Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-02
All Passenger Trains
on Some Ra;1roads
to Be Eliminated

Philadelphia. Jan. Thru a slash
ing Of its passenger schedules, by or
der Of the government as war meas
ure, the Philadelphia and Reading ram
way at n!ghtfall today will virtually
cease as a passenger-carrying road
and will be used until the end of the
war as one Of the principal freight
carriers of the east.
In the vast scheme designed by the
newly created federal war board at
Washington, the Reading, in the broad
sense OF the word, VIII lose its identity
and will he merged into the great sys-
TEN Of railroads under strict govern
ment operation, which will consist OF
more than 500 separate linz and COM
prise 100000 miles of track.
The decision TO convert the Reading
came with unexpected sud0enness,
even TO its officials. Word was re-
ceived at the terminal here or Friday
night, or within eight hours after
the government took control Of all the
railroads. Officials Of all departments
were busy yesterday making over the
road and rearrauging passenger time
tables. As enc official expressed it last
night she very heart Of things was
ripped out bodily
Henceforth the Reading will concen-
trate on freisht Wherever possible
its passenger business will be handled
by the Pennsylvania. The latter road
in the meantime according 10 the lat
est information, will continue to serve
both as a passenger and freight car
rier. Up TO late last night no orders
calling for a readjustment OF its facii!-
ties had been received. and altho it
is generally expected passenger cuts
will he made where there is surplus
of service. the orders 10 the Reading
Indicate that the Pennsylvania will be
depended upon TO carry much Of the
passenger travel.
Thus far between twenty and thirty
trains have been cut from the Read
ing's schedules. This applies entirely
10 the upstate traffic, and was ar
ranged for at'a conference of pas
senger officials al the Reading ter
minal Sweeping cuts are TO be made
covering the Philadelphia-Nev York
trains and the suburban traffic. How
many trains are to be eliminated from
the New York or suburban service not
even the Reading passenger depart
nent itself knows yet. But that II will
be settled by nightfa!l was learned
from authoritative sources.
Whatever trains are left untouched,
II Is admitted that the passenger IA
cil!ties will be little more than skele-
ton. What the system loses in pas
senger business will more than be
made up by the increase IN freight.
Large schemes are IN prospect, among
them the using Of the Reading line
from Harrisburg to New York as
short cut to relieve the congestion on
the main line Of the Pennsylvania.
1t is understood that much OF the
freight from the west coming over
the Pennsylvania will be switched on
at Harrisburg TO the Reading lines,
where il will be carried into New York
by way OF Reading, Allentown and
thence over the New jersey Central
or the Lehigh Valley
The most important use to which
II is expected the Reading will be
utilized will come IN handling a major
part Oh the CO6i business. ne fSedtlllS
is the largest misunderstanding road
in the country. It's 100 miles operated
stretch like the fingers OF hand into
the richest coal veins ever uncovered.
Strategically situated. 1t can shoot Its
product into any center. 1t has a
direct line to Philadelphia; it can reach
Chicago and the west by its connec-
ton with the New York Central: New
York over both the New Jersey Cen
tral, which It controls. or the Lehigh
Valley. 1t can ship to New England
or to the south with almost equal
ease. either by rail or water.
The division on which cuts were
made up to late last night were the
W!iNamsport branch, the Bethlehem
branch, Reading, Pottsville and Har-
There will be no night serv-
ice from this city to Williamsport. AS
a preliminary flash to the public OF the
change in traffic conditions. the Read
ing put out a notice completely an
nulling its train service. Travellers are
requested by the management not to
make plans before consulting the
ticket agents.