Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-04-22

handling of tractive power.
"A. Wastes due to Inadequate
engine terminals.
IS. Wastes due to defective
maintenance Of way. The Ameri-
can Railway Engineering associa-
ton, discussing losses through lack
of Standardization, states that
over fifty different sections of rail
are rolled between the weights of
seventy and 140 pounds, when sew
en- sections will answer all the pur-
poses and are all that are recon-
lmended by this association. 1t
| further computes some of the
wastes involved and points ont
want Of Standardization in frogs
! and switches and width of road
bed accounts for large unayoida-
BILE losses,
Train Operation.
&c. Wastes due TO inefficient
train operation. 1t is estimated
that losses aggregating perhaps
5000 100000 a year, are attributa-
! BILE to managerial incompetence in
train operation. Most railroads do
! not attempt to operate their trains
on the basis of scientifically eco
inomical schedules, although the
advantages and practicability of
train scheduling have been sue
cessfully demonstrated upon Ger
tain roads. Freight train terminal
facilities in sense determine the
entire capacity of railroads in the
expeditions handling of Transport
tatiun, and yet these facilities are
permitted to remain in a, state of
inadequacy that is astonishing.
.tntiquated Equipment.
81. Miscellaneous waste due to
Anticipated equipment and to bad
management The exhibit attempts
to show a neglected state of rail-
way equipment by numerous eX-
amples, some of which follow:
With respect to locomotives it is
noted that only thirty engines out
of $4,000 in service have been
equipped with feed water heaters,
representing an avoidahle loss of
over 5000 per month perlengine, and
$4,000 of the $1,000 locomotives
are still being operated with brick
arches. Failure to modernize To-
comotiVes is estimated to entail an
aVoidable fuel loss of nearly $15,-
600 annually for each unimproved
locomotive making 10000 engine
miles a year.
Public Propaganda.
49, Wastes in miscellaneous
overhead, advertising, ana the rail-
way administration public propa-
ganda, The railway employees de-
clared that the railroad administra-
tions have wasted their resources in
miscellaneous overhead, advertis-
ing, (S82G, 000,0 900 in 1910 legal eX-
penses {$13,000. 900 in 1910 and in
the maintenance of propaganda
calculated to influence public opin-
ion toward railroad affairs. In this
way the railroad administrations
have attached to operating expenses
large fixed charges and administra-
tive costs on the other hand, in
the matter of expenditures to pro-
mote the development and i'm
provement of the railroad industry
the arrangements have been pecul-
iarly shortsighted.
80. Administrative neglect to
maintain engineering research, and
neglect or resistance to improve
ment generally. Railroad admins
traitors have been so backward and
so addicted to rule of thumb meth
DDS that they have neglected or re
fused to establish scientific labora-
tories and bureaus of research for
the Improvement of the railway
service, as has been done success
fully in all progressive industries"
Modern Methods Fought.
According to the exhibit railway
managers in many cases have sys-
tematically fought scientific cost
finding methods; introduction of
the newer methods of personnel
handling; standardization in equip
ment and similar innovations. In
respect to cost accounting the eX-
hlhit argues that railway equip
ment deterioration often has occur
red because the management has
declared dividends without regard
to the maintenance of adequate re-
serves to cover depreciation. Re
garding personnel efficiency Nor |
man COllyer, of the Southern Pa
citic, is quoted as saying that five /
times a minute, 900 times an hour, |
1900 times a day or 2,592.00O times |
a year, an employe is lost and re-
placed. In other words the labor |
turnover of the railroads, Accord |
ing to his estimate is over 140 per |
cent"
The exhibit specifies in consid- /
cradle detail many of the particular |
economies which the employees |
think should be adopted but they
say are not in general use upon the |
railways, and alleged inefficiencies |
complained Of being based upon |
comparisons with the standards of |
actual experience and the practices
in use upon we'll managed roads.
Sources of Data.
The data in the exhibit were de- |
rived mainly from studies and re-
ports of consulting engineers, me-
chanical engineers and other tech |
nicians in the railway industry, |
from the estimates and judgments !
of the executive officers of many
large railroads and from experts in |
of railway equipment, ae-
cording to union officials. Matter |
is' included also from the proceed |
ings of important railway aSsocia- |