The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-30
RAILROADS GAIN
S2,O00,OOO,OOO
IN EFFICIENCY
Executives Amazed at BIG
Freight Increase Since
L. S. Control Ended.
MILEAGE is UP ) Z. c.
Record Made Despite Loss
of Equipment and Other
Handicaps.
TRAFFIC SETS NEW MARK
Rail Chiefs Applaud Report
Read at Mecting-Labor
Issue Discussed.
MILEAGE IS UP ) ?. c.
TRAFFIC SETS NEW MARK

Railroads OF the United States are
being operated at a degree Of efficiency.
which is the equivalent of adding
500 600 freight cars, valued at $1,000
900 900, TO the nations transportation
system. as it existed on March l last.
when Federal control came to an end.
Definite figures to confirm this state
ment were read to more than 100 rail-
road executives. who met yesterday at
the New Haven board rooms TO hear
reports, TO discuss results Of private
operation, and to agree on a policy re-
garding section 302 of the transporta-
ton act, which deals with relations
between the mana gements and labor.
The executives themselves We're
amazed to find so great an improve
ment in operation as compared with
| the days of Government operation.
and the report OF the committee which
| deals with such matters was received
| with applause.
| At the end of Federal control the
| average number Of miles per car per
day was 22.3. and the average tonnage
of each car was 2S.3. On September !
the average number OF miles per car
per day was PA and the average ton
mage of each car was 296. Translates
| by railroad experts into terms OF ef-
| hcicncy. the gain In car movement alone
was 22$. per cent. and this was topped
! By a gain Of more than Z per cent.
! In capacity loading. AS there are In
use IN the United States at present
! 2.350, 900 freight cars. it WAS made clear
| at once 10 the executives that such q
growth IN efficiency had added as a
minimum the equivalent Of 100000 cars
to the service of the shippers of the
United States ana the saving at $4,000
a car IN capital requirements, was no
less than $4,000 oo0.o
One of the executives present raised
the point that the roads must have had
more cars to work with than the num-
Der available for the United States Rail
| road Administration under Federal con-
! troll. but the figures presented showed
| that during February last there were In
jse 100000 freight cars and that on
September / last there we're In service
! 2250. 600 cars. some $4,000 freight cars
/ having been scrapped since March !. al
/ though portions Of such cars may be
used Tor rebuilding purposes.
Ia other word-. the railroads have
| been carrying since May l a tremendous
mount Of traffic with fewer cars than
! were available prior to the resumption
Of private operation. At the same time
| Il was pointed out that not until Sep
| temher / were the railroads able 70
break even on bad order cars. and that
by tho end OF that month the reduction
! In the number of bad order cars had
been reduced only n few tenths of l
ier cent.
Such record Of Improvement in
transportation efficiency. however II
vas stated. could not be accomplished
without increased expenditures for main
tcrance and such increased expenditures
were made ~ an annual rate of S24O.-
700. 900. The only definite vote taken
n yesterdays meeting was the decision
90 reduce the payment per day for for
Agu cars from $110 10 81. this step
! being taken in the belief that down
sard trend in the scale Of costs for unit
| maintenance which has already set In
! H.i continue 10 make progress. Follow
] .nr the meeting yesterday T. DE witt
| suyler. chairman Of the Association OF
Railway Executives. authorized a state
mcnt saying
FThc traffic has been the heaviest in
| the history Of the railroads, heavier even
than Il was at the height Of the war
movement in 1918. The railroads have
been confronted with the task of moving
this trafnc with facilities and equipment
admittedly inadequate. but the traffic
| has been moved"