New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-17
100 Roads Join
Better Freight
Service Drive
Rail Chiefs Meet to Open
Campaign. to Increase
Efficiency; New Rolling
Stock Impossible Now
Canada Enters Movement
Minimum Daily Mileage
and Car Capacity Set;
One Express Co. Favored

Action to increase thu efficiency of
the transportation system of the
United States pending improvement of
rolling stock facilities was taken yes
terday by the Railway Executives AS
ISOLATION at a meeting in the board
room of the New York, New Haven &
Hartford Railroad, in Grand Central
Terminal.
More than one hundred railroad pres
idents were present. Thomas De Witt
Cuyler, chairman of the association
presided.
In resolution adopted by che rail
road men it was declared that it will be
impossible to overcome Immediately the
deficiency in rolling stock by increas-
ing the number Of cars and locomo-
tives, but that more efficient use of the
facilities now at hand must be made.
The meeting urged all the railroads
to obtain the cooperation of the public
to attain the following transportation
goals:
An average daily minimum move
ment of freight cars of not less than
thirty miles a car a day.
An average loading of thirty tons
a
Reduction of bad order cars to
maximum of per cent of total
owned.
An early and substantial reduc-
ton in the number of locomotives
now unfit for service.
More effective efforts to bring
about the return of cars to the owner
roads.
Will Check Up Performances
In addition it was resolved that all
railroads shall forward to the Car Serv-
ice Committee at Washington reports
that will enable check to be kept cur
rently of performance under this reso-
luton. Arrangements will be made for
comparative compilation of such re-
ports.
The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion is to be advised of the action
taken, by the roads.
1t was pointed out after the meet
ing that the present average daily mile
age recorded by freight cars is 239.
The mileage during the war under Fed
eral control was betweenS23 and 24h
miles a day.
Daniel Willard, president of the Bal
timore 4 Ohio Railroad, and chairman
of the advisory committee of nine of
the Railway Executives Association.
reported that gratifying progress was
being made to raise the entire level
of the railway service throughout the
country.
1t was decided to recommend to the
railroads that the express business.
now released from government con
troll, be handled by one company,
namely the American Railway Express
Company, as it was during the period
of Federal administration.
The resolution adopted, covering this
subject, reads in part:
sit is the general belief of the mem
bers of the association that this will
be in the public interest. AS a prac-
tical question there was really no
other alternative because of conditions
brought about by the war; Inasmuch
as certain questions of revenues of the
railroads are involved in this contract.
the general counsel of the association,
Alfred P. Thorn, was directed to sub
nit to the Interstate Commerce Com
mission the form of contract for it's
approval. Upon such approval the as
ISOLATION will recommend to the mem
Der roads standard form of contract
to be made between the individual
companies and the express company. .
Among the railway chiefs present
at the meeting was E. w. Beatty.
president of the Canadian Pacific