The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-12-02
CHECK UP ROADS
Figures Show Performance Of
-. Carriers in q. s.
Efficiency OF Various Lines Is
Compared in Statistics.
SEPTEMBER FIGURES LATEST
Approximately Same Relations
as for November Operations.
Cover Various Phases of Rail-
road Operation in u. S.

Some interesting figures in the com
parison of the operating efficiency and
returns of railroads in the United
States are tabulated in the current is
sue OF the Railway Review. from fig
ures furnished TO tre interstate COM
merce commission for the month Of
SeptemberAthe latest figures to bc
compiled.
While it seems that the figures are
a trifle stale" it is nevertheless true
that there have been comparatively
few factors which have operated since
that time to change the relative value
of the statistics presented Traffic Is
somewhat heavier, but the increase
has been fairly well distributed, and
weather conditions which applied IN
September are practically the same,
so far as railroading is concerned, as
. those which have been met with this
( month.
. The fluctuations cover, first, the fop-
Grating ratio" OF the roads-meaning
the percentage of their gross receipts
which it has cost them to operate
I. Cost Erie To Do Business.
The highest operating ratio given,
. for any OF the Gfty-fOur roads for
which figures are given, was that OF
the Erie railroad. 1t cost the Erie
more to do business than the road re-
.Ceived as gross revenue during the
month"; Inc LdLlO 1OE LAAG
Erie is given as 1853 per cent of the
gross revenue. The road which con-
stunned the smallest proportion OF its
gross income in operating expenses
was the Milwaukee. St Paul & Sault
Ste. Marie, with only GA per cent of
its income devoted to the cost Of OPP
Grating. Five of the fifty-fOur roads
spent more IN operating expenses than
they received in gross revenues, during
the month.
OF the roads which operate thru To-
peka. the Missouri Pacific had the
highest operating rRtiO-99.6 per cent;
the Rock Island. 7S-7 per cent; the
Santa Fe, 71-2 per cent, and the Union
Pacific 6s.S per cent.
The Milwaukee and St Paul and
Sault Ste. Marie was also lowest in
the percentage of its total operating
revenue devoted to maintenance Only
s4.4,per cent OF the operating revenue
Of the NJ. st. p 5. Ste. NJ was de-
voted to maintenance. while the Erie
was again high in this class with 56.7
per cent of its operating revenue de-
voted to maintenance.
The roads operating thru Topeka
ranked as follows: Missouri Pacific,
39.6 per cent; Santa Fe, 37.7 per cent;
Union Pacific. S5.3 per cent and Rock
Island. 32-7 per cent.
Figures Indicate Efficiency.
y series of statistics dealing with
the efficiency of train operation, was
included in the tabulation-
series was that giving the car miles
per day. achieved by the various roads
meaning the average mileage trav-
elled by each car on the lines, each
day
The Union Pacific outranked all
other roads in the United States in
this column, its cars moving an aver
age of 1913 miles per day during the
month: the lowest road listed was the
Long Island, which moved its cars but
b.5 miles per day.
The Santa Fe moved its cars 43.S
miles per day, the Rock Island, 27-9.
miles per day and the Missouri Pa
cific. p miles per day
The loading OF cars to capacity was
indicated in the tabulation of net tons
per loaded car, IN which the Elgin.
Joliet & Eastern led all other roads,
with an average load of As tons The
lowest average tonnage was MAIN
tanned by the Boston K Albany, with
19.9 tons per car. The Missouri Pa
cific led all roads operating in To-
peka. with an average net load OF
25.3 tons; the Rock Island maintained
an average net tonnage OF 23-3 tons
per car. the Union Pacific average
car load was 21.2 tons, and the Santa
Fe. 20 tons even
Gross Tonnage Per Train.
The gross tonnage per train handled
by the various roads showed that the
Pittsburgh & Lake Erie handled the
highest rate-2.563 tons. The Long
e
car mile per day movement, also
moved the smallest tonnage per train
-74S tons.
Z, The Santa Fe moved the greatest
humber of tons per train. thru To-
peka-1.590 tons; the Union Pacific.
1856 tons; the Missouri Pacific, 1,2S9
tons. and the Rock Island, 1926 tons
rs OF the total car miles, the largest
percentage OF loaded car miles was
scored by the Wabash. with 79.5 per
cent. Tho lowest in the United States
was the Elgin, Joliet 81 Eastern, with
only 62.1 per cent.
OF the roads operating thru Topeka,
the Rock Island was high in the per-
centage of loaded car miles, with T5.7
per cent: the Missouri Pecific was
second with Ills per cent; the Union
and the Santa Fe low with 6S.4 per
cent
On Passenger Traffic.
All the figures preceding have dealt
with the freight traffic of the roads.
Entering the passenger service field,
the figures deal with but two phases
the number of passenger cars han
died per train. and the pounds of coal
consumed per car mile
The Michigan Central moved the
greatest number of passenger cars per
train operated-9-S cars per train; the
Minneapolis & St. Louis was low with
( The Union Pacific hauled an aver
age OF S.4 cars per traini the Santa
Fe. 81 cars, the Missouri Pacific. Ga
cars, and the Rock Island only So
cars per train.
The road most lavish with its coal.
as measured in the movement OF pas
senger cars per mile. was the Norfolk
& Western. with coal consumption
of 26.9 pounds for each car moved
mile. The most economical road in
the same category was the Southern
Pacific, with a coal expenditure of 1914
pounds per passenger car mile
- - v7r.fl
stated whether the ofrburning engines