The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-09-24
NASHVILLE ROAD Is
BREAKING RECORDS
offsetting Shortage Of Equip
ment by Quicker Hand
ling Of Cars,

| Since the return OF the Nashville
Chattanooga a. st. Louis railway by
the government 10 its owners on March
/, the road II breaking all previous rec
ords IN the number OF tons OF freight
| handled per month, according 10 a
| communication received Thursday by J.
J.. Darragh, general agent, from H. r.
| Smith, vice-president and trnffic mana
ger. Some very interesting figures
| showing the increased efficiency OF the
rond In the handling of freight are
presented by Mr.. Smith. The commu-
nicntion follows:
Prior to federal control. the year
1917 was the largest year in the ex-
perience OF the road. with regard Ia
the volume Of tonnage m nSs ed . During
freight. or 617,112 tons per month. Dur
Ing the period OF federal control. which
lasted from Jan. l, 1918, to March 1.
1870. the calendar year 1918 showed tho
heaviest tonnage the road had ever
handled, when 7.05o,9e1 tons OF freight
were moved. or an average OF 687,580
tons per month. For the five months
period between March !, 1920, and July
81. 1920. the road handled 3,00G.6 45 tons
OF freight, or an average OF 601.329 per
month. II will, therefore. be noted that
the average tonnage per month handled
during the period of private operation
since March /. 1920. exceeds the pre-
vious high average during the period
OF federal control by almost II, 900 tons
per month. This Is a splendid record,
whom the fact is taken into consider
alton that during the period OF 1918
tho road was operated under the stress
Of tho war emergency and everything
was sacrificed to the prompt movement
OF traffic.
road also set up another record in ex-
cess Of any former accomplishment In
the average number OF miles each
freight car was moved per day when
tho high figure OF 32.8 miles per day
was reached. The corresponding hg-
ure for August. 1919. was 1872 miles.
highest figure attained while the road
was under federal control was "a miles.
during the month OF March, 1918. In
February, 1920, the last month OF gov
eminent operation, the average miles
per. car day were 21.t. As compared
the month OF August, under private
operation, shows an increase N the
average miles per car day OF 1l.4
miles, or more than So per cent. The
car loading for the month Of August,
1920. shows . record heretofore made.
Tho average net tons per loaded car
mile In the month OF August. 1920. was
24.5. In August. 1919. this figure was
Il a., in August, 1918, "a. 8, and In Feb
ruary, 1920, the last month OF federal
control, 1915. Tho increase since the
end Of federal control has. therefore.
been one ton per car.
"rhis railroad has undertaken TO
partially Offset the shortage in freight
equipment by heavier loading, a quicker
loading and unloading. and faster
movement Of loaded freight cars. and.
tensifsd Efforts in its own orsaniza-
ton. but has urged tho co operation OF
ahipperp. Il acknowledges the splendid
cooperation which many shippers have
given and without which the record for
August could not have been attained.
Heavier Loads.
''As Q practical proposition, the
heavier loading of cars and the higher
average in the number OF miles per
day each car was moved during the
month OF August, as compared with
the last month OF federal operation, has
additional cars had been available, and
the average performance in loading and
movement for tho month of February
had prevailed. To show the compare
tive performance In another way. the
not ton miles during the month OF
February. 1920. were LIKELIHOOD. and
tho average number OF cars ON line
daily was 9,729. while, In the month
OF August, the net ton miles amounted
to 1871 ,24i, 900. and the average number
Of cars on line daily was 7,27l. so. with
decrease OF $500 cars IN tne aver
age number on line daily. an increase
OF 20, 100000 net ton miles were pro-
duced In August, as compared with
February.
80 long. therefore, as the extreme
car shortage exists, II Ia readily seen
that II 10 to the great advantage OF the
public to load cars TO their utmost car
rying capacity and to cause as little
delay as possible In their loading and
unloading, In fact. this Is the only al
tentative, as, II finances permitted the
purchase, Il would be impossible to Sc
euro deliveries of new cars In time to
afford any relief to tho present situa-