The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-16
RAILROAD NEWS.
Railways Will Spend Millions in
Coming Year.
Construction and Equipment
Form Programme.
BIG ORDERS PLACED.
Western Lines Lead Them All
in Improvements.
Other Items of General Interest
in Railroad World.

That an era of unprecedented rail-
way development is dawning for the
railroads of the United States is evil
denced by the mammoth construction
and betterment plans which have been
outlined for the coming season. 1t Is
estimated that the railroads of the
United States will expend this year
more than $500, 100000 in new equip
ments, betterments, steel rails, ad-
ditional and better equipped termin-
ais, and the like. If conditions still
keep favorable they will spend on ex-
tensions more than $750,000,000, and
if traffic conditions warrant it, 1t is
believed, the railroads are ready to
spend $1,000, 100000 to handle the
greatly increased volume of business
This would seem to follow the needs
of the railway world as outlined by
James j. Hill, few days ago, when
he said that the railroads of the Unit
ed States must spend at least $780,
100000 annually for the next six
years in order to keep pace with the
development of the country
On the basis of orders placed during
March, there will be expended during
the current years something like the
following amounts: For 2SS,000 steel
cars, 1855, 6O0,000; for locomotives on
an estimated cost of 100000 per en-
CINE, $1O9. 100000; for locomotives
built in the shops of the respective
companies, $4S, 100000; these expen-
ditures totaIing $41S, 100000. These
estimates do not include steel rails,
road bed improvements, terminal pet
termentS or passenger coaches. These
latter items railroad men are unable
to compute.
Ordering Steel Cars.
Since the first of the year the rail-
roads have contracted for $4,000 to
$1,000 steel cars and 1,150 locomo-
tives. Further contracts now are pend
ing for nearly twice this amount. For
new railway terminals, bridges and
the like, contracts were placed in
March for about 10000 tons of steel
Exclusive of these items the Ma
tionaI Railways of Mexico last week
let contracts for $50 cars and other
equipment, showing that the Mexican
lines are reaping returns from the
prosperous condition of the American
lines.
The increases ordered in equipment
and the bettermentS outlined in the
physical properties of the railroads
are not sectional but denote general
of the country. The western lines, if
anything, are spending more in pro-
portion than the eastern roads, the
new extensions planned swelling their
showing. Nearly every western line
has made plans for new equipment.
for double tracking, extensions and
the like. The Santa Fe is building
double track between Kansas City and
orized an expenditure of at least ST.
100000 for roadbed and equipment.
1t has been stated that this road will
be content with betterig its present
mileage but it is active in Colorado,
and may break into Northern Colo
RADIO or even into Wyoming.
western Lines Active.
The Katy will double track north
from Texas. The Burlington has sew
eraI new lines projected. The Union
Pacific will be active in the western
section. The Milwaukee will spend
millions on its new Puget Sound ex-
tension, and has a number of inn
provements nearer home. The Mis-
souri, Pacific has something like $170,-
100000 which it will spend on its Kan
sas and western lines. There is
scarcely a railway system in the west
which will not undertake some extern
sive Improvement this season.
Railroads which have let contracts
within the past week are the Katy, the
C. & S., the Iowa Central, the Rock
Island and the Chicago & Alton. 9th
er lines previously have let large con-
tracts. All-steel passenger coaches will
form a large portion of the new equip
ment, many of the lines having adopt
ed this modern improvement as
standard, which gradually will re-
place the equipment of frame struct-