The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1921-09-03
SMASHES ALL
RAILROAD PRECEDENTS

agent.
II every railroad had a shipper OF
Henry Ford's capacity as godfather
or owner, operating problems would
become simple. The plethora Of traf-
&c Ford sent over his rails turned a
consistent deficit into an operating
profit Of more than 100000 in the
first six months of 1921. Yet this
does not fully describe what he has
done with the Detroit, Toledo & Iron
tom
II is an event when the daily pass
enger train pulls from it's station in
western Detroit. Ford has cut two
hours from the running time between
Detroit and cambridge. Ohio, ESQ
miles. The trip is now made in 10
hours. with rs scheduled stops.
The engine is a gay affair. with
brass-bound stack and much nickel
plating. Trainmen say 1t vas re-
constructed from three abandoned To-
comotives. They also back up Ford's
claim that he found enough material
and scrap along the tracks to pay for
his investment in the road
There are only two passenger cars
on one train. and the kerosene drips
from the lamps while the stove rat
ties in the corner. Ford confiscated
four private cars belonging to operat-
ing officials, telling them they should
ride with the public. Except when
experimenting with his gas car Ford
uses the regular trains. In the mean
time the private cars are being pre-
pared for general use.
Most of the Ford freight is moved
at night. Five to seven through trains
leave Detroit every evening. The
first two, made up for the Nickel
| Plate, are carried west. 1t is said
that Is minutes is the greatest time
to elapse from the time the train
stops on Ford's road until it is NOV
ing on the Nickel Plate. When Ford
| took over the road there were seven
through freight crews Now there
are nineteen. The manager of an
| other road in Detroit estimates that
Ford diverts 125 cars daily of his
own freight to the Detroit. Toledo &
Ironton.
BY speeding up shipments Ford
says he has cut the time when raw
material leaves the manufacturer un-
til finished automobiles reach the
dealer from an average of % to IA
days. This freed $22.000,00O in in
ventory for other purposes. Except
for upbound coal and supplies freight
traffic is chiefly on the northern half
of the road. where transfers are made
with other lines. Ford freight is so
heavy that some other business is
being refused, say trainmen. Yard
men say that in a few instances as
many as 1900 cars have been handled
in IL hours. The old D. T. & I. rec
ord was 200 in "a hours.
Ford has broken all rail unions in
fiuence by paying more than the un-
ion scale. 1t is said the brotherhoods
took a proposed working agreement
to Ford a short time ago. He tore 1t
up and then offered his employees,
but not as union men, pay scales pro-
viding for a maximum of eight hours
work each day in a six-day week with
a minimum scale of Sc a day. He
threw working agreements overheard
and demanded full-time labor. There
are no Pullmans, but the brakeman
dusts the seats. carries baggage and
makes an acceptable porter. The
| conductor turns switches. The en-
| CINE crew actually takes care of the
locomotive. Monthly pay schedules
are: Engineers and conductors.
1915; firemen, s275; brakemen,
1896.
lACIC 40 III ONCi . AhN
completes hts 2O8-hour month he is
| laid of until the first of the next
month. II he has to be "deadheaded"
to his job his pay doesn't begin until
he begins work, and ends when the
work is completed. He goes home on
his own time.
Ford's men regard the gas a as
practically adopted. Though 1t made
~ miles an hour in previous tests,
1t is being reftted with a stronger
motor. In appearance it is similar
to an interurban car, but is capable
of pulling two or three railroad pass
enger coaches at high speed.
Ford is understood to contemplate
building some 10 miles of e track
from near Waueson, Ohio, to Flat
h