New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-09-10
RAILROADS. WORK
OF FOUR MONTHS
Bulletin Reviews Accomplish
mentS Of the War Board

Washington, IL. c., Sept. 10.-The
following statement authorized by
Fairfax Harrison, chairman of the
Railroads War Board, summarizes
the more important activities of the
war board during the first four
months of it's existence.
Information gathered by the Rail-
roads War Board during the first
four months Of its existence, indicates
that the voluntary act OF the 698
railroads OF this country In merging
their competitive activities for the
period of the war and uniting in one
continental system. has not only made
the transportation problem presented
by the war less cumbersome to ham
die, but surer OF satisfactory solution.
In addition to welding into one
loyal army each and every one OF the
1,75O,OOO persons employed by the
ratlroads-from engine wipers to
prestdents-the coordination of the
nations carriers has made possible
the most intensive use Of every loco
motive, every freight car, every mile
OF track and every piece OF railroad
equipment In the country. 1t has
also facilitated the securing of i'm
valuable cooperation from the ship
pers and the general public.
Some concrete examples of what
has been accomplished through this
cooperation of the railroads, the
shippers and the public since April
FL, when the war board was created,
follow: "
Car Shortage Reduced.
The excess of untitled car requisi-
tions over idle cars Cor what is COM
monty called car shortage) has been
reduced 70 per cent. On April 80,
the so-called car shortage amounted
to 14S,627. On June 80 these figures
had been cut to 77,f44. On August 1
the excess Of untitled car acquisitions
over idle cars amounted to only 49,
776.
In the month Of May, freight trans
portation service rendered by about
rs per cent. OF Class I roads learn
ings Of 100000 or more), was 16.1
per cent. in excess Of the service rem
dered in 1916. In that year, which
was one. of unusual activity, the
freight service rendered by the car
riers was "a per cent. greater than
In 1916. So the carriers have
achieved the astounding feat Of add
ing to their freight service, in the
short period of two years, an amount
equal to the freight traffic of Great
Britain, France, Russia, Germany and
Austria combined
Approximately 100000 miles Of
train service q year have been saved
by elimination of all passenger trains
not essential to the most pressing
needs of the country. This reduction
Nf &C ~nln Sn@
hundreds of locomotives and train
crews and cleared thousands of miles
of track that are absolutely needed
in the freight service for the trans
portation of necessities.
Freight congestion at many impor-
tant shipping points has been avert
ed by promptly moving empty cars
from one railroad to another, ire
spective of ownership. BY ordering
the adoption of this policy, which is
brand new to American railroad us
age, the Railroads War Board has
moved 113,42o empty freight cars
into districts where they have been
most needed.
Through the pooling of lake coal
and lake ore. a saving of $1,000 cars
in moving those commodities alone
has been achieved.
A further saving of $4,000 cars
has been made possible by the pooling
of tidewater coal. Both of these
pooling projects were brought about
by the Railroads War Board in col
laboration with the Committee on
Coal Production of the Council OF
the Council of National Defense.
BY regulating the movement of
grain for export, the number of cars
ordinarily required for this service
has been reduced, despite an abnor-
NAL export increase this year, 49,
6S2,02S bushels of wheat corn, bar.
ley and oats being shipped to the
Allies from May list to July 14th.
This business was SO handled that
there were no delays or no blocking
of facilities at either the grain eleva-
tors or the seaports.
Although the figures on the inten-
sive loading of freight cars are not
complete as yet, a sufficient number
of reports have been received from
the 27 local committees of the War
Board to show that commercial bod
les and individual shippers in all parts
of the country are giving hearty CO.
operation to the railroads campaign
"to make one car do the work of
two
Larger Loads On Cars.
Checks made recently in Florida
and Georgia on loaded potato cars
show for instance, that cars are carry
ing 200 bbls. this year against 125
bbls. last years.
Checks made in Chicago show that
cement cars are now carrying 1900
lbs. as against 10000 lbs last year.
In Pittsburgh, tin plate cars that
carried 80 per cent. of their marked
capacity on June 9th last, are now
being loaded to carry 9S.6 per cent.
In Minnesota, the average carload
of flour in 1915 amounted to 46,250
lbs: this year the average carload is
1923 lbs.