The sun., 1919-02-03
SAVES $2S,24S,OOO
TO ROADS IN YEAR
Director Of Eastern Region
Says Half Came From Cut in
Passenger Service.
REPORT COVERS ALL 1918
Decrease in Rail Traffic Pre-
dicted for Few Months
Situation Now Normal.

The annual report Of A. II. Smith. Re-
rional Director for the Eastern Region, TO
The Director-General OF Railroads was
made public yesterday. Mr.. Smith makes
point In his second paragraph that his
economies have saved S23.24s.0o0 from
December 81, 1917, to December 81,
1918. but he notes frankly that sl2,1e0,-
600 Of this Saving was obtained by the
elimination OF passenger service. The
rest came about through uniication OF
terminals and stations. S4,l72,ooo re-
auctions In organization. S3.6i7,000 ;
miscellaneous economies. $3.2o9,000.
The Regional Director observes that
railroad operations in the past year have
been conducted under the most disad-
outrageous circumstances. He mentions
the severity OF the winter year ago. the
heavy volume of war traffic, the short
age Of labor and the constantly increas-
ing cost Of materials and labor. which
made 1t harder to solve problems apper-
tanning to maintenance Of way. main
tenance Of equipment and transporta-
ton. The heaviest eastbound traffic OF
the year was In June, and following the
signing OF the armistice there was a
falling Off in the last half Of November.
Traffic picked UP again In December
with peak" days, in which 1t exceeded
any previous days movement during the
year.
Passenger Trafic Reduced.
Congestion has disappeared. the Re
E!onal Director states. that problem hav-
ing been solved by June 1, 1918. though
IN February there were $4,000 cars
above normal in the eastern territory.
The reduction OF passenger service.
which caused so many complaints from
IA 49, -ZTf l.. 4. 80
year in a decrease of 16.253,e14 passen-
ger train miles, while there was a de-
crease In pullman car miles as compared
with the previous year of 41.229 702
Passengers carried one mile showed an
increase OF 4o3.S10,471. or ~ per cent.
In addition TO the regular passenger
service large troop movement had to
Be accommodated. owing to the fact that
the bulk OF the troops for overseas SER
vice embarked from roads in this region.
During the year a total OF 1867 troop
trains was handled, total OF approx
mately 2.0o0.0 900 train miles and carry
Ing s.sos.4s6 officers and men. In addi-
ton the floating equipment OF the roads
IN New York harbor was largely used
Tor Transporting troops between New
York and New Jersey and Long Island
and from shore to transports, total of
1.sS5.000 men having been SO carried.
A considerable saving in money was
effected by cooperative action in divert
ing and routing traffic. thus avoiding
congested routes, saving cars. economiz-
ing IN locomotives and saving time. New
routes were opened. traffic was routed
through the Niagara frontier. keeping
business moving through the Buffalo
gateway and keeping freight out OF the
congested New York district.
Lakes Help Relieve Trsmo.
Carload traffic from the West and Chi
cago to Michigan points was diverted
from the buster through lines: the Great
Lakes were utilized to a larger extent in
order TO relieve the railroads; coal was
routed to Canada by water to save the
long train haul, and various other re-
forms practiced.
Business necessities were especially
scrutinized so that extra service could
Re concentrated, such as quantities OF
cars demanded in the coal and ore areas
the grain necessities OF the West. the
packing and provision demands OF the
Chicago district. Director Smith con-
Guides his report thus:
THE transportation situation gener-
ally is normal at the present time on
ell railroads in the Eastern region and
traffic is being handled currently. A
canvass of the business situation just
made indicates there may be expected
some decrease in traffic, due to the dis
continuance of the war demands and
buyers waiting for lower prices. with the
probability that gross earnings will be
somewhat lower for the first elk months
Z the year than for the first six months
- 1918. notwithstanding the increased
rates"