The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-14
Of Systems for 1907
Near Billion Mark.
Railways to Spend Huge Sums
for Improvements.
SHOPS AND MILLS BUSY
Orders Now Placed Enough for
Car and Engine Builders.
Other Items of Interest to.
Railway People.


to billion dollars during the present
year in an extraordinary effert to Sc
cure sufficient equipment, power and
track, including new road, to make ii
possible to handle the great amount
of traffic being offered to them
If the car and locomotive builders
and the steel rail makers do their part
the year will be record one in the
t eee industries mentioned. The eff
fort which the railroads are making to
catch up with the prevailing prosper
1ty is considered wonderful by eyery
one who has given the subject any
thought, and it is said to be attracting
widespread interest in foreign coun-
tries.
1t is estimated that. if the manu-
facturers are equal to the test, be-
tween $4,000 and 100000 freight cars
Will be added to the total equipment
of the railways of the United States,
fully 5000 passenger cars will be
built and more than 5000 locomotives
VIII be added to the steam power
which is now available,
These figures mean that every shop
and every plant where these aids to
commerce are manufactured must run
day and night in the United States,
Canada and Mexico, and that some of
the steel mills in other lands are going
to get substantial reflex of American
prosperity.
1t is expected that the banner year
of 1905, when more freight and pas
comotive5 turned out than during any
other year in railroad history, will be
surpassed. The capacity of the manu-
featuring plants has increased since
then and it is known that January 1
10000 freight car orders had been
placed.
This means that the shops of the
country would have been kept busy
another car had been ordered. Since
that time. it is estimated, fully 100, 900
freight car orders have been placed.
and, judging from the first three
reach $4,000. The ~erecord of 1905
was 341,315 freight cars. Last year
the railroads purchased $40, 900 freight
cars, 3,400 passenger cars and $3.50
locomotives.
1t is estimated that the railroads
will pay fully $92,00O,OOO for steel
rails during the present year. If this
proves true the steel mills will have
that product. The output last year
was about $3.50. O00atons. 1t is said
the western roads Will use fully 1900
600 tons of rails1 and that nearly
100000 tons of thisRwill be rolled in
The United States Steel corporation
has recently opened its Books for 1908,
and thus far the orders have been dis
appointing. 1t is therefore believed
that although the increased burden
which has been placed on the railroads
by reason of Increased wages and the
increased cost of materials did not af-
feet the equipment orders for this
year, it will materially affect the Or
ders for delivery during 1908.
The steel interests are said to be
somewhat apprehensive on this score,
owing to the fact that the Gary mills
will be completed by that time and Will
increase the steel rail capacity by at
least 100000 tons annually.
1t is said the orders for steel rails
this year will be about an average OF
ten tons to the mile of railroad, 1ncIud-
the heaviest owing to the fact that
there is so dense that the rails
wear out faster and more rails per
mile are demanded for renewals than
in the west.
Unless the prosperity of the country
has another phenomenal jump in 1913
the orders for equipment and power
will place the railroads in better posi-
ton to take care of the traffic offered
than they have even been This Is in
ferred from the fact that during the
height of the car shortage last year
and early this year the highest total
shortage of freight cars was about
100000.
An additional $4,000 cars would do
more to prevent car shortages than
their number indicates. because of the
fact that the roads whlch nave oeeIi
shortest of equipment of their own
cars are now rushing to get cars built
It is said the new car service and per
diem rules which the railroads have
lust adopted will make it too expensive
for small railroads to steal cars, and
they are therefore fastening to provide
with equipment of their
own.
When the day arrives that all of the
railroads have enough equipment to
transact their business, it will be sur
orising if railroads are not found look
ing for some one to use their cars or
portion of them. instead of decrying
against stealing" 1t is impossible to
state exactly what the car building
capacity of the shops of the country is.
Extended improvements have been
made by the American Car & Foundry
company at ST. Louis, the Pullman
company, the Western Steel Car &
Foundry company at Hegewisch and
n the standard Steel Car company at
Hammond which indicate that the /
otaI building capacity of the shops
If the entire country this year will be
about 100000 cars. The rest of the
year's supply will have to come from
he shops of the railroads themselves
md from the shops of Canada and
Mexico.