The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-30
RAILROADS RUSHING
EQUIPMENT ORDERS
Demand for Locomotives and
Cars OvershadOwing
War Contracts.

are scurrying about Tor equipment. cars
n locomotives are being rushed into
the repair shops and new contracts are
being placed with a more generous hand.
Specifications are being feverishly pre-
pared and will be put into the hands
OF merchant car builders as speedily as
possible. 1t was reported yesterday
that the Pennsylvania and Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad companies are having
plans drawn for 10000 to 1900 cars.
This means that inquiries now In the
market are between $4,000 and 10000
cars. The Chicago and Northwestern
Railroad Company has placed an order
for 500 ore cars with the New York
Car and Foundry Company. The Balti-
more n Ohio is having 500 freight
cars repaired by the Ryan Car Company
of Chicago and $50 remodelled by the
Western Car and Foundry Company.
The Central Railroad of New Jersey
has bought thirty coaches from the Har-
Ian and Hollingsworth Company.
The steel companies are suffering
from lack OF sufficient rolling stock to
make prompt shipments. The American
Sheet and Tin Plate Company reports
a shortage of both open and box cars
at six of its various plants. These are
mainly on the line OF the Pennsylvania
and Baltimore and Ohio railroads. The
! PRESSURE upon tNt tlttl III - llAl'
ments Is unusually imperative. and
everything Is being done to facilitate
the movement of products TO both do
nestle and foreign buyers, Apparently
the railroads have underestimated the
enormous valume of business being done
at a time OF year when the movement
OF produce crops makes especially heavy
draft upon resources OF motive power
and rolling stock.
The steel rail mills have taken add
tional contracts for so. 900 tons of stand
ard sections and negotiations continue
on 100 600 tons. The United states
Steel Corporation Yesterday refused a
contract for 10000 IONS of rails for Rus
sia. because OF the unsatisfactory terms
Of rayment offered. Russia Is negot!at-
ing with other rail mills for various lots,
ranging from 10000 tons to 10000 tons
each. The Philadelphia and Reading
Railroad is about to divide a contract
for 10000 tons OF rails between inc
Pennsylvania and Bethlehem Steel COM
NAMES. The Western Maryland has or
dered 1000 tons and the Texas Pac,nc
1000 tons for early shipment. The Pero
Marquette has bought $4,000 tons from
the Algoma steel Company. The Hook
ing Valley is closing for 5000 tons and
the Cumberland and Manchester FOR =
200 tons of standard rails for delivery
over the last quarter of this year ana
the first quarter of next. othcr nus
cellaneous contracts for about l2,OOO
tons are pending. The prospect is that
September rail contracts will reach 400
600 tons. This means that rail buying
during the current month has been the
heaviest since early 1912. The southern
Railway is In the market for 10000 adj
ditional tons of rails. the Seaboard Air
Lin for $4,000 to 10000 tons. II the
New Haven * preparing specifications
for 1916 requirements estimated at To-
00O to 10000 tons.
The railroads are also buying larger
lC,e of pig iron for delivery at repair
shops in different sections of the coun-
try. The Pennsylvania Railroad has
closed for $500 tons OF coke and char
coal. foundry grades. for delivery AT Al
touna, over the balance of this year.
The Baltimore and ONO has bought l.
500 tons for delivery over the last quar-
ter OF 1915. at the Baltimore and New
ark, Ohio. shops. The Southern Rail
way has closed for about 800 tons for
shipment to Lenoir City. Tenn, works
in the next sixty days.
The General Electric Company Is re-
ported to have closed "A portion of i;i
recent inquiries for $500 tons Of foun-
dry and low phosphorus pig iron with a
Buffalo furnace, but this is not verified.
II Is understood that contracts for the
foundry iron were placed with the Buf'
falo Union Furnace. Two o. the largest
Buffalo producing interests are now ask
ing SIG per ton for No. . foundry at
the furnace, but It is reported that this
business was done close to SIS per ton,
The Standard Cast Iron Pipe and
Foundry Company is asking for bids on
$1,000 tons of forge and No. 3 foundry
iron. for delivery in the first quarter of
next year at Bristol, Pa.
The United States Steel Products Com
pany has taken additional contracts for
wire products amounting to about -. OO0
tons for export to Great Britain, France
and Italy. These orders will be executed
by the American Steel and Wire Com
pany. which brings the September eX-
port sales to $4,000 tons. Tho most
encouraging feature in the wire trade,
however. Is the continued gain in domes-
tic business. The last advance OF 81
per ton not only stimulated speciiCa-
lions against contracts but resulted in
heavier new orders. The indication is
that September business of The largest
interests will aggregate 10000 tons
This means that the total orders booked
for domestic and foreign shipment were
265, 900 tons, and specifications exceeded
the new business by 10000 tons. II is
thus evident that the business booked
his month by the American Steel and
Wire Company was about 5000 tons in
excess of full capacity. The Theoretical
capacity of the company is about 1900
tons per day. but the best monthly ship
ment record has been 1872, 900 ons.