Evening journal., 1922-09-02
SHORTAGE OF TRANSPORTATION

TIME OF early shortage of transportation
due much less to tho amount of equipment in bac
than to the fact that there has been within recent
years great decline the number of locomotives and
cars built and into service according editorial
in the current issue Railway The editorial
is based table showing the number Of new locomo-
tves and into service and the number scrapped
retired of the from 1905
to 1921. inclusive.
| The Railway Age divides the statistics into two
periods of years ending on June 80. 1914
and of and one-half years ending Decem-
Der 81, 1921.
The numbers of class of equipment retired in
the second period" says the Railway Age. were
slightly less than period, there heavy
declines in the numbers built and put in service In the
periods the results follows; In the seven
years ended in the number of locomotives put
in service exceeded the number retired by 1889 In
period Of and onehat ended with 1921
the number locomotives put in service exceeded the
number by only 1912. In the first period the
the number of freight put in service
was s4ssO2. while in the second period it only
41.Os7. The average traotve of locomotives and
the average capacity freight increasing as
fast in proportion in period ending with 1914 in
the period ending Therefore these statistics
regarding relative increases in the numbers OF cars
and locomotives reflect with approximate accuracy the
relative increases in trsctve power OF loeomo-
tives and the total capacity of freight cars.
Contrasting the situation OF the railways in 1915.
when they confronted with large increase OF
traffic and the situation at the present time the Rail-
way Age says:
The railways in 1916, after period of depression
were called upon handle vastly increased business
They had with which to handle this business about
800 more locomotives about 2o1oOo more freight
cars than they years before. The railways In
1874 after another period of depression, again
A, he
beginning Of present year. however. they had only
500 more locomotives and only about $1,000 more
freight cars than they had five years before.
Development Of the railways had already seriously
slowed before the big increase in business came
in 1916 In consequence they found it extremely diff
ncult in the years 1915 TO 1920 to handle all the
business offered TO them Thedecne in their develop
ent has much greater since 1915 than II was be-
fore II the increase traffic coming is to be any
where near as large that which in 1915. the
railways will ind It extremely difficult. II not actually
TO cope with If this should prove TO be
the case It would futile than futile to at
tribute it entirely or mainly the relatively large
amount of equipment in bad order
THE situation with respect to bad order equipment.
can probably will be remedied in comparatively
short time Remedying the serious deficiency Of equip
nent actually in existence will present much more
difficult and important problem. 1t is but part Of
nately great deficiency of facilities Of all kinds
including main tracks sidngs, yards terminals, shops
stations etc. The problem presented by the necessity
for very large increase OF railway equipment and
facilities of all kinds will not be solved for years TO
come unless the policy of regulation followed is very
different from which followed during the
past fifteen years.
The statistics published show the following facts:
Number Of locomotives installed in the seven years
,nded with 1914. 22Oso; number retired. 114S1; net
Increase lO57s. Number of locomotives installed in
he seven years ended with 1921. 12s1s; number re-
lred. 1926; net increase 1s12.
Number of freight cars installed in the seven years
nded with 1914 9O1 061; number retired 5el5eS; net
,orease s4SsO2 Number OF freight installed in
he seven and one-haf years ended with 1921 5ssss2
lumber retired. 55s.765 net increase, 41o97. ,
Those are facts and figures which should appeal I
.rongiy to the interest OF Delaware shippers and "
-avelers this time.