The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-16


extraordinary proportion Of the c~ornpany's
own equipment Ia actually in use on other
lines carrying heavy tonnage which origi-
mated or the Pennsylvania.
Another element that has helped the
movement Of cars has been the declaration
Of embargoes Al soon as there appeared
to be a likelihood of congestion at any
point. A general embargo on coal was
declared at South Amboy, and it lasted
about a month.
In spite Of the shortage Of cars W. N.
Prall, commissioner OF the Pittsburg asso-
citation, declares that the railroads in that
city are handling to-day 20 per cent.
more tonnage than ever before with fewer
cars In the service than in 1903 and 1904.
The average tonnage capacity OF the cars
during the past two years has only in
creased, he says, 4 per cent, while the
tonnage has increased 20 per cent, show
ing great improvement in the service.
As another method OF improving the
oar movement the Pennsylvania has agreed
with the Baltimore and Ohio, the Lehigh
Valley, tho Cumberland Valley, the Buffalo
and Susquehanna and other roads repre-
senting approximately 1,O25,5 sos freight
cars. to increase the per diem charge on
these cars to so cents. Under the present
rate q charge Of 20 cents a day is made to
railroads for the cars Of other lines while
in their use or Possession. These cars are
also to be- returned promptly, the cars of
connecting ines to be returned direct
to the nearest junction point n there
accepted. Cars Of other lines shall be
loaded home or returned via the home
route. A car hire charge is also authorized
by the agreement OF IS a day for the diver
sion OF any cars to lines other than the
home lines.
The Pennsylvania has sent letters to
shippers and general agents repeatedly,
urging them to return cars as promptly as
possible. 1t has thirty men on the road
%prodding up station agents and traffic
managers of large corporations TO hurry
cars back. They declare that II each ship
per will save n hour In unloading it will
place 10000 cars more In service.
Owing to the shortage at the larger
terminals OF the lines west OF Pittsburg
men are nov securing the country for cars
for the purpose of sending them home
Immediately. Practically every road in the
United States will be visited and the men
will travel thousands Of miles in order to
hurry home all cars that rave been I'M
loaded. To relieve the accumulation of
freight, especially OF grain, lumber and
other bulky commodities and supplies,
the Pennsylvania contracted in September
for l2,4Oo additional freight cars at IN
estimated cost Of SIS, 700. From con-
tracts previously awarded the company
is now receiving new cars at the rate Of
100 a day. More than 5000 new cars AVE
haar nlaoad IN sar,ioo thta x,aar
Some idea Of the extraordinary movement
now going on over the lines Of the Pennsyl-
vania and other great railroad systems may
be CLEANED from the fact that the Altoona
shops reported ON October 20 last the re-
pairing Of II, OO4 cars in the freight depart
ment, the largest days work Of the kind
except on October 1, when the figures were
II. Oe5. The Pittsburg interchange for Oc-
tober was 8.455, the best on record except
June, when e,575 cars a day were landed
The car movement via Lewiston Junction
also shows an enormous increase.
The journey Of a freight car is nov
watched and speeded with extraordinary
care in order that it may reach its destina-
ton without delay, discharge its load and
be ready for the use of another shipper as
soon as possible. Conductors of freight
trains on the Pennsylvania are required to
furnish at the end Of their runs a compile etc
record of the cars OF their trains to enable
freight yard superintendent in turn 10
keep their own records, which show the
arrival and departure OF engines, the num-
Der of oars as well as the engine number,
the date Of their arrival and departure. and,
in fact, furnish a complete account of the
movements of every car through the freight
yards and the length Of time it has been
standing there.
This system of yard records is now es-
tablished in Altoona, Baltimore, Buffalo
and Clean. Eventually it will be extended
to all freight yards Of the Pennsylvania.
Several elements have contributed to
facilitating the car movement on the Penn
~sylvania this year. One has been the COM
pletion of the Pitcairn yard, where through
classification can be made at P~ittsburg.
Another is the Brilliant cutoff, which makes
it possible for through cars to go around
Pittsburg and not take up the terminal.
Then there is the completion of the Holli-
daysburg yard, where it is possible to
separate merchandise from mineral freight
and place them in separate trains. Another
element is the completion OF the Enola yard,
thus making IL possible to keep Harrisburg
clear. Still another feature is the COM
pIetion OF the low grade freight line from
Glen Loeb TO Atglen, which relieves the
main line of a large amount Of heavy traf-
hc carriage.
Still another thing which has contributed