The Washington herald., 1920-12-27
More Tonnage Moved and
More Per Car Than
Ever Before.
ROADS EXECUTIVE
GIVES OUT FIGURES
Chairman Cuyler Says
Efficiency Has Been
Improved.

NEW YORK. Dec. 26.-Thoma.
Dewitt Cuyler, chairman of the As.
sociation of Railway Executives
gave the following statement re.
viewing the railroad situation fol
the current year:
This is the record year of Ameri.
can railroad operation. Not only
has a larger gross tonnage beer
moved than ever before but new
records have been established In
the amount of transportation gotter
out of each car.
Even during the war year oi
1918 the highest performance wa.
494 ton miles per car per day, willis
for August. 1920. the average wa.
557 and for September and October
SOS.
Reviews Nine-Month Period.
"In the nine full months since the
government turned back the rail.
roads to their owners on March 1
the railroad companies under pri.
vate operation have:
Il. Increased the average move
ment per freight car per day g.;
miles-from 22.3 to 2S.6 miles.
"2! Increased the average load pei
car IL tons-from 2S.3 to 80 tons
"3. Made substantial reduction In
the number of unserviceable loco
motives.
"a. Reduced the accumulation oi
loaded but unmoved freight cars
from 103,237 on March l, to 1881
on December 3, of which only 6.3St
were detained because of the inabil.
ity of the railroads to move them
Box Cars Relocated.
"5. Relocated approximately $780,
600 box cars from the East to the
West for the movement of farm
products.
&c. Relocated approximately $780,
900 open-top cars from the West to
the East to keep up the production
of coal.
"7s Moved the third highest. coal
production in the history OF the
country.
"s. Spent over $500. 100000 extra
on improving the maintenance OF
tracks. bridges, cars and locomo-
tives.
SO. Contracted to spend about
$3.50, 100000 largely out of earnings
for additions and betterments tt
promote the movement Of cars.
40. Made arrangements to pur-
chase approximately $4,000 new
freight cars, 1900 new locomotives
and 1000 new passenger cars.
Old Cars Reconstructed.
al. Begun the reconstruction of
thousands of old scars.
"12. Moved-with a deteriorated
plant, nder disturbed labor and
business conditions - the largest
volume of traffic ever known in a
single year, with the highest eff
cheney yet achieved and with a
minimum addition to the value of
the property on which the public
has to pay a return through rates.
when the railroad companies re-
sumed operation of their properties
on March l an unusually large num-
ber of cars and locomotives were in
bad order; the stress of war condi-
tions had compelled their use in a
most intensive manner, and the time
was at hand when much of the roll
ing stock was due for thorough re-
pairs; a very small proportion OF
the cars of any road were on it's
own lines; equipment was badly dis
tributed with reference to. the needs
of traffic; there were no stocks ol
coal left over from the preceding
year; vast amount of grain re-
mained on hand from 1919. and a
volume of business was being Of
fered which seemed beyond the abil-
ity of the railroads to move.
Have Increased Efficiency.
THE railroad companies have in
creased transportation capacity, not
out of new cars and locomotives
but of of increased efficiency. II
the enlarged capacity provided by
the companies during the past nine
months had had to be produced by
new cars an locomotives, it would
have required the expenditure OF
approximately $4,000, ,000,0 900, a sum
OF money which would have been
permanently added to the property
value of the railroads on which
the public would ultimately have to
pay a return through rates.
The statement is being made that
the railroads will shortly seek a
further increase in rates. 1 know
of no movement on the part of the
railroads for a general increase in
rates. nor do I expect any.
Private ownership and operation
of railroads as a measure of sound
public policy rests largely upon its
superior efficiency and economy. In
my judgment the American railroad
companies during the present year
have fully justified. and during the
coming year will make every ef-
fort to continue to justify, the sup
port and confidence which public
opinion in gratifying measure has
oncnrAad