The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-09-18
Speed Up Daily Movement Of Freight
Cars Increase in Loading and
Decrease in Bad Order Cars
Planned.
COMMITTEES BULLETINS
Figures are Startling, Especially as
They Affect Certain Commodities
and Certain Car
riers.


of the railroads in their program for
more transportation, as announced IN
bulletin by that title which is being
issued weekly. To increase the aver
age loading of cars to thirty tons per
car is the second aim. Statistics
show that the average car loading on
all railroads in the United States Is
only about 70 per cent OF the carry
ing capacity of the car. Thlrty-two
per cent of the total freight car mile
age is made with empty cars.
An average increase Of only one
ton per each loaded car would be
equivalent to the addition OF $4,000
new cars to the available supply. me
average loading of freight cars IN
1919 was 27S tons. If this average
were raised to thirty tons, it is esl-
mated that the total ton mileage
would be increased from 395,0OO,Oo
900 to 100000, 100000.
The combined effect Of increased
daily mileage to thirty miles and or
loading capacity of each car to thirty
tons would be to increase the ca
pacity of the roads to $4,000, OOO, 600
ton miles.
/ In. the matter Of one commodity
alone, as, for instance, coal, LOADING
of an extra LOCO pounds of coal per
car would move 100000 tons.
Reducing bad order cars to a lDaxi-
mum OF four per cent of the total
owned is the third aim of the Pro
gram. When federal control began
there were in use by the carriers
2,260,000l freight cars, of which ST
per cent, or 120,7S0 cars, We're re-
ported in bad order. At the end OF
federal control the percentage had
increased to CT per cent
Can Be Reduced.
1t is insisted that the number OF
bad order cars can be greatly re-
duced because the records show that
this is possible accomplishment.
{ In all but two months of 1917 tho
number of bad order cars reported
was below per cent, as compared
with about Per cent at present.
AS a result of efforts undertaken
recently, some Of the roads reporting
to the committee show less than
per cent Of the cars on line as in
bad order, and other companies have
already made substantial reduction.
The commission on car service OF
the American Railway association re-
ports this month that at some large
industrial centers, particularly steel
centers, there are a large number or
bad order cars idle, where plants
have been obliged to limit their OPP
erations owing to car shortage.
1t is suggested that, where pos
sible. ,arran gements be made with
these plants for repairing bad order
cars, and thus serve the double pur-
pose of furnishing work for the plant
which might otherwise shut down,
and at the same time produce equip
ment in which to forward their ship
ments.
Where plants are not in a position
to produce the necessary plates and
forms for car repairs. the required
material could be furnished, the plant
performing the assembling and repair
work
In the middle west several roads
are sending cars to shops outside of
their territory which are in a posi-
ton to make car repairs.
Under existing circumstances and
in view Of the fact that every 1 per
cent improvement in the bad order
car situation means an addition or
about $4,000 cars to the available
supply, the advisory committee of the
American Railway association feels
that the railroads of the nation would
be culpable should they fail to ex-
haust every possible effort to reduce
the percentage of cars in bad order
to a maximum of 4 per cent.