Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1917-01-11
REASONS FOR GAR SHORTAGE
ON THE UNION PACIFIC SYSTEM

during the year 1916 with the prob
lem OF keeping pace with the ire
mendous growth Of the business In
the territory which this railroad
serves
Much OF the increase in business
descended suddenly upon the Union
Pacific as result OF the European
war in the same manner as 1t descend
cd suddenly upon the other industries
OF the country
At the outset OF the sudden squirt
In business the management OF the
Union Pacific found itself confronted
with the fact that approximately TO-
| 600 OF the box cars owned by the
System were being held up at eastern
terminals because the consigneeS
were either unable to deliver the
| freight on ship board, or to provide
| the necessary warehouse facilities SO
that the cars could be unloaded. This
made it necessary TO utilize the re-
naming equipment to the greatest
degree Of efficiency. with the result
that during the month of October,
1916, the average daily car movement
! for all cars on the Union Pacific had
reached a total average OF TAI miles.
The average daily car movement on
the railroads throughout the country
is only twenty-six miles
! The increase in business handled Is
shown In the following figures
From July LIST, 1916, to December
LIST, 1916, there were 19O,S33 cars of
freight loaded at the various stations
on the Union Pacific Railroads. in
crease Of 20,425 cars over 1915.
During the same period the Union
Pacific received from its western con-
nections S2425 cars OF freight, or TO-
GIG more than in 1915, and the rail
road delivered to its eastern connec-
tons 117,674 cars Of freight, or 90 400
mere than in 1915 and during the
same period received from their east
Crn connections 1O8741 cars OF freight,
which was 2S,315 cars more than in
1915, and they delivered to their west
ern connections 51410 cars, or 10,S93
cars more than in 1915.
AS a further example OF the sudden
ness with which the increase in busi.
ness developed, the following figures
are interesting:
From July 1st to December LIST,
1915, 1000 more cars OF wheat were
handled than during the same period
in 1915, 224 more cars Of oats, 1921
more cars of mill products, $50 cars
more OF potatoes, 1,475 cars more OF
cattle. 1.427 cars more Of hogs, 034
cars more of coal, 1886 more cars OF
general merchandise, or a total Of IT,
50S more cars of these commodities
alone were handled from July LIST to
December 1st, than were handled In
the year previous.
From July 1st, 1915, TO December
LIST, 1916 the Union Pacific Railroad
burned I.342.02S tons OF coal or 207-
261 tons more than during the same
period in 1915; and used 2O,613,O0O
gallons OF water during The month OF
October, 1916, or 3443 900 gallons
more than during the same month in
1915: in other words an average
monthly consumption OF water as
great as the entire city Of Omaha, in
Guiding all or It's Industries.
During the year 1916 approximately
312 900 900 were spent for mainten-
ance OF way and structures; 40 miles
OF new side track were built, two
new coaltng stations were erected .
two new turntables were built; an
electrical interlocking plant was IN
stalled at the Denver Union Station;
nine new depots were built four new
track scales were built; nine new wa.
ter tanks were erecteh, seven new
stock pens were built; two new shop
buildings were erected 70 miles OF
the main line Of the Kansas Division
were baIlasted with Sherman Gravel;
| 81 miles OF the Kansas Division main
line were equipped with automatic
/ block signals; 1854 900 were spent Tor
new equipment such as Superheated
Switching locomotives, Steel Wreck
! ing Cranes. Coalng Cranes. Steel Pile
| Drivers. Snow Plows Steel Under
frame Tool Cars. etc. and orders
have been given for new quipment FOR
1917. such as FREIGHT and Passenger
| Locomotives. Box Cars. Auto Cars,
Tank Cars BAGGAGE and Mail Cars,
Motor Cars, SelfpropeTling Coal
Cranes. Jordan Spreader Crane for
Bridge work. American pitcher etc,
which VIII cause an expenditure q
from $4,000 900 TO $4,000, 900.