The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1920-01-05
MAXWELL TRAFFIC
He AD DESCRIBES
SHIPPING PROBLEM
Automobile Dealers and Buyers Lucky
To BE Able to Get Cars Delivered
Under Their Own Power.
ny J. Fl. MYLER-
Traffic Manager.

MaxvreIl-ChaImerS ir"
IL IL were as simple to deliver motor. Cal
70 their destination as it Is TOT aealers
rro,r, al, the East to reach the annual Ne"
York Automobile Show the great piants at
Dertoit and elsewhere would have httie
need for well organized traffic depart
iuents.
This is a mighty appropriate time 10 re-
mind dealers at large, and hoeeu the
thousands OF motorists who may be look
ing forward to arrival of new cars o. the
serious and discouraging problems OF Sc
curing equipment for the shipping or auto
mobiles. Especially in the fall and winter
we are confronted with the problem OF
obtaining a sufficient number OF automo-
bile cars to place the output of the factory
in the hands of dealers and owners
The railroads have gone to great expense
in providing special equipment for automo-
lille loading Hundreds and thousands OF
these specially built cars are loaded In the
automobile territory and shipped to vari-
Gus parts of the country, where they are
permitted to remain for from six months
10 a year. They may be seen everywhere
some on sidngs. some on rip tracks. some
in repair yards and others shamefully
ulisused by being loaded with commodities
which could be loaded in other cars.
We do not like to ask dealers to come to
the factory for driveaways, and we are
opposed to loading automobiles in open
equipment. either flat cars or gondolas.
such loading is an additional expense to
the factory and the unloading is an extra
expense to dealers. However. this pro-
cedure is forced upon us by the fact that
20 many of these automobile cars are out
Ia the territory instead of being available
in automobile centres.
Il is estimated that at the present time
here are two million freight cars in SER
vice, approximately one hundred thousand
nj which are automobile cars. TN cases OF
emergency we can use box cars equipped
With six foot doors by stripping the auto
mobiles of running boards and fenders.)
Under government control this class Of
Equipment has been allowed to deteriorate.
Necessary repairs have not been made and
government officials have Just awakened
10 the fact that unless this situation is
lefnedied at once our country will face
"a extreme car shortage of every desciiu-
ssnp-
Tho average number OF freight car re-
y'alred since January / is about two mil;-
ION Just think of II! In July, 1915. there
we're sa,SS locomotives in service with
t99 per cent out of service for repairs.
WIS will give you some idea II the neces-
cary shop work to be done and the inn
iprtance OF repairs being made quickly
The United States Railroad Ndninistra-
ION has recognized the importance OF the
automobile industry. and has placed "a spe-
csu representative at Detroit, whose sole
duty Is to look after the distribution OF
automobile cars for the various automo-
bile manufacturers.
Dealers also can assist. How? BY closely
Observing conditions in their own territory.
IL they see an automobile car. or one hun
dred cars, einpty, or delayed under load
with automobiles or any other commodity,
his condition should be reported When
his information is received from you W.
viii pass it on to government represeut a4
lhesf who will apply the proper remedy
through the various regional directors OF
The United States Railroad Adminstra-
tS~R.