The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-11-02
RAILROADS GAIN
IN EFFICIENCY
Big Freight Increase
Since Federal Control
Ended

NEW YORK, Nov. 2.-tlailroads "
tho United States are being operated
at n upprcr OF efficiency, which - the
equivalent OF adding $4,000 freight
cars. valued at f2.0OV,0OO TO the ma
tions transportation system. as y
existed on March I Inst, when federal
control came TO an end.
Donnite figures 10 confirm this
statement wore read TO more than 100
railroad executives, wh0 met at the
New Haven board rooms here TO hear
reports. to discuss results Of private
operation and to agree on a policy
Regarding section SV2 Of the trans
portation act. which deal with rclu.
lions between the arrangements and
labor. The executives thcmaelyes
were amazed 80 find 80 great an i'm
provcment Ia operation "a compared
with the days OF government opera
uon. and the report OF tho committee
which dcalH with such matters was
received with appausc.
Gain In Car MOa cnlcnt.
Al the end OF federal control the
average number OF miles per cur per
day was 22.3, and the average tOn-
mage vf each car was 2S.3. On sep
tcmbcr I the average number Of miles
por ear per day was 27.t and the
average tonnage OF uch enr was
29.6. Translated by railroad experts
hAtV Atfnnu NA tAtiNlc ~ AHt khln IN
car movement alone was 90 80 per
cent. and this was topped by a gain
% more than Z per cent In capacity
loading. As there are IN use In the
United States at present 1850, 600
freight cars, u wns made clear AZ
once TO The executives hat such "a
growth In efficiency had added as a
minimum the equivalent OF 100000
cars 20 the service of the shippers Of
the United STATES and the saving nj
$4,000 u ear In capital requirements
wal NO less than 1900, 900.
Ono Of the executives present
raised the point that the roads must
have had more cars 10 work with
than the number available for the
United States rpiiroad administration
under federal control. but the figures
presented showed that during Feb
runry last there were In use 2,49O. 600
frelgh cara and hat on September
1 last there were In service 1880, 600
cars. some 10000 freight cars hay
Ing been scrappod since March Z. al
though portions of such cars may be
used for rebuilding purposes.
In other words the railroads have
been carrying since May 1 a tremen-
doua amount or taffice with fewer
cars than were available prior to the
resumption Of private operation, AZ
the same time u vas pointed out that
moi until september ! were the rail-
roods able to break even on bad or.
der cars, and that by the end OF thar
month the reduction In the number
OF bad order cars had been reduced
only a few tenths OF I per cent
Traffic Heavy.
Such % record Of improvement in
transportation efficiency. however, II
was stated. could not be accom-
pliHhcd Without Increased epenii.
lures for maintenance and such in
creased expenditures were made AZ
an annual rate Of S2fO. 900, 1000. 1'he
only definite vote taken at the meet
Ing WIS the decision 10 reduce the
payment per day for foreign cars
from st.fO to 81, this step being
taken Ia the belief that n downward
trend In the scale OF costs for unit
maintenance which has already set
In VIII continue TO make progress
Follow Ing the meeting, r. De witt
Tuyler chairman OF the Association
or Railway Executives, authorized q
geatcWent saying:
'rrho traffic has been the heaviest
in the history OF the railroads. heav,
ler even than Il was at the height
81 The war movement in 1918. The
railroads Pave been confronted with
the task OF moving this traffic with
itciliiics n equipment odmlttedly
~iintdclunto hut the traffic has Deen
novel;