The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-18
SMALL PROPORTION
OF EXCESS SERVICE:
Nearly 100000 Violations of Six
tecn-llour Limit Reported
by POO Railroads.
ANALYSIS BY COMMISSION
Difference in Efficiency and
Safety OF Operation Is
Shown Clearly.

/ Washington. December l7-"Viola-
tons of the law limiting tho service
of train employees on American rail
roads 10 sixteen consecutive hours 80
/ to the worry heart of the efficiency AMI
/ safety of train operation" said Com
/ missioner Charles G. McChord com
mcndirs upon a statement issued to-
day by the Interstatc Commerce Com
mission analyzing tho monthly reports
( of Interstate railroads on hours of
service during the fiscal year ending
June 80 1913
( Nearly 100000 violations OF the six
/ teen -hour limit wero reported by 26a
railroads during the year, the roads
submitting various reasons WHY such
violations were necessary. The com
MISSIONS analysis points out. however.
that while this figure may appear ali
normal TO the lay mind, 1t must be re-
! mcmbered that 251,lll men were. en-
ploycd in handling trains during tho
year and that the excess service prob
ably would not exceed ono Instance to
each employee.
The difference in efficiency and safe
~ of operation between various rail
road systems" Mr. McChord said. lis
shown clearly by the commissions
analysis in the marked disparity he
tween the ratio OF excess service to
mileage between railroads serving
practically the same territory. For in
stance, oeic OF tho Eastern roads. oper-
atlng more than 5.300 miles OF tracks.
reports 5.22i instances in which train
| men were on duty for periods longer
than those provided by law, while an
other road in the Same territory. with a
mileage Of less than $500 miles, re
ports 22G6S such instances
Comparison Of Figures.
"A comparison OF the figures sub
mittod by two other OF the principal
Eastern lines shows. respectivelv. Il
mileage Of 2,35s. with 545l instances
of excess service, as compared with
2.SoS miles and 1G.44s instances In
the prairie country. ono road with a
mileage OF 4,755. reports approximate
~ 10000 instances OF excess service
while another road IN the same terri
tory. with moro than 1900 miles OF
tracks, reports only 2.31O instances of
excess service.
In the Southwestern territory. one
road, operating less than $500 miles
Of tracks, reports approximately l7O0
instances OF excess service: while an
other line, similarly situated. geo
graphically. reports only $50 instances
on mileage OF moro than 7504 miles
\ corresponding comparison between
two roads in the Northwestern soc
ton Of tho country shows IA mileage
of approximately 5000 miles, with less
/ than 500 Instances OF excess service:
while another road. with less than
1000 miles or line reports nearly
$500 Instances Of excess service"
Commissioners McChord within
whose supervision comes tho actual
administration OF the hours of service
act directed the preparation of the
ANALYSIS
The Law provides n maximum of six
teen hours as tho limit OF continuous
service for traiumen engaged In m,
physical operation of trains. This
Lave admittedly is being violated ron-
'hually by tho railroads-nlanv times
uhaVoidably. The carriers are required
10 report each Instance in which an
e'npioyc served more than sixteen
hours consccntively. fine OF sboo
being the penalty for failure 10 re-
port
nuScd by Deraiin,cnts
he analysis shows that dcrailinouts
AFFORDED tho most proliic cause of ex-
c'Ns service. SS,%l7 cases being nt
'rihuted BY the carriers to that generic
cause In 1880 instances Tho dnla,,e
were due TO coupler and drawbar DE-
1ects, while 1888 cases were attrih,It-
aD!e to miscellaneous car defect,
l-andSlidss, high water and fire wore
reported by the carriers involved oe
responsible Tor 1889 cases: ana ron
Fesuon of traffic resulted In 1852 EN-
ploFcS exceeding the limit of service
IN lc,t2O instances the excess service
was caused by track defects and OBJ