Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1913-12-17

of train employees on American rail I
roads to sixteen consecutive hours |
go TO the very heart of the efficiency |
and safety Of train operation" said |
Commissioner Charles c. MeChord |
commenting upon a statement issued |
today by the interstate commerce
commission analyzing the monthly re-
ports of interstate railroads on hours
Of service during the fiscal year end
ing June 3O 1913.
Nearly 100000 violations of the six
teen.hour law were reported by 269
railroads during the year, the roads
submitting various reasons why such
violations were necessary. The com
missions analysis points out, hoy
ever, that while this figure may ap
pear abnormal to the lay mind, it
must be remembered that 251,l11 men
were employed in handling trains
during the year and that the excess
service probably would not exceed
one instance to each employe.
The difference in efficiency and
safety Of operation between various
railroad systems" Mr.. McChord said
is shown clearly by the commissions
analysis in the marked disparity be.
tween the ratio of excess service to
mileage between railroads serving
practically the same territory For
| instance. one of the eastern roads,
operating more than $500 miles Of
tracks, reports 1924 instances in
which tralnmen we're on duty for
periods longer than those provided
by law; while another road in the
same territory, with mileage of less
than $500 miles. reports 2266S such
instances.
"A comparison Of the figures sub
mitted by two other of the principal
eastern lines shows. respectively q
mileage of 225S, with 5451 instances
of excess service as compared with
2S29 miles and 16,44S instances. II
the prairie country, one road, with
mileage Of Ass, reports approximate
ly 10000 instances Of excess service
. while another road in the same terri
tory with more than 1900 miles o
tracks, reports only 2310 instances o
excess service.
"In the southwestern territory on,
road, operating less than 64OO mile
Of tracks, reports approximately TO
. instances Of excess service, while an
. other line, similarly situated, gee
:. graphically reports only 2SO il
; stances on mileage Of more tha
7. 1904 miles. A sponding con
J. parison between two roads in th
S northwestern section of the countr
l, shows a mileage of approximate
J. 5000 miles with less than 500 il
r stances Of excess service, while al
d other road, with less than 1000
d miles of line, reports nearly 5000 il
stances Of excess service"
Commissioner McChord, With
supervision comes the actual admir-
istration of the hours of service ac
directed the preparation of the anal
" sis.
| The law provides maximum
sixteen hours as the limit of contin
ance service for trainmen engaged
Al the physical operation of trains TIL
law admittedly is being violated co
tinually by the railroads many tim
unayoidably.
The analysis shows that dera
W ments afforded the most prolii
he cause of excess service, SS,317 cas-
,e- being attributed by the carriers
IN that generic cause. In 33,36O
IN stances the delays were due to &C
pier and drawbar defects, VIII
1888 cases were attributable to m
eellaneous car defects. Landslide
i, high water and fire We're reported
the carriers involved as responsil
fer 1885 cases. and congestion
traffic resulted in 1882 employ
exceeding the limit of service.
10.62O instances the excess serv
" was caused by track defects and
structions not resulting in collsiC
~ or derailments. while 1910 cases w
due primarily to collisions.
-" ITO the lay mind that contempla
the the economic aspect of an industl
VII situation in which. during sin
cia- year. nearly 100000 men should hi
Ter been responsible for the operation
uld trains for periods in excess OF tn
prescribed by law" says the rep
cad these figures may appear abnorm
& but when cognizance is taken of
,12, fact that 251,1l1 men were emplo
in in train service alone during
year. in addition to the vast mum