Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-01-15
Box Cars
Idle, Pile
Upin Yards
Railroads Here Are Losing
Thousands of Dollars Daily
On Demurrage
Charges. ..
Cars Deadheaded East

Extra cars sent west to haul gran
that has never been loaded are prov
ing burden to Nebraska railroads
Cars borrowed from eastern lires ar.
costing one railroad $5,400 a day
and are lying idle on the sidetracks
The Union Pacific, Burlington anc
Missouri Pacific are reported by the
Interstate Commerce commission as
having more cars on their lines, De.
cember 28, than they actually own
The Union Pacific. in expectation OF
having to meet feavy traffic de-
nands for moving grain, now has
500 box cars more than it owns.
The surplus of the Burlington is
Is per cent for freight cars of all
kinds, and that of the Missouri Pa
ciffic is l2.5 per cent.
Empties Sent Back.
pInstead of car shortage the west
now has idle cars standing on every
side track. Long trains of einpties
are sent back east every day in an
effort to sort ont equipment and
clear the lines. Each freight car,
belonging to another road, costs
the line holding it penalty of ST
a day, and as long as these foreign
cars are not in use they are unwel-
come guests.
Railway officials in Omaha say
that they have been holding cars OH
the western ends OF their lines in ex-
pectation of business that has not
materialized. One operating Off
cial with s. years experience de-
clares that this is the first time the
granger lines have had a surplus
during the crop moving season. The
same surplus of cars on hand over
those required by traffic is said to
exist in all sections of the country,
although the eastern lines now have
fewer cars on hand than they actual
ly own.
Freight Traffic Heavier.
Contrary to the general impress
sion, western traffic has not been
light as a whole. Records of the
Union Pacific show that in the six
months ending with December that
system had moved 20 per cent more
grain than.in the same period OF the
previous year. 1t is said that 20 per
cent more farm products still remains
to be moved over the amount moved
IL the first mouths Of last year.
Freight traffic is said to have become
aA,nnewhat heavier in the last two or
three weeks.
Today there are 1869 empty
freight cars stored on the Union Pa
cihc lines. The company has $500
more box cars than it owns, or IS
per cent over its ownership. Its net
excess Of all equipments cut down
by a shortage of stock cars to 3,4OO
more than its ownership, which at 81
per diem rapidly mounts up. Hay
and grade farm produce are re-
ported as not moving.
Cars Are Sorted.
In Idaho there are millions OF tons
of alfalfa hay that all efforts have
failed to get to market. When an
emergency freight rate was assigned
to permit its being shipped the price
Of hay went down to point to
block its shipment. Not as. much
-four and other grain products has
been moved this season.
All over the United States the rail-
roads are taking advantage 81 the
lull to sort out foreign cars and get
them back home. Cars have been
scrambled irrespective of ownership
by the movements of freight across
the country until trains may be seen
in which no two cars are from the
same system. and perhaps no car
barring the name of the company
hauling it is to be found. Prepara-
tons are being made to repair
freight carriers, and this can be done
easiest and cheapest in the home
shops, where parts OF the right size
,rn -, stock