Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1922-10-20
Big INCREASE In
FREIGHT TRAFFIC
Upward Trend in Business Here
and Elsewhere
About $50 Loaded Cars Through Town
Daily-Normal Two Months Ago 200
--WeeIIIy Receipts in BrattIebOrO 1t5.

hechiy ENtCtlptS Ill DTdttleDOTO Ito.
The upward trend of business in gem
eral is daily reflected by the increase of
freight traffic which is moving through
the local yards of the Central Vermont
Railway Co. Not only has an increase
been noted in the number of cars that
pass through Brattleboro from western
and Canadian points to destinations in
Massachusetts and Connecticut, but
there has been a noticeable increase also
in the number of cars that are marked
for this town itself.
Normally the movement is from 100
to 200 loaded freight cars daily through
Brattleboro, and two months ago freight
traffic was considered normal This
number of cars does not include the
empties which are being returned to the
original starting points or the loaded
and empty cars which are sent to Brat
tlebOrO Today approximately 400
loaded ears are being sent daily through
the town from northern points to, sta
tions on the Central Vermont and other
systems south. Four to six months ago
shipment of from 10 to II loaded cars
weekly to Brattleboro was considered
normal, but today this number has in
creased to approximately 115 cars. The
increase in tonnage carried over the rails
has not been due to the increase in ship
| ment of any one commodity. but in al
| most every line of merchandise, both to
and out of town, increases have been
noted.
The increase in freight has necessi-
| tated the use of all available locomotives
on both the Boston 4 Maine and Central
| Vermont systems. Practically every To-
comotive used for feight purposes is be-
| ing worked to capacity, and in many
cases freight trains from the south and
north have been doubled up at Brattle
boro and sent on to their destination in
order to expedite the traffic and prevent
congestion in the yards. In spite of the
efforts of freight officials, however, ther,
are occasional instances where the
freight trains in the yards have been sc
numerous that passenger traffic has beer
slightly delayed
To assist in the expedition of freight
an extra crew has been put on in tn,
freight department of the Central Yer
mont, and these men are operating be
tween Bratteboro and White Rive
Junction
Railroad officials say that business ha
increased all along the line, and it look
to them as though business had come t,
stay. Just how the freight traffic will
flare during the cold weather is a prob
lem. for cold weather always renders tn
movement Of freight difficult. and onl
with much effort can locomotives b
operated in winter with high degre
of efficiency. 1t IL pointed out that eS
treme cold weather often requires th
use of two locomotives to train wher
in moderate weather one engine only
necessary. With the coming of the col
weather and with all engines being use
now the prompt movement of freight
problematical.
A considerable increase In the shiI
ment of coal has been noted this wee
over the previous weeks, and it is es
pected that the number of cars devote
TO the movement of anthracite will In
crease gradually from now on and thu
: add to the already heavily-laden freigh
trains. As far as can be ascertained, n
new rolling stock in either cars or loco
motives is expected in the immediate flu
ture. An additional frfeiht engine whic
: some time ago had been promised TO
this section of the Central Vermont sys
TEN has been diverted to another div
sion, and local freight officials, Will
somewhat disappointed, feel that the
have sufficient motive power to reason
ably take care of all requirements, bal
ring emergencies