Evening star., 1922-11-03
RAILROADS KEEP UP
EQUIPMENT BUYING
Anxious to Avoid Further
Losses of Business by
Lack of Cars.
ny j, C. ROfLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, November 3.-Never
again. That's what the railroads say
when they refer to the car shortage
which has caused them so much trou-
BILE in the last three months. and they
mean il. AS a consequence, they are
buying new equipment at rate sell
dom euualed The new cars and en-
gines ordered cannot be delivered 10
them in time to relieve the shortage
Immediately. but demand by shippers
for cars is likely to continue far into
1923
TRANSPORTATION of freight and pass
engers is the stock In trade OF the
railroads. Revenue freight is the
thing on which their profits and the
records of their executives are based.
As a result of the shortage they have
seen revenue freight get away from
them. Freight formerly sent by ran
has gone to the water carriers ana
to automobile trucks, and some ousl-
ness has ceased to exist simply pc
cause the railroads could not hanole
1T. 1t has gotten so that the clink
OF the car tinkers hammer on a de-
fectiVe wheel has sent q twlnge
Through the nervous systems or the
railroads, and orders for new cars and
engines are the result
Huge sums for Equipment.
Thousands more freight cars have
been bought so far this year than IN
all of 1921 Railroad equipment plants
are working at top speed, and stiil
the orders are pouring in. The Atchi-
son, Topeka and Santa Fe Is an ex-
ample. That road has spent $23.OOO.OO0
already this year on Improvement
programs. and is expected to dispense
81, 100000 more by January l. In
addition the 1928 plans call for orders
totaling between s35,o00.o00 and $4o.-
000, 900.
The Baldwin locomotive works has
between s4O,0oO.oOO and s50.00o.00o
boks-enough to keep the plant run
ming until April. 1923. The Chicago.
Milwaukee and st. Paul is making in
Quiry for 5000 coal cars. $500 box
cars. 500 automobile cars and 100
locomotives. These orders will total
between s20.000.000 and s25,O00,o00.
$4,000 Freight Cars Wanted.
There are other inquiries in the
market totaling $4,000 freight cars
today. Among the purchasers are the
Denver and Rio GEande. Northern
Pacific and Great Northern. The
Philadelphia and Reading has already
received some of the locomotives pur-
chased. but has placed orders for
more. and many roads are building
both cars and engines in their own
| shops.
There is no prospect of a let-up,
even after the crops movement is
over. for the delayed shipments and
goods in storage will furnish a record
volume of freight far into next year.
Railroad men today declared the
petition of the Chicago and Alton
road to the labor board for modif-
| cation Of working hour regulations
represented in part the efforts of the
railroads to speed up operations to
meet present and future require
ments
Other Lines Learning Lesson.
other lines of business have learn
ed the lesson of empty shelves. Re-
|Stailers in a dozen sections have seen
business get away from them be-
cause they had no stocks on hand to
supply demand. Now, however. they
are rushing to the jobbers with re-
orders every day. and what is nor
mally slack season in the whole
sale and jobbing trade has been turn
ed into one of extreme activity.
Executives of retail stores still
are seeking quick turnovers and are
limiting their buyers to purchase of
goods that can be promptly sold. but
they are taking no chances of turning
away business because they have not
got the goods on hand.
Fighting to Get Labor.
Lead prices have been advanced
again by the leading interest, and
mines all over the country are fight
ing for men in an effort to increase
production. This applies also to the
zinc properties.
Aid to stock growers in New Mex
leo who have suffered from drought
and shortage of feed has been offer
ed by the Santa Fe road. which has
reduced rates on cottonseed meal,
cake and hulls and on corn, alfalfa
and other hay to points in that
section.