Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-07
POINTS WAY TO RAILROADS
TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY
Railway Association Makes I'm.
pOrtant Suggestions.
' MUST RESPOND TO DEMANDS
War Causes Large Increases in Traf.
hc, Which Results In Overtaxing
OF Present Facilitics-Conserva.
tion OF Motive Power Urged.

ton OF Motive Power Urged.
The executive committc Of tho Amer
lean Railway Association. Committee
! on National Defense. of which Prcsi-
J dent Fairfax Harrison. Of the Southern
| Hallway, is chairman has issued an
order TO the entire system OF railroads
] OF the country relative to increasing
their efficiency to meet the demands
, Of activities growing out Of the war.
. The committee says: The European
war is responsible for conditions tina,
! have caused very large Increases IL
! irathc OH American railroads, whose
| capacities are now OvertaXeG, and they
| are unable To respond promptly to all
! demand made on them. In other words
| there is a demand for trangDorta ton
! that is not being supplied. and It be-
! come= tile duty of your committee to
suggest how the present high efficiency
! Of American railroads might be sill.
| further raised so AS TO increase the
| supply o: transportation units with OK
ist.nE plant. forces OF skilled and an
skilled labor. and supplies Of fuel and
equipment which cannot &c !ncrca-ed
because the demand for all OF these
far exceeds the supply. YOU commit
tee Drcfaces It's suggestions By saying
/ that to many roads they may be unnec-
tssarv. hut they are offered 10 all in
tn" hope that they may find them
helpful. II is also recognized that
some Of these suggestions viii increase
operating operating costs, but their
purpose being 10 increase the capac-
iiy OF the plant the result 's deeIne.. to
justif" *ac'ifice in national emer.
I gcucy"
URGES CONSERVATION
OF MOTIVE POW Err
In urging that motive power be CON
CO (, - 49,
about 10 per cent Of locomotives are
1 ordinarily under repair. and f This
I percentage We're reduced TO 10. which
figure mas becn reached by some
roads. IL would mean an addition Of
! 1926 locomotives to the number in
service i;y increasing tho average
number Of miles ran per day ~ Il
locomotive from seventy-fve TO ninety.
which is now reached on some roads
II viii be equivalent TO adding $1,000
to the locomotive equipment. This may
be accomplished by quick turning at
/ terminals. double growing or pooling
! improving the quality OF water, which
may enable Il locomotive 10 double a
I division without loss OF fuel and time
I Involved in cooling down. and with less
boiler repairs; constant and close in
! spcction OF firing methods. which will
reduce the escape of combustion units
I in heavy black smoke. also waste Of
/ steam blowing off when locomotives
are standing: 20 to 20 per cent more
! freight can be handled by limiting the
= speed and utilizing the full tractivc
. power Of the locomotive at lively. TO
Z hftccn miles per hours, excite a spirit
(, OF emulation by reporting and circu-
, lat.ng tie money value OF waste OF
| ro"e,' generated in locomotives and NOT
/ used; defer scrapp;nG light locomotives
which might be used in branch or ligh.
/ main line service.
The efficiency OF cars can he in
| creased BY quicker handling and
! promp,er loading and unloading. and
/ by better ioadins-more tons per car
I The average time consumed by ship
] per and conSignee in loading and un-
| loading cars can be reduced from four
days TO thrSe and onc-half days OF
I the ".515.0 600 freight cars in the United
! states. of which about Go per cent or
$4,000 are normally under repair. close
/ watching and prompt repair work Will
reduce this percentage TO a. which
would release $1,000 cars for active
/ service The average miles run per
/ freight car per day can be increased,
equivalent 10 adding $4,000 freigh,
! cars. Or 90 per cent. TO existing eauip-
( mcnt.
REDUCE TINE AT TERMINALS
Bi PROMPT DESPATCH OF TRAINS
Reduce idle time IN city and freight
/ division terminals by prompt dispatch
I OF trains. Load and unload company
freight and commercial freight prompt :
!y-the hrst. by close inspection and
by disciplining offenders; the second
! by personal appeal by local agents,
division and assistant superintendent,
and distric, traffic officers. TO shippers
ana consiEnees. Increase carloads.
which have not kept pace with incrcas c
or car capacity, notably in the case OF
box cars. of which only 80 per cent OF
/ their total capacity Is nov utilized In
general, load all cars TO 10 per cent in
excess OF their marked weight capacity
/ who're many sheen or hogs are han
| died. use double deCked cars: urc 2
1 trtihc onlccrs TO make strenuous and
/ concerted efforts to get the consent or
! tho public TO increase carload min.
ina: where commercial units arc ha II
! Or less than half the capacity of the
car, and two shipments are destined e,
The same point. persuade the shipper
/ I" load the Two shipments In the ends
! OF the same car; consolidate under
| loaded merchandise cars at designated
! transfer points and avoid movement,
OF light loaded equipment: reduce in
| every legitimate way empty car haul
oil either system or foreign cars by
| watchful distribution: move comranv
| freight an6 supplies SO far az nos
/ sibie on trains that cannot otherwise
! carry full tonnage: operate work and
/ construction trains as far as possih,o
I in slack times: store company fuel
| III slack times: make the question OF
| train loading ono of primary mn
] portance.
IMPORTANT TO KEEP YARDS
/ CLEAR OF ACCUMULATIoNs
"One of the greatest opportunities TO
increase car efficiency" says the com
| mittce. lies in better control OF an
unusual traffic movement through Mac
! ing cmbargoes promptly so as TO avo id
| congestion and delay. The Importance
! OF Keeping yards and terminals, cspeci-
| ally in large cities and at scaports,
! clear of accumulations which cannot he
I handled cXpcditiousiy, cannot he over
| estimated The experience of the pa st
! year has shown that the number OF
| cars held In such accommodations, to-
| Gcthcr with those unduly detained by
| shippers, have been the chief causes
| Of car shortage. The Importance OF
/ this question demands the closest pos