New-York tribune., 1919-02-05
Saws World Looks
ToU. S. for Supply
OF Locomotives
Leader of Industry Fore
casts Large Orders When
Present Survey of Euro
pean Needs Is Completed

Leading American manufacturers of
railroad and industrial locomotives
have sent special representatives to
Europe, it was learned yesterday, to
meet foreign railroad executives and
transportation officials and to make
general survey of the motive power
requirements of the principal countTes
ef Europe. The visit OF the American
experts is expected to result in the
booking of q large volume of business,
largest of the American companies.
Europe is in need of thousands OF
power units for her railroads, and loco
motive builders in France and England
are not in position to meet this de-
mand
"American locomotive builders are
in favored position said this officer
yesterday, "to take much of this busi-
rcss lnasmuch as we are prepared to
handle the work at once and insure de-
livery within reasonably short
period. Railroads all over the world,
in China, South America, Africa. IN
fact everywhere, have been forced to
keep out of the market for more than
four years by reason of the heavy war
demands for railroad equipment and
the exceptionally high prices. AS
result there is q serious shortage that
must be met if the reconstruction work
now confronting the world is to be
properly handled. We Americans
should get a big share of this busi-
ness"
Price Decline Attracts Foreigners
Prices of American built locomotives
are already declining. and the drop
since the signing of the armistice
amounts in the average to about 10 per
cent. This is beginning to bring IN
new foreign business, and already the
American Locomotive Company has ac-
cepted orders for sXtytwo engines for
delivery in South Africa, Argentina
and Portuguese East Africa. Twenty
locomotives will go to Argentina, con-
stituting the first important business to
come TO the American builders from that
quarter, as before Argentina bought
the major part of its railroad equip
ment requirements from English and
French manufacturers. The same is
true of the South African business, and
the fact that these countries are plac-
ing contracts here is accepted in the
trade as indicating that England and
France are not for the present, at
least, able to take care ofsthe demand
from this quarter.
The Baldwin Locomotive Company,
the other important American locomo-
tive concern. has just closed with the
Chinese government for thirty-four en-
gines. A delegation OF Chinese Off
cials is due to arrive in the United
States this month. They will make a
careful study Of American railroad
conditions and transportation systems
with a view 20 making recommenda-
tions to the Peklng government for the
hest features of our system. II is be-
lieved that their visit here viii pro-
duce much new business both for
American locomotive builders and car
manufacturers.
Disposing of Pershing's Engines
AS soon as conditions in Russia per
nit, the American companies plan to
reenter that field and reopen their Rus
sian Offices for the acceptance Of new
business. The Russian field, il was
stated yesterday, is one of the most
promising. as railroad rolling stock ir
that country is known to be in an al
most hopeless condition.
One OF the interesting questions il
the LOGON otive industry at the present
time is what disposition is to be made
OF the 1900 consolidated type Amer
can built locomotives now being usec
by the Pershing forces in France. /
is confidently hoped that it will b,
found possible to reconstruct thes'
power units so they can be operate,
profitably on the French government
railways.