The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-13
need MORE POWER
This Is Government Problem
for Railway Operation.
Congestion of Cars Last Winter
Indicates Demand.
zaHsAEH @Auuan@
ASSIGN EVERY POUND steel
Engine Shops VIII Be Provided
With Materials Now.
Railroads Junk $4,000 Cars a
Year, Expert Declares.

Washington, July 13.-In the light
of experience with transportation diff
ficulties during the winter of 1917-1s,
chiefs-of the United States railroad ad-
ministration consider that additional
locomotives are more necessary now
than additional freight cars.
Discussing the decision recently an
nounced to build 100000 new cars for
American railroads during the present
year, railroad administration officials
say the number was fixed only after
every locomotive that existing facfli-
ties could turn out during the next
year had been ordered.
1T was not a shortage of cars that
brought about congestion in the past,
it is said at the railroad administra-
ton IN fact, so many cars got jam
med up in terminals that they nearly
blocked transportation themselves.
The shortage was in motive power. So
in considering the matter this year.
when the war industries board fixed
the amount of steel which it would al
loo to railroad use, we assigned to the
engine shops every pound that there
was a reasonable chance of getting in
to a new locomotive this year. Any
engine builder who can increase his
capacity can still get orders.
After that, an estimate of the
amount of steel available was made.
and as many cars as can come out OF
it were ordered. That happened to be
100000. They are of a composite
steel and wood design, adopted be-
cause it will get more cars out OF the
steel supply. Only the event itself
will show. but we consider that the
construction ordered will be sufficient
to meet the strains, tho all Of our cal
cuIations are based upon an increased
traffi burden for railroads next year"
Samuel o. Dunn, ed tor of the Rail-
-
figures compiled by S1ason Thompson
head of the ureau of. railway news
and statist- cs, has made a prediction
that the new car construction VIII not
obviate hO-sage when crop and coal
movements lie upon railroads after
October. He declares that $4,000
freight cars are worn out and junked
normally each year by American
roads and that during recent years
new cons ruction has failed to keep
pace with w stage. There were 4.072
fewer fret at cars in Use on American
railroads in -917 than there were at
the beginning of 1911. he concludes,
placing the present total at approx
mately 2.500.000. This total, he as
serts. IS 100000 short of the number
required to handle the freight
THE original shortage which was
responsible mainly for the chaos of
last winter will have to be increased
rather than decreased" he said in a
statement upon the administrations
car building program, land at that
learned at recent conferences at
Washington that cars have not thus
far been turned out as fast as they
might hav been
ION March l, 1915. for the first
time for two and a half years. the
American Railway association report
ed a net shortage of cars. This was
due mainly to weather conditions. and
to an acute congestion at eastern
ports It disappeared, and did not re-
| turn for i've months. On September
1, 1916. however. a new shortage was
| reported again; and net shortages
! varying from $4,000 to $4,000 cars
have been reported every month since
| This unbroken continuance of car
! shortage for more than twenty months
| is without precedent in the history OF
American railroading. The car short
| age is again on the ascenjency now
and will assuredly reach its peak early
| in October when the crop movement
| together with the coal traffic will
| further augment the demands upon
the railroads.