The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-29
Kansas Railroads Testing Motor
Cars on ALI Branches.
Immense Saving in Labor and
Equipment by Move.
CANNOT MAKE MONEY
Old Style Passenger Branch
Service Slices Dividends.
Other Items of General Interest
in Railroad Circles.

1t is but question of a few years
until the railroads In the state of Kan
sas will be operating more motor ears
On their lines than in any other state
| IN the Union. The network of branch
lines, the town-to-town spurs which are
required to operate by law, the numer-
Gus cutoffs and the suburban traffic is
attracting the attention of the rail-
roads from financial viewpolnt-and
when a railroad is interested in a pro-
position from ar economical and fin
aDcial standpoint it is sign of i'm
mediate investigation and action on
their part.
The motor car proposition is one that
is comparatively new in this state But
since the first trial it has been proven
that 1t is the secret of short hauls and
long dividends The passenger business
of a railroad under most favorable
conditions is usually a losing Investment
to the company and they place all of
their faith and their elearings on the
man who runs the freight business.
For this reason it is absolutely nee
essary that the railroads probe around
and find some scheme to reduce their
passenger operating expenses and still
maintain the service that the people,
the Interstate commerce commission and
fhe state railroad boards demand. To
the successful operation of the motor
lief.
Kansas is the gateway of the great
southwest. 1t is the battle ground of
the railroads for routes separating their
Greet eastern lines from the west and
from the southwest. For instance the
Rock Island comes into Kansas from
the east with her main lines and her
immense traffic. Immediately upon en-
tering Kansas the road divides. At Her
ington, one line goes to the south COW
ar~ir 10 10 Tnyya Il -ns1fI1
ern territory. Another liue shoots out
southwest from Harrington and takes in
the route to California and the patron
age Of the Golden state. Again, apoth-
er division sends the line up in the
northern part of the state and into
cool Colorado.
In reaching out its lines the Rock Is
land must tap the state as well as the
western country. Branch lines connect
every county untouched by the system
and the sap is directed into the main
line. The Santa Fe covers Kansas like
the blood veins of the human hand and
the Missouri Pacific in this state is one
spider web of branches. and short cuts.
What does all of. this service mean
to the railroads? 1t means that thcy
lave to operate trains on all these lines.
What does train mean? 1t means
a locomotive. passenger equipment, and
train crews. The expense connected
with this operation is killing the profits
in Kansas-the two cent fare is claim
ed as an auxiliary Of the deficit. ,afi
In a frantic effort to cut down their
vast expenditures on equipment and
maintenance the railroads of Kansas
especially the Rock Island the Union
Pacific and the Santa Fe-have spent
small fortunes and considerable time
and attention ON the successful installa-
ton of the motor car service. TO DO
away with the ever expensive locomo-
tive, the old style passenger equipment
10 Icr iG
the roads. The motor car is locked
upon as the solution of the problem.
There are three classes of motor cars
a. Those driven by steam. CD Those
driven by internal spontaneous combus-
ton engines with a mechanical trans
mission of power. (3) Those utilizing
internal combustion engines operating
generators in connection with an cleo
trio drive with or without accumula-
tors as incidental equipment. "A
In the steam driven class the Rock
Island is spending more time and money
than any other road in the state. The
original Rock Island plan" proved
good test but 4 poor operator. The
first car did not have the power to meet
the service required. 1t was redeslgned
and a locomotiyetype boiler with SUI
perheater was installed. It was one of
the types with the moving parts entire
ly enclosed and the rods were direct
connected to the cranked rear axle of
the forward truck. This did not give
satisfactory service and another type is
being designed at this time. The Rock
Island wants the steam power.
The second or spontaneous combus-
ton engine class includes the McKeen
motor cars and the third type mention
ed above are of the Strang variety. The
Union Pacific and the Santa Fe use the
two latter types.
So far the tests of the cars have been
successful for a short time-and then
some inventive genius thought out
new plan to improve the car and anoth-
er design was followed out. This has
happened until the question of repairs.
fuel ami general traffic work has caused
the railroads to place enough money at
stake to warrant a thorough study of
the efficiency OF the cars themselves.
AS far as the service is commemorative
Kansas railroad officials declare that it
is the coming equipment on the branch
IT.. 90 hort bo,1c in this state