The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-17


RAILROAD NEWS.
scons1nusA 1rom psx. on~s
which trainmen were on duty Tor
periods longer than those provided by
law while another road IN the same
territory, with q mileage OF less than
$500 miles. reports 11.Ss3 such tn
"A Comparison Of the figures sub
mitted by two other OF the principal
eastern lines shows, respectively, q
mileage Of 2.25S. with 5.451 instances
Of excess service a. compared with
the prairie country, one road with Z
mileake Of 4.s56. reports approximate-
" 10000 instances Of excess service,
while another road In the same terri
Tracks, reports only 2.310 instances Of
exce2s service.
In the Southwestern territory. one
road. operating less than 600 miles Of
tracks. reports approximately LOO i'm
stances OF excess service, while another
line. similarly situated. geographically.
reports only $50 instances ON . mileage
OF more than 1904 miles A corre-
spending comparison between two
roads In the northwestern section Of
the country shows q mileage Of ap-
proxtmately 5000 miles with less than
800 instances OF excess service. while
another road with less than 10000 miles
OF line, reports nearly 5000 instances
or excess service
Commissioners Mcchord. within whose
supervision comes the actual admins
tration Of the hours Of service act. d.
rected the preparation Of the analysis.
Violations Are Known.
The law provides for maximum of
10 hours az the limit OF continuous
service FOR tratnmen engaged in the
physical operation Of trains. This law
admittedly ID being violated continual
voidably. The carriers are required
to report each instance In which an
employees served more than 16 hours
consecutively, fine OF $500 being tho
penalty for failure to report.
The analysis shows that derailments
amoroe0 the most prolific cause of ex-
cess service. SS.317 cases being at
tributed by the carriers to that generic
cause. In q. $50 instances, the delays
were due to coupler and drawbar de-
fects. while 1873 cases were attrib-
utable to miscellaneous car defects
Landslides,. high water and fire were
reported by the carriers involved. az re-
sponsible for II 1856 cases; and conges-
ton of trafdc resulted In 1889 em-
ployees exceeding the limit Of service.
In 1850 instances the excess service
was caused by track defects and OBJ
structions not resulting In collisions or
derailments: while 9.9l0 cases were due
primarily to collisions.
Under the heading of Engine De-
lays" 15.507 instances of excess serv-
miscellaneous mechanical defects. while
other engine delays usually incident to
the operation Of trains, were respon-
sible for nearly 10000 addition cases.
tn.ea A. rs sSa Of the psosecTtions inst,-
points out. :.the number OF instances Of
excess service reported during the last six
ing figures for the preceding yesr. has
shown q marked reduction
Try to Eliminate the Cause.
MY belief IL. said Commissioner Nc
concede to the commission's analysts OF
their reports such q degree Of attention a.
of tss sns By
vice. to eliminate the majority of In
stances in which employees heretofore
teen eo on Si 1 ho Sazs. pef1o0s tnan .
Service" the ANALYSIS shows an agEre4afe
turned to duty after sixteen hours con-
least ten consecutive hours on duty. while
"a Of such employees were returned to
service without having had eight conSecu-
The law requires that telegraph oper-
atoms. sRai not Be on duty In eaceS ope Of
nine consecutive hours The total humber
snalysis was while Il It s is note Sy t 5nf
IN 4544 instances telegraph operators in
OFFICES operated only in daytime were on
hours.
The total number Of cases of excess SER
roads for the fiscal year was q, Ss. The
report says It is not to be assumed this
number co%prehends all the Instances in
statutory periods. " s's u tns
economic aspect Of an an industaiai Isl situ une
10000 men should have been responsihis
the report, these figures may appear
abnormal; but when cognixance Of the
train service alone during the year. in
addition to the vast number Of teieg-
operated in order to provide employme .,t
fSr e g. many .a'y men; one almost marvels
WitS o. .n rsc Sos1d have zen
Of excess service.''
on July I. 1918. in various judicial dis
yolving an Aggregate Of 2.zn separate vio-
pending. while IS counts were psndins on
DIP to November I. 1s1s, the total penal
ties collected from the railroads becauee
Of violations of this law amounted to
xlb6.bezH. OF which &A600 has been as
ee1eed because OF failure Of the carriers
to report specific instances Of excess SER
RAIN Of CINDERS.