The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1916-01-13
The Story Of One Railways
Operations for One Year

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. In main
tanning it's track in this first-class, ~
No. condition the company spends
from $1,000 to $1,000 mile, depend
ing upon cost Of labor and material.
Many facts and figures Of railway
operation become, through familiarity.
commonplace to railway men. To
others they may be extremely inter
esting. Some few of these that may
thus attract the attention of the unin-
itiated follow. The total number Of
miles run by all the Northern Pacific
passenger trains aggregated more than
1O.3O00O0 miles; of freight and mixed
trains, 100000 miles. There were
about 100000 passengers carried last
year on the Northern Pacific railway.
These figures should indicate that
the margin of profit upon which rail-
ways, those in the northwest, at least
are operating is not as deep as a we'll
nor as wide as a church door. The
ordinary business man would hardly be
satisfied with it in his own business.
There were 17,6OO,OO0 tons of freight
carried, the revenue therefrom amount
ing to the munifcent sum of not quite
eight and one half mills for each ton
carried one mile. When remunera-
ton figures range below one cent for
any unit price or service it is difficult
for the ordinary mind to really grasp
the situation. The smallness or
meagreness of return as here shown
may we'll cause reflection on the part
of impartially minded and thoughtfui
persons.
AS against this it may be stated that
in addition to what has before been
enumerated under general mainten-
ance charges, there were expended by
the Northern Pacific for grade reduc-
tons and changes in the railway line,
more than 100000; for improved
tunnels, $4,000; new bridges, trestles
and culverts, $345,000; heavier rails,
$296,000; track fastenings and appu.-
tenances, $505,000; new ballast, $751;
600; sidings and spur tracks, 1921, 1000;
terminal yards, $333,OOO; automatic
| block signals, $35S,O00; new stations
and fixtures, $9S2,OO0; shops, engine
houses, etc., $S5O,000, besides numer-
GUS other heavy similar expenditures,
At the close of the fiscal year 1915
the road owned 1851 locomotives Of
various classes, nearly 1900 passen-
ger cars, and $4,000 freight cars, the
latter having a capacity for 100000
tons.
The facts and figures here repre-
sented furnish the groundwork for
partial and wholesome conception Of
what running railway really means.
Between the lines and suggested by
the facts given, ones magination may
picture the difficulties and hardships.
mental as we'll as physical, attendant
upon such operation, without strain
ing it. The mental cares and worries.
the hardships incident to the operation
of trains in wind and storm, rain and
cold, the economies necessary to re.
duce expense without at the same time
reducing efficiency. the proper upkeep
of the railway, the installation OF new
and useful methods of safety and op-
Grafton, and through it all the acts Of
courage, fortitude, and heroism among
employees that more or less continual
ly occur in the simple, daily line OF
duty-these must all be filled in by the
imagination to make the picture or
the story complete.