Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1900-02-28
SPEED OF FREIGHTS.
Western Railroad Companies Talk
of Reducing It
Proposed Reform in Running Rate
Gives Promise of Great saving
in Expense and Wear
and Tear.

Railroad officers are seriously consid-
ering The possibility of reducing freight
train speeds, and we believe that the
subject is to be introduced at the next
meeting of the Western Railway club
by gentleman quite competent to pre-
sent il. We should not be surprised if
it is correct 10 say that no other single
reform would yield so large an increase
in net earnings. A dozen or Is years
ago the doctrine was pretty ably stated
and supported that there would be
actual economy in running freight
trains faster than they were then run,
for the losses in wages, in interest on
the equipment, in radiation of heat
from the boiler and engines because
Of the longer time in service, and per-
haps other elements, united 10 make it
actually more expensive to move freight
trains al low speeds than.at high speeds
But even then the highest speed seri-
ously contemplated as economical was
20 miles an hour, with 80 as the maxi
mum at very favorable points.
1t is probable that the notions then
p,ausibly supported have had certain
effect in practice during the interven-
ing period, although unquestionably
the che great reason why freight train
speeds have been run mp 10 the wasteful
height that they have now reached is
the pressure for getting and holding
competitive traffic. Engineering con-
siderations have had mighty little to do
with the case.
A reform such as is proposed falls into
the same class as reduction of passenger
train speeds and cutting of duplicate
passenger service kind of reform often
discussed, but in which little has yet
been accomplished, A wise control of
freight train speeds would not reduce
the expenditure of productive energy,
but it would save waste, and so it would
not only add to the wealth of the rail-
road companies which might have the
courage to carry out such a reform, but
it would add to the wealth of The world.
We juage that there can be little ques-
ton as TO the possibility of such saw
ing. considered from an engineering
standpoint. The great difficulty will
come from the traffic department. But
the engineers can at least try to analyze
the subject and to state somewhat def
pitcly the sources OF waste and tie
amount of the economies to be possibly
attained.
il is obvious that at slow speeds heav-
Ter trains can be hauled. We at once
introduce here an economy in wages.
If we do the same work with three
trains that was formerly done with five
trains we save part of the wages of
the crews of two trains. Obviously, all
of these wages cannot be saved, because
as trains are run slower they must be
longer on the road, and, although wages
are based on the length of run, still
they must ultimately come down to the
basis of time spent.
In spite of the ingenious argument
that the longer the locomotive is on The
road the greater will be the loss OF heat
by radiation, nevertheless, it will prob
ably be admitted by almost every body
that a great deal Of fuel can be saved
by running freight trains slower than
many of them are now run, inasmuch as
a greater amount of heat energy in the
coal will be transferred to available
energy in the steam at some compare
lively low speed.
These, we take it, are the chief ele-
ments of economy, namely, wages and
fuel, bit there are other elements which
must be important. The reduction of
the cost of maintenance of track and
equipment would be considerable
Aside from the saving in normal wear
and tear, there would be certain saw
ing-probably not great. but still sig
niticant-in the losses through acct
dents. 1t is matter of common knowl-
edge that many derailments, such, for
example, as those from broken wheels,
have been made much more costly by
high speed than would have been the
case al low speed.
1t is net clear that, generally speak
ing, a SAVING could be made by the more
regular and uninterrupted movement
Of the traffic over the road if freight
trains were run at low average speeds.
1t is easy It. see that with mixed traf-
iic lie operating difficulties might be
increased, but on the other hand, it
seems reasonable that on most roads
freight trains conld jog along at slow
and STEADY pace apd keep their inter
vais and keep cut Of the way Of the rela-
lively few fast trains just as well as il
the average freight train speed was
high. Possibly they could do this even
better al q normally low schedule
Railroad Gazette.
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