The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-09-23
Santa Fe Authorizes an Ex-
penditure of $3,OOO,OOO.
First Orders for Steel Eauip.
ment ON This Road.
announcement FROM Topeka
Decision in Wake of Showing
on Other Lines.
Solid ''IrOn" Trains on All To.
peka Roads Soon.

An announcement of Importance to
the travelling public of the west comes
today from the general offices of the
Atchison. Topeka & Santa Fe railway
in Topeka to the effect that So, ,0O0, 900
has been appropriated for the purchase
of all-steel passenger equipment. This
is the first step taken by the Santa Fe
in the purchase of steel cars. The ac-
ton witnesses the last of the big rail-
way systems of the country in the rec
ognition of the safety and loss of life
prevention in the use of steel cars
1t is estimated by railway officers in
Topeka that the decision of the Santa
Fe will add to the percentage of steel
cars in use on the big trunk lines of
this country. When the Santa Fe re-
ceives its delivery of new equipment
this fall, forty per cent of all the pas
senSer coaches in use on trunk lines
will be of steel construction.
The unusual record of the steel cars
in the last year showing the value of
the equipment in preventing loss of life
in wrecks has awakened a new interest
in the iron" car. The Rock Island
wreck last Saturday when n persons
were bruised and slightly injured and
none killed, due entirely to the use of
the steel car, is typical of the service
performed by this latest construction
of modern passenger equipment
Ripley Changes His Mind.
The astonishing feature of the Santa
Fe orders for 100000 in passenger
equipment is the recent statements of
President Ripley to the effect that his
road never would buy all steel cars.
I'VE do not want all steel equip
ment,' he said in Topeka not long ago
THE massive steel underframe and
frame passenger cars now standard
with the Santa Fe are fully as safe
heavier and stronger and without the
drawbacks of heat in the summer and
cold in the winter
Apparently the wonderful safety ex-
hibitions of the steel equipment, the
sentiment in congress favoring the
purchase of this class of rolling stock,
the activity of the big trunk lines in
buying the modern coaches and the
preference of the travelling public for
the safer cars has changed the mind
of the Santa Fe head.
Another recent movement may have
had its influence with the Santa Fe-
the decision of the Pullman company
to manufacture all steel sleepers. Hun
dreds of these new cars have been sent
out on the roads and are in use today.
Only a few days ago the Santa Fe
pulled a solid train of steel sleepers
through Topeka on the limited trains
to California.
Two of the other roads operating
trains through Topeka are pioneers in
steel cars-the Union Pacific and the
Rock Island. The latter road sends six
solid and four near-solid steel trains
through Topeka every day. In few
months the road promises nothing but
steel equipment on all main line trains
The Santa Fe. with it's underframe
and superstructure framed cars of steel
and with the new all-steel equipment
will give Topeka travelling patrons safe
traffic in all directions. 1t will finish
out the protection of three railroads TO
the passengers. The other road. the
Missouri Pacific, runs only small local
trains which do not require the heavier
cars of the trunk lines