New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-04

matter to trace on any map OF the
United States the general position OF
the railroad. The annual report almost
invariably contains a detailed state
ment of mileage, showing, for instance,
that the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
runs from Dearborn Station. Chicago,
via in great detail the different towns
to Los Angeles, Calf, and through the
San joaquin Valley to San Francisco.
This statement shows separately the
mileage of first track, the mileage of
second track, etc, and the mileage of
yard tracks and sidings.
When we say that there are roughly
100000 miles of railroad in the United
States, or when we say that the Atchi-
son operates IL 500 miles, we mean the
miles of first track. The road may be
four-track one for 100 miles out of
Chicago. This is not computed as 400
miles, but as 100 miles.
Weight OF Rail
Generally there is statement show
ing the weight of rail, thus: 800 miles
liny be laid with 100-pound rail- 1000
miles with 80 and IS pound rail and
the remainder with rail varying from
rs to 60 pounds. Ninety pound rail is
rail that weighs ninety pounds to the
yard of single rail. The standard
weight of rail for first class heavy
traffic main line in the East is now 100
pounds, although some lines have laid
110-pound rail and some are beginning
to lay 130-pound rail. In the West 90
and 85 pound rail is standard for main
line.
A statement of the number of loco
motives and cars owned by the com
~
generally showing the figures by
classes. Without getting into. tech
nical details, it is enough to say
that modern heavy freight loccmo :
tives are of the Mikade, Santa Fe and
Mallett types, and that modern pas
senger locomotives are of the Pacific
type, and passenger cars are either all
steel or steel under-frame. If you
want to make rough computation of
the value of railroad company's
equipment you can take the heavier
locomotives at valuation of $4,000
the lighter locomotives such as con-
solidation and switching LOGON olives
at $4,000, freight cars roughly at
$4,000 and passenger cars at $4,000.
Using only these bases of comparison
you can form fairly accurate judy
ment as to whether the road in which
up to modern standards.
Earning Po,cer
Next comes earning power. Earn
ing power depends on two factors
the amount of business handled and
the ratio of the cost of handling the
business to the revenue received from
the business. 1t is easier to reduce
earning power to a unit which is COM
parable between different railroads
than between different industrial or
public utility companies. The mile
is obviously the common unit, among
all railroads. A certain plant and a
certain expenditure are required to
carry a ton of freight or a passenger
distance of one mile. The prelin1-
mary study of what the property con-
sists of was for the purpose Of giving
the stakeholder a mental picture of
the character of the plant In which M
owns a share, and which is used in
moving a ton or a passenger one mile.
The measure of the business which
railroad does is the number Of pas
sengers and the number of tons carried
over each mile of railroad; stated tech
nically, this is the ton-mileage and pas
senger- mileage per mile of road and is
called for short freight traffic density
and is generally shown in the statistics
accompanying the railroad presidents