Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-05-19
RAILROAD TO MAKE
CHANGE IN YARDS
Northwestern To Transfer Facilities
For Passenger Equipment Stor-
age to Omaha.
LONG AT COUNCIL BLUFFS

The Northwestern Railroad COM
pany, ever since il reached the
Missouri river more than twenty
five years ago, has had its storage
yards for passenger equipment in
the vicinity Of the Union Pacific
transfer at Council Bluffs. The
company ahas purchased land in
Omaha and in the near future, or as
soon as the necessary buildings can
be erected and storage tracks laid,
will transfer the business to this
side of the river,
The move upon the part OF the
Northwestern will increase the pop
ulation OF Omaha by some $50
to 800. Besides the conductors and
other trainmen, there will be large
force OF wipers, ear cleaners and
other employees who will come as
result Of the move.
The land purchased by the North
western for buildings and storage
tracks lies south OF Leavepwortl
and west Of Eighteenth street, be-
yond the Great Westerns land and
extending south toward the Union
Pacific right-of-way
Big Saving Of Money
The Northwestern will make the
change in the interest OF economy
and to expedite the handling Of
trains in and out OF the city.
Many years ago the Northwestern
entered into long time contract
with the Union Pacific for the use
of the latter's bridge and trackage
on this side of the river. The lease
is on a wheelage basis and under
its terms the Northwestern pays
the Union Pacific on every car
brought across the bridge and on
every car taken back. When North
western trains come 10 the Union
station they are unloaded and taken
back empty to the storage yards and
cleaning shops at the transfer. There
they are held until time for trains to
be sent back over the lines to the
east. They are brought to the I'M
ion station empty, but the wheel.
age NldlRt - pau llN sallN 40 -
they were loaded.
Thus, according to the arrange
ments that have been in force for
years, the Northwestern has paid a
wheelage charge of thousands Of dol
lars annually on cars that were not
bringing in any revenue. Under the
new deal the company will save a
large sum OF money annually in the
matter Of wheelage charges.
Save Half on Wheelage.
The distance from the Union sta
! ton TO the ground that has been pur-
| chased is not more than one-fourth
as great as the distance to the stor-
age yards at the transfer, and, be-
sides this, having the yards on the
Omaha side Of the river, the wheel
age charge will be cut in two, as
empty trains will remain here until
the time Of their going east arrives.
On the Black Hills and Wyoming
trains this charge will be wiped out
entirely. These trains now, after be-
ing emptied, are taken to the trans
| fer at Council Bluffs, where they re-
main until it is time for them to re-
turn and start out ON the lines to the
west
Under the terms Of the new deal
the Northwestern will use the Union
Pacific tracks from the Union sta
ton to its new storage yards
At this time more than 100 cars
of passenger equipment pass over the
Union Pacific bridge and through the
plant at the transfer daily, Under the
new arrangements the number of
cars passing over the bridge will be
more than cut in two