush, 81 yards Of
sheeting and 2i3 pounds of hair The
springs on the car seats cost S43 II THO
basket racks cost S7,35, the sash levers
$42, the bronze window lifts S24.4O, and
the gold leaf for the establishment NJ
the wood work SASS For the windoyy
fasteners $l547 worth of material was re-.
quirod, two stoves cost ST.. SO. and re
tin used on the roof of the car Sal. A. The
labor in the construction of the car ren-
resented cost of 81 1858 a. bringing m ~
expenditure to more than 81. 400 az