The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1916-01-13

these 1f3 were steel cars-maill
and express, baggage, first class
coaches, parlor, and Pullman
sleeping cars, costing in excess
Of 100000.
Three hundred miles of main
and branch lines were newly laid,
or relaid, with steel rails weigh
ing IS or 80 pounds to the yard,
in lieu of the lighter formally
laid. There are now $500 miles
Of Northern Pacific track laid with
from IS to 100 pound steel rails
and large part of its line equip
ped with automatic block signals
providing safety for its passen-
gers.
During the year 1873 bridges
were replaced. Those of greater
length and importance-one half
of all-were replaced either by
earth embankment or by steel or
reinforced concrete, and aggre-
gate more than mile and half
in length. Since 1885, when the
Northern Pacific began to syste-
matically replace old wooden
bridges and trestles with new,
solid, and permanent structures,
over 1870 miles of such bridges
have been replaced by earth en-
bahkments or steel and concrete
structures. Old embankmenis|
have been widened and new ones
made, miles of stock and snow
fences have been built, long sid
ings have been put in, hundreds
of miles Of automatic block sig-|
nails operated by electricity, have
been added, inter-locking plants
have been installed, new stations
have beeen built, and the track
itself has been placed in a condi-
ton unsurpassed by any trans
continental railway.
The Northern Pacific may be
called a crank regarding cross
ties. 1t believes that good solid
ties we'll embedded and ballasted,
are the only ones that will hold
rails firmly under the pressure
and strain of fast first class pas
senger trains and heavy freight
trains. 1t believes that it pays to
purchase only the best ties and
then to treat then, chemically SO
as to improve and preserve them.
To this end it has two tie treating
plants. at Brainerd, Mimi, and
Paradise. Mont. for treating all
its ties. These plants have a ca
pacity for 100000 ties annually.
In The last fiscal year 5000. 600
new ties were placed i'm Northern
Pacific tracks-or, at 5000 to the
mile. the equivalent of 1000 miles
of track. This tells the story of
Northern Pacific methods based
on Safety First principles, and of
the way in which it safeguards
the public that uses it's trains.
J! In maintaining it's track in this
first class, A No. 1 condition the
j; Company spends from $1,000 to
ST 900 a mile depending upon
cost of labor and material.
Many facts and figures of rail
way operation become, through
familiarity, commonplace to rail-
way men. To others they may be
extremely interesting. Some few
of these that may thus attract the
attention of the initiated fellow.
The total number of miles run by
the Northern Pacific passenger
trains aggregated more than 49,
800, 900 miles, of freight and mix
ed trains, 100000 miles. There
was about 100000 passengers
carried last year on the Northern
Pacific railway.
i These figures should Indicate
that the margin of profit upon
which railways, those in the north
west, at least, are operating is not
as deep as we'll nor as wide as
a church door. The ordinary bus
mess man would hardly be salts
fled with it i'm his own business.
There were 100000 tons OF
| freight carried, the revenue there
from amounting to the munificent|
sum of not quite eight and one
helf mills for each ton carried
one mile. When remuneration fig
ures range below one cent for any
unit of price or service it is diff
cult for the ordinary mind to real
ly grasp the situation. The small
ness or meagreness Of return asl
here shown may we'll cause reflec-
ton on the part of impartially
minded and thOutful persons.
| AS against this it may be stated
that in addition to what has be-
| fore been enumerated under gen.
eral maintenance charges. there
were expended by the Northern
Pacific for grade reductions and
changes in the railway line, more
than 100000; for improved tun-
nels. SOL 900: new bridges, tres
ties and culverts, 1884, 900: heav-
Ter rails, 100000; track fasten-;
ings and appurtenances, s5O5 900
new ballast, 1907, 900: sidings and
cn,,p fuool,~ oOAn nm.