The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-01
INCREASE IN EFFICIENCY
Government Operation OF Roads Was
an Advantage to Public.

an Advantage to Public.
In spite of the fact that government
operation was little to their tastes, it
| would seem that the railroads of the
country found one factor to their adj
vantage and the advantage of the pub
lie, in the twenty-six months expert
ment." sThat was the consolidated
operation of the different roads I'M
der one head. Increased efficiency
in operation, thru the Capitalization of
administration. served the railroads
and the public alike.
In regard to whether the railroads
mean to profit by this lesson, the Rail-
way Review, a leading railroad maya
zine. has this to say:
"A period of consultation is ahead
of the railroads under the provisions
of the new transportation act. 1t was
demonstrated that Americas interest
was served during the war by piecing
together our disjointed transportation
facilities into system serving six
great regions. The common use of
terminals, rolling stock, tracks and To-
comotives proved of great advantage
to the government in transporting the
materials of war and war industries.
IN handing back their properties to
the railroads, congress provided that
this union of resources for the better
ment of transportation should not be
lost. How much it is needed has ap-
peared in the present year. The inter-
state commerce board has been pool
ing the depleted freight cars, and the
presidents of the larger railroads have
been working together to increase
load and mileage OF these same cars.
We have had the greatest cooperative
effort in years. 1t is beginning to inn
prove a bad situation.
There is limit, however, to such
achievement without the aid of great
-srI {
recognized-in the provisions of the
transportation act to permit combin-
ing the railroad; properties into linn
tied number of systems to be deter
mined by the interstate commerce
commission
The law also provides, the Railway
Review points out, that these CONSOLE
dations shall be SO arranged that the
cost of transportation as between COM
petitive systems, as related to the
values of the properties, shall be the
same so that these systems can en-
pIoy uniform rates in the movement
of competitive traffic"
an other words" says the magazine,
there are to be no more of the rate
cutting wars which have proved ruin
Gus to railroads in the past, depriving
them of the revenues to make i'm
provements now so much missed The
commission is to agree upon a consol-
idation plan for as many or the large
systems as it deems necessary after
notice of intention and hearing of
all objections. Thereafter, any of the
railroads concerned may lawfully
unite in harmony with the plan.
Some of the stronger lines have
been reported lately as taking the in
itiative in the direction of the union
of rail facilities"
Included in the preliminary plan
brought forward by John E. Oldham,
of Boston, under the provisions of the
act, consolidation of the Santa Fe with
the Frisco, and the merging of the
subsidiary lines of the two systems,
has been suggested. The merger
would give the combination a total
trackage of 81 miles, with the gross
earnings avera ging $10,S42 per mile.
The Union Pacific, according to the
same plan, would be merged with the
Chicago & Great Western, the Salt
Lake Route and the Central Pacific
The Rock Island and the Missouri
Pacific would be combined under the
Oldham plan and would have total
mileage Of more than $4,000 miles,
and the average return per mile would
be $9,324.