The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-17
LIMITED BY CONDITIONS
GOOD ROADBEDS ARE ESSENTIAL
FOR FAST TRAIN SERVICE.
The Annual Report of the G. e. O.
Shows Lowest Carrying Charges of
Any Road in the Country.

The press at some points is publishing re-
ports OF fast runs which heretofore have es-
capped notice. In speaking of the increased
speed OF trains, George Kittredge, chief en-
gineer on the Big Four lines, said recently:
1t is no easy matter to make an absolutely
Just comparison, because conditions are in
variably different. There are various condi-
tons that affect the speed of trains includ-
Ing grades, curves, temperature, atmos-
phere, weight of train and character and
weight OF locomotive. quality of fuel used,
skill of engineers, number of stops, cross
ings, switches, signals, distance between
stops, length of entire run and many other
items which may of themselves seem of lit
tie importance, yet which may check more
or less the highest speed to be attained. So
lar as roadbeds are concerned, it is safe
to run train over the Big Four lines be-
tween Cincinnati and Chicago and between
ST. Louis and Cleveland and Cincinnati and
Cleveland sixty miles an hour as it was to
run trains twenty-five miles an hour in the
sixties. The fast service has been grad
ually reached since 1890. Roadbeds have
been improved and Locomotives of larger
and faster design been placed in service
There are pieces of track on the Big Four,
the Pennsylvania lines and on most of the
iirst-class roads where trains are hauled at
rate of seventy and in some few cases
seventy-tve miles an hour, and the time
may come when, so perfect will be the
track and so much improved the power and
passenger equipment that speed of seven
ty-five miles or possibly one hundred miles
an hour may be- attained, but when one
goes beyond sixty miles an hour for a train
of five to seven cars it becomes more and
more governed by the conditions first al
luded to-"
The Chesapeake & OhiO's Good Year.
President ingalls,, of the Chesapeake &
Ohio, has published his annual statement
for the fiscal year ending June 80. This
shows the gross earnings to have been SILL
7SS557, an increase over the year ending
June 80, 1897, of $1,OSO375; net earnings, 49,
SO695O, an increase of 1884 1877; surplus, $685.
$40, an increase of $4S069 The road has no
floating debt. The passenger earnings show
an increase received from each passenger
per mile; there was an increase in number
or passengers carried, and the passenger
trains show a gratifying gain in the earn
lngs per mile run, being for the year 925
cents, against ST. cents the preceding year.
The tons of freight carried one mile show
the large increase of 26 per cent. The gross
receipts of the road per ton per mile was
80 mills. the lowest carrying charges of
any railway in the United States. 1t is ar
gued that no other railroad of it's length in
the United States could do this proftably,
and this is due to the excellent condition of
the road and the systematic MANAGEMENT
of the company. The average trainload of
the G. & o. is heavier than that of any
other railroad, that of the c. & o. being S79
tons OF the Lake Shore (for the year end
ing Dec. 81 1880, 32l tons; of New York
Central (year ending July 80, $780, go tons;
Great Northern (year ending June 30 1890.
PSI tons. and Erie (year ending June So
1SgL, 2I6 tons: In 1890 the C. & o. trainload
only averaged 225 tons, so the rapid improve
ment can be easily seen. The proportion of
operating expenses to gross receipts is kept
down to 6S per cent, Notwithstanding the
lessened freight receipts per ton per mile
The Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad keeps no
construction account, it all going to expense
and is Immediately charged off, So while
each year the assets of the road are grow
Ing, the same is not noticeable on the books
of the company. 1t is said that as much as
600 has been charged to expenses that
have been used in bridges and reconstruc-
ton.