The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-01-04
RAILWAY RESULTS
DURING PAST YEAR
Many Records Established
in Nine Months Private
Operation
CAR MOVEMENTS
GREATLY INCREASED
Great Reduction i'm Amount of Freight
Loaded But Observation-Disclosures
Completed for Purchase of Much Bad
ly Needed New Equipment.


NEW YORK. Jan. 1.-The year
| just passed has been one of amazing
railroad operating records. The carriers
were returned to private operation from
| federal control following the passage of
the transportation act, an emergency
measure which was put through as such
but since has seemed TO be a construc-
tive piece of legislation, at the end of
the first quarter of 1920. Since then,
and despite labor conditions, which in
April resulted in a disheartening accum-
ulation of freight and a slowing down of
service, a greater gross tonnage has been
moved by American railroads than ever
j before and many efficiency records have
been established. In the nine months
following their return to private opera
ton the railroads have done the follow
ing outstanding things:
They have increased the average daily
movement of a of freight 6.3 miles
from 22.3 miles TO $50 miles.
The average loading for each car has
been advanced from 2S.3 tons to 30 tons.
They have substantially decreased the
number of unServiceable locomotives.
There has been a reduction in the ac-
emulation of loaded but unmoved
freight cars from 103, 237 on March l
to 21.991 Dec. g And of the latter
number only 6.3S6 We're detained be-
cause of the inability of the roads to
move them.
Arrangements have been completed
for the purchase of approximately so
900 new freight cars, 1000 new passen-
ger cars and 1,5O0 new locomotives.
There has been more than $500 00O.-
600 extra spent on the maintenance of
way and structures and the maintenance
of equipment.
Contracts have been made for the ex-
penditure of about $3.50 .000, 900. chiefly
from earnings. for additions and better
mentS to promote efficiency.
The third highest coal production in
the history of the country has been sue
cessfully moved.
Approximately 10000 box cars have
been relocated from the East to the
West for the movement of farm pro-
duets and a similar number of open-top
cars have been relocated from the West
to the East to keep up the production of
coal
When the roads were released from
government operation there was an I'M
usually large number of locomotives and
cars i'm bad order. One of the first
things the road did was to iuaugurate
intensive campaigns for the reduction of
this bad order equipment and emergency
contracts were let to outside manufac-
turers and plants when the roads found
that the repair facilities of their own
were not big enough to meet the call
placed upon them.
ROadbedS were undermaintained and
the whole transportation system of the
country was in a somewhat rundown
condition due to the strain of the war
years and the movement of emergency
war business. Many cars were scat
tered throughout the country. only a
small percentage being on their home
lines and in the face of these discOurag
ing problems n volume of business was
being offered all over the country which
threatened to smother the roads COM
pletely. This was especially 80 when
the Switchmen's strike began in April
and lasted through the month and a fair
part Of May.
How matters stood in the spring of
the year has been analysed by Commits
Sioner Aitchison as follows:
The condition in the Sprng of 1920
was more mcnacing to the domestic well
early winter of 1917 when federal con
troll was assumed. But the situation
was met. sGuarely and courageously inI
buSines-like way, without political
interference or pressure of any charac-
ter whatsoever, under the orderly pro-
ccsSeS of law, by privately operated
railroads, directed along consistent lines
to secure that unity of object and policy
which was the end sought in placing the
carriers under federal control during the
war" So
The annual report of the Interstate
commerce commission filed with congress
on Dee. 9. states:
Comparing August. 1920. with Au-
gust. 1919. the increased mileage had
the effect of increasing the car supply
2S7.69 cars; the increased tonnage per
car had the effect of increasing the car
supply approximately 104,942 ears"
GIrII LARn CENTIR