The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-04

llIvlnIAIIINU Hull
HOW D | | | 4 I ! {.
| Railroad Men the Coutl
Difficult Work Busy
Arranging the Servic
corespondence TO The Times-D ispatch.
BOSTON. September s--This is the
time OF year when the railroads are max
ing out their winter time tables, those
mysterious pages OF parallel columns over
which the inexperienced traveller hovers
in despair. but which are such perfectly
plain sailing TO the xperlenced voya ger.
In another month the special schedules
called for by the vacation season will BIC,
out Of date; the regular pilgrimages of
busineHs men from city to city Will have
been resumed !; shore mountains and coun-4
try side will have fallen back into their
native somnolencc. THEN the railroads
must change their train arrangements
completely to meet the changed condi.
tons. 4la3
Certain considerations that enter into
making up the time table are prac tlcally
constant, Of course: geogra phica spe culiar-
tiles OF tlezcountry through which aroal
runs; the down grades. up grades ard
level spaces Of every mile OF road bed as
it affects the time necessary for q loco mo.
tive to pull this, that or the other Kind 81
a train from one point to another. Bit
the conditions of traffic are constantly
yarying the number Of passengers on a
given route fiuctuates not only with tho
season but withshlfting ofspopulation and
similar causes 8 the volume as we'll as INC
character Of freight changes with the sea-
sons and with industrial movements. too.
And a progressive and Epro5pcrOus llroad
must nicely calculate the possibilities OF
cx pa r,sion, OF future demands and OF dee
sirable extensions that may pc met or sh 4
couraged BY the way itsruns Its trains.
83 "A DIFFICULT MATTEL r.
IN SO the arrangement OF u new time scnedrl
ule Isl a. very important and difficult ma
ter which requires much expert study and
involves considerations little understood
blythe average man who simply buys his
ticket, gets "a board aitrain and rides Quick
~. conifortahly and safely to his dcs ttna-
ton. When a new time table Is cont en- m
plated the traffic superintendenth first calls
into consultation the rious fiicials con.
cerned In train management. tho general
the schedule is carried out, his several
d assistants, and all others connected with
the actual operation OF the lines. 81 ten
indeed all the Off Gals of a road WI att
tend these meetings and the pros and cons
ofithe situation viii be given several Gays ga y,
Of general discussion IN which the \, s y,
kyldual needs 81 OF each section Will De
brought up and explained BY the oii1 q
whose work brings him In closest touch
with them y .85 IA !. q /. 3 q. 4, !.
First Of ali the demands of the public
AIKEN as a Whole must be consid ered. Ri 9
claims Of a hundred me IN w no WISH e tahe
a train at certain hour eve ~ n
for example, have a y Z
over the conv cnience Of a&dozen pc rsonrlss
who travel occasionally. The movement :, z
OF large numbers Of people is always e! IN
syolyed in great public occasions sucn as as
conventions and exposit lions; d uring Ing
past summer, for instance, special accom-
modations had to he made to 9ha ndle S'h y
crowds locking to the 81. LOUIS : e.. -
thai 8preat "a ilroads to the central west put
On Worlds Fair sntcials which are are ia s
trains practically displacIng other apa q s
ger service and having the RIG ht4 OF way a,
for the entire Journey; and hose ,m mace E
great cha nges In this year ti ne taole Is
compared with those Of year q 8 @ Z.
a1enca over trafilc OF all kinds. M y hen1th e
grain begins Its srnovement from the NV We
the the e,sn,lmber OF freight trains Is several
tines as great m the throug h lines as az
That OF other seasons. These are all ia !,
freights, and may not be dela yea ~ siu
llngs or in yards, because ~ IS necessh!S
Ia get the corn and wheat to trans s.
njne, minis As soon as possible yet hey
must lie linked into the time table 50 as =
not to Interfere With passeng ger raNel,
And in the passenger traffic u sell ther .
Is the summer exodus and fal ! homeco .,
ing OF those who beta Ike them selves 10 9. ,lle
seashoreg and mount ains for the Vacaa tioi,
sea son-tile crowds Of a ~.
baggage-lad ened travellers that last haralS SO.
inneer7It than a change IN New Z En- glanNa,
Weather and represent the moneyeei ca, ~. Y.
com FLOWING people OF he country i IS =,
iWhnse ma tronage railroads compel VIII e
TIME STOPS AND SPEED PEI ..
When all these thing sand they ~ !,
ira ff1c-haye been taken into ca reful con-
sideratlon the real work of laying $out y, the
| tine afle begins. To figure out the pest pes,
nossible arrang Of time q no spe se,l
m N = syst en- having a heavy pafs'sseeNe,e ~
ira filc SIS a work OF exceeding nlcety.
When you think that on the New =. o 1,l
New Haven and Hartford road, to; g .l,e
ca SO of one of the most ificuit propo ~.
lions in the oountry-diff tcu1t because tlle
II
n1ated and because passenger riding IS N
exaggerated proportions here-there a 4 !
trains enter and ieaye y You
jhie'. Boston terminal alone& every day day Y ~
ma = begin to realize the difilcultie Of the
lnSg ea such IS the volume Of suburban 7,
travel hereabouts that during the rush 81
hours, when the crowds Of SWorkens a 81
going !. 10 and from the city through TINS
terminal, trains leave and arrive We every
two minutes. ~ EEL u, I, !, ~
Tho Arst element entering into the Ga :,
cnlatjon of a train scheduleiis the running
| Tina fq,etwe stations. Given standaru
type type Of engine, hauling a certain class q
train. and the traffic manager can m y, : :
fairly accurate stirnate Of ~.
utes and even seconds to go on. & go tar 90
THAT single train o concerned almostamy1
body could devise schedule I q a. "o ~.
bring to its destlnation"on the ra Y ]
and in the shortest possible time. ny Y, nat
compMcates things is that there are So
many other trains to consider, and lha.
the right OF way on n road WI ichs IS mae y
L ali tGtN yl