Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-22
CAR SHORTAGE REDUCTION;
SHIPPERS VERY HELPFUL
Loaded Car. Not Allowed to Remain
Long on Sidinss-Wnr BOARD
Comes to Rescue.

The statistics now available, accord :
ing to the Railway Age-Gszette. de
monstrate that the reduction OF the net
car shortage from l4s.s27 cars on May
l, to 105,127 on June I, or about 80
per cent. was due to increased eff
cheney In railway operation, because
they show that II was accomplished In
spite OF large increase in freight
traffic in May"
1t Is certainly observable In this part
or the country that all OF the credit for
the reduction of the car shortage Is
not due to Increased efficiency" on the
part of the railways. In Richmond and
In all parts of the South the large ship
pers have heard the appeals OF the gov
eminent and OF the railway managers
and are doing their bit in the matter
or hurrytnS up the work OF loading
and unloading OF cars SO as 10 keep
as many as possible moving instead OF
standing over time on the side tracks.
"hiie statistics regarding the vol.
ume OF traffic handled in May are not
yet available in complete form" the
ASe-Gazette continues. IAN indication
Oh the increase in the amount of bust
ness for which the railroads were call
ed upon to furnish cars in that month
Is Afforded by the freight earnings OF
the roads that have already reported
their monthly earnings to the Inter-
state Commerce Commission. One hun
area and forty eight roads in all parts
or the country have filed their May
earnings reports with the commission,
and these roads showed an increase in
freight revenues of 1914 per cent in
May AS compared with April. This in
crease in freight revenue indicates a
corresponding increase in the total
amount OF freight carried. and is the
q @ CDth ~
being gained from the work OF the
Railroads War Board and its sub
committee, the Commission on Car Ser
vice, In co-ordinating the facilities of
the railroads for the purpose of in
creasinG their efficiency during the war.
1t also shows that they are receiving
increasing cooperation from shippers
In loading cars heavily and in load
ing and unloading them more quickly.
The new car service regulation, under
which box cars are Virtually pooled,
were put into effect by order OF the
Railroads War Board on April %, and
since that time the Commission on Car
Service has ordered those railroads on
which cars have accumulated IN con-
Sested territories to turn over to roads
on which there has been n shortage, cars
to the number of ovsr $4,000, which
nave been sent largely in trainload lots
to the points where they have been
most needed
The Railroads War Board has also
received reports indicating 4 consider
able Increase in efficiency OH the part
or the railroads in April. Figures from
81 per cent OF the mileage OF the rail-
roads in the United States show tina;
they carried over 5000. 900. 900 more
tons OF freight one mile In April. 1917.
than they did in April. 1916, an In
crease of Is per cent and that this was
done with an increase of but 40 per
cent In locomotive miles and with but
per cent more freight cur miles. The
average train load was Increased six
ty-six tons-a remarkable achievement
and the average carload was in
creased "a tons
These figures for April and May
make very good showing of increased
efficiency gained under the greatest
difficulties; but they should not cause
any misleading optimism. With rail-
way traffic continuing to increase at
the rate 1t is. it is evident that even
though the railways and shippers use
the transportation facilities available
to the best purpose possible. there prob
ably will be another big car shortage
and acute congestion this fall"