The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-02
LOCOMOTIVES in REQUEST
BIG FOREIGN DEMAND FOR AMERI-
CAN-MADE CAR PULLERS.
Manufacturer Unable to Fill Orders
Traffic of Railways Increasing
at Marvellous Rate.

PITTSBURG, Pa, Sept ACCORDING to
the opinion of railroad owners of America
the exporting of American locomotives to
foreign countries has produced many in
conveniences to railroad traffic in this coun-
try. The commercial traffic alone last year
suffered terribly on account of the shortage
of steam power to convey the commodities
from the place of production to the place
of consumption. The demand for cars all
over the country was the greatest ever
known. but few people were aware of the
fact that the railroads had as many cars
as they had locomotives sufficient to haul
them. The matter summed up is that
American manufacturers accepted so many
foreign orders for rolling stock that they
were unable to meet the home demand, and
with tho increase of traffic car shortage
resulted. That locomotives were as scarce
as cars is proven by the fact that every
| railroad that gave orders for more cars also
gave proportionate orders for locomotives.
The English people have criticised the
mechanism of American locomotives, but
1t has been proven that they have had no
foundation upon which to build their criti-
cism. Despite all the fault that the English
have found in the American locomotives,
the American machines are doing heavier
work and covering more ground than any
engine of English manufacture.
So far American builders have had an
ever-increasing demand from abroad. This
demand has, within the last two years,
American shops TO meet it. No general eff
| fort has been made within that period to
| secure foreign orders because the American
manufacturers have been unable to keep
up with the domestic demand Foreign or
| ders that have been filled have been prac-
| tically unsolicited.
Locomotive building is sharing with all
other industries of the country in the great
| business boom; Last year there were
gines, the largest number ever built in the
| history of the country. The production
showed an increase of $50 locomotives, or
275 per cent, over the production of 1899,
when the building record was also broken.
| In that year 2,473 locomotives were turned
| out. In 1898 the American shops produced
1,Sl5; in 1897, 1,251, and in 1896, 1.175.
| The export figures, taken in connection
| with the American production, are most
Significant Last year there were sent
! abroad Soo machines. This Is above the av-
| erage of two each week, which is evidence
sufficient that were they not exported the
| traffic in this country would not have been
| delayed TO the extent il was and with the
| sos machines handling the American ton
1 mage the car shortage, which caused so
| much inconvenience to the American ship
pers, would never have existed
| During the latter part of last summer
| there was car famine extending from the
| Atlantic to the Pacific coast, and this was
| principally due to the shortage of engines
| have been moved from place to place much
| quicker, and in many instances three or
! four days have been saved on each car
| which would have been equal to an in
| crease of IL per cent. of cars.
In 1899 5l4 engines were sent abroad; in
1898, 554; in 1897, 1856, and in 1896. 309. 1t will
| be seen from these figures that up to the
| time when the great boom in America
| commerce and manufacture set in there
n in nr10nf IxraC hrTll
| for export This was due to the fact that
the American shops had not nearly sc
| they could handle, and naturally they were
| eager to secure business abroad. All the
| locomotives delivered in 1898 were. OF
| railroads had not yet begun to feel the
| force of the business revival and the con-
! sequent need of an increased equipment
| in rolling stock. The result of these condi-
| tions was that, of the entire production OF
| 1896, 26 per cent. was exported.
| In 1897 81 per cent. was exported; 1898, q
| per cent. went abroad, and in 1899, q pei
| cent Last year the export dropped to II
| per cent. Of the production. Thus ii can be
| seen that the American locomotive build
/ ers are endeavOring to take care of the
! domestic needs before accepting contracts
| with foreign countries.
| These figures also show with reasonable
| clearness that the American manufacture
ers within the last three years, have haC
very little inducement to go abroad fol
| business but have had sufficient domestic
! utmost capacity. The American manufac-
| turers pushed all their facilities to meet
the domestic demands, and it can be seer
| that only enough work was taken from
| foreign countries to hold customers and
met duplicate orders. This year practically
| the same state of affairs prevails among
! the manufacturers as existed in 1900.
! The American railroads are all very pros
| porous, and their traffic is growing at
| substantial rate and orders are flowing in
| for new locomotives to handle this increas
! of business. Consequently. the American
| demand for locomotives will certainly bC
| as great as it was last year. and probably
| greater, and the number of locomotives
! built for export trade will probably not b,
| any greater i'm proportion than it was dur
ing the year ending last December, and fol
| the same reason.