Omaha daily bee., 1921-09-29
Group Plans for
l9 Major Railway
Lines Announced
Arrangement Authorized by
Transportation Act-Local
Officials Decline to Make
Extended Statements.

Washington, Sept. 2S.-The inter
state commerce commission today
announced tentative plans for con-
solidating all Of the major railroads
OF the United States into l9 great
systems. and gave notice that hear
ngs would be called upon. it in the
near future.
The step was taken under pro-
vision OF the transportation act,
which allows the consolidation If
voluntary with the railroads con-
ccrned. The proposals now put for
ward by the commission follow in
the main a plan prepared under its
direction by Prof. William Z. Rip
ley OF Harvard.
The commissions proposed l9 sys-
tens, as outlined today, provide for
retention OF the competitive arrange
ment of transportation lines, giving
most sections OF the country access
to two or more of the great routes
devised.
Combine Weak and Strong.
The principle followed in making
up the consultations was that of
hitching weaker and less profitable
roads to more prosperous competi-
tors or connections, at the same time
maintaining the identity very largely
Of existing great railroads. In some
cases branch lines of existing roads
arc suggested for divorce from pres
ent owners and attachment to other
systems, with rearrangement Of ter
minal facilities.
1t is expected that the plan with
alternative arrangements which the
commission has suggested, par
ticularly with reference to New
England. will be under consideration
and argument fer a prolonged per-
iod, since permission of the commits
sion and consent of the railroad is
required to every detail before It
can be put into operation. The vol
untary consolidation plan was
adopted by congress as a possible
means OF facilitating the operation
Of the American transportation sys-
TEN Under rate regulation, on the
theory that rates allowed by the iil-
terstatc commerce commission was
being found sufficient to give ade-
quate earnings to strong lines while
weaker roads in the same territory
could not show sufficient earning
to continue operations.
In the main, the plan proposed by
the commission is that drafted under
its direction by Prof. Willim Z. Rip
ley, Harvard university, but some
variations were made. The commits
sion said that while all of the larger
or class railroads had been in
cluded in the makeup Of its schedule,
= number of class z and class 8 lines
had also been covered.
Proposed Groupings.
The following consolidated sys-
TENS are proposed by the commits
sion:
No. !, New York Central, includ-
ing the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chi
cago and St. Louis; Monongahela;
Boston and Maine; Bangor and
Aroostock, and others.
No. 2-Pennsylvania, including
Toledo, Peoria and Western; Long
Island, Monongahela, as an alterna-
tive to the inclusion Of that road in
the New York Central system, and
others.
No. 3-Baltimore & Ohio, Read
ing, New York, New Haven &
Hartford; Lelligh g. Hudson, and
others.
No. 4-Chicago & Erie; Delaware,
Lackawanna & Western; Bessemer
& Lake Erie; Wabash lines east Of
the Missouri, and others.
No. 5-Lehigh Valley; New York,
Chicago & St. Louis; Pittsburgh &
West Virginia, and others.
Group Short Lines.
No. 6-Pere Marquette, Ann Ar
Dor and others.
No. New York, New Haven & |
Hartford; Boston & Maine; Bangor
& Areostook; Lehigh & Hudson
River, all of these being alternative
ly to be taken in to other systems.
No. 8-Chesapeake & Ohio; Hook |
ing Valley & Virginia.
No. 9-Norfolk & Western; Toll
edo & Ohio Central, and others.
No. l0-Southern, New Orleans
Great Northern and Alabama & |
No. 11-Atlantic Coast Line, Nor
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