The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-06-08
RAILROAD NEWS.
Greater Efficiency New Plan on
Missouri Pacific.
Divisional Organization Will
Reduce Red Tape.
ALL ARE DIVIDED
Pennsylvania System Uses Plan
With Success.
Other Items of General Interest
in Traffic World.

Kansas City Mo-, June S.-A few
| days ago it was announced that WITHIN
| a short time the Missouri Pacific rail-
roads executive and official staff Will
! be organized on a divisional basis, not
departmental as has been the case for
| 80 years. To the average mind such an
announcement bears no special Signifi-
canoe. But to a railroad man it means
| a great change, a new order of things.
In a large railroad such as the Mis-
souri, Pacific, with 1000 miles Of rail.
the staff naturally is divided into sew
eral departments. One of the most
| important is the traffic department,
! for it is through the channels Of this
department the railroad receives Its
trcvenue. There also is legal depart
ment which cares for the business in
Dictated by its name.
! These departments, however import
| ant, employ but few men and are not
| affected by the organization, be 1t d.
visional or departmental. The depart
| ment that employs the greatest per-
| centage of servants is that of opera
| ton. Closely related are the engineer
| ing maintenance of way and mechani-
| cal departments. The operating de-
partment is concerned with moving the
| business it receives from the traffic or
ganization. The engineering depart
ment has charge of the construction
ance of way department keeps the
| tracks and bridges in repair, and he
mechanical department is charged with
| the task of keeping engines and equip
ment in a serviceable condition.
In the road with departmental or
ganizati ton the entire oversight II
| these various departments, exclusive OF
| the legal and traffic, is vested in vice
president in charge of operation, some
times in a general manager. In the
departmental organization, below the
vice president each department has ITS
| head and works independently. The
general manager heads the operating
department; the chief engineer is in
| charge of all engineering work; the up
keep of tracks is checked up to the en-
| gineer of maintenance of way, and the
superintendent Of motive power looks
| after the equipment. Each man is a
| specialist in his line.
The chief objection to the depart
mental system is the amount of RED
| tape involved. For instance, should
| superintendent, who is minor oper-
ating official, want an Improvement
made in some bridge, he must COM
municate with the division engineer.
| The division engineer is without au-
thority to act and must check the
superintendent request up to the cme-
| engineer. Or the same may be &C
complished in another way, by the
superintendent communicating with the
| general superintendent, who in turn
puts it up to the general manager 1or
reference to the chief engineer. Occa-
SiOQally there is 1rlCI1On between tuc
/ superintendent and division engineer
| which has a bad effect on the road s
| interests.
Under the divisional system the or
| ganization centers around the super
| intendent, who reigns supreme like a
prince over q principality. All depart
| ments are included in the operating.
Under the division superintendent Is q
| division engineer, a master mechanic
| or a mechanical superintendent, and an
| engineer of maintenance.
| The division superintendent is held
| accountable for everything on the Ill
vision. If he wants a bridge repaired
| he gives his order to his division en-
gineer. The superintendent must know
how to handle trains, must have a
| knowledge of engineering, as well as
| to know how to direct a machine snol
that may employ a thousand men.
The divisional system is produc'
of the Pennsylvania. No Pennsylvania
employee can be a superintendent who
hasn't had training in the various
branches This is newer system. The
New York Contra. advocates the de-
partment system, and most of the other
roads still prefer the older system. They
argue that no man can be proficient III
enough branches to become super1n-
| tendent under the divisional system.