The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-27

state except Ohio has such a law, it is
an easy matter for all states to secure
them. l can see no reason. either, why
the stops, if they may be limited by law
at ALL cannot be enforced at towns Of
less than 5000 inha 1t seems to
me that this decision indicates that it
is within the power of the states to pre-
vent express train service entirely If
such law is good it can be applied to
suburban towns as WELL and express
train service on roads doing a suburban
business can be prohibited, for every
suburbanite wants every train to stop
at his station"
W. Mcintosh. master mechanic of the
Chicago & Northwestern. presented a
paper at the meeting of the Northwest
Railway club. 1t has shown that since
1886 the mileage of railroads in this
country has increased IS per cent. the
tonnage carried has increased 81 per
cent, the number of cars SO per
cent and the number of loco
motives p per cent. The small
percentage of increase in the
number of locomotives is considered to
be due to the greater hauling capacity
of the modern engine. The assertion is
ventured that track and roadbed that
Will carry locomotives of 100 tons and
cars of so tons capacity will soon be
among the necessities. That. while the
lowering of grades and improvements
of roadbed within the limits of current
expenditure have helped, the introduce
ton of heavier cars and engines has
furnished the most effective means of
reducing the cost of transportation. The
times were propitious for this change.
as the equipment of many roads was
old, and replacement was in order. Con-
tinuing. Mr.. Mcintosh said in part
Substituting heavier engines and cars
involved only the difference of proper
ton between the light and heavier ones,
though the additional earnings of the
new showed up SO favorably that some
lines found it profitable to sell off their
small engines as far as possible, and
lay up others until they could be dis
posed of, in preference to continuing
them in use. Old cars with small mar
gins of value were dropped out by the
score and replaced by new ones Of twice
their capacity. when hauled by the
modern locomotive, greatly simplified
the transportation problem. Twice as
many tons of freight were switched in
the same yards. moved by the same
number of trains with the same crews,
passed on the same sidings; the same
shops providing facilities for repairs,
and the same round houses accommO-
dating the larger engines; while the
problem of moving q given amount of
tonnage over single track line, or
even a double track road, was greatly
simplified for the operating department.
There is a limit even to the capacity
of modern equipment. In the case Of
cars this can be fairly approximated by
calculation and observation, noting
wear and tear, undue strain, etc. 1t is
different, however with the locomo-
tives: many varia bles comnlicate the
problem. The aim of operating officials
is naturally to move as many tons of
freight as possible with the locomotives
assigned to their districts, financial re-
suits being. of course, the chief consid-
Grafton, but comparisons with other d.
visions and other roads spur them up to
make favorable showing. 1t is doubt
full. however, if the most economical
results are obtained by loading locomo-
tives to their utmost capacity: there is
line beyond which the load and speed
cannot be increased without excessive
consumption of fuel and undue wear
and tear on machinery and boiler.
There are other unfavorable effects
that follow excessive loading, such as
abnormally slow movement of trains.
stalling, doubling hills and increased
liability of accidents. which usually de-
velop under such conditions. This prop
osition is more or less indefinite, and