The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-04
BIC ORDERS
ROads Buying Many LOcOmO-
tiVes and Freight Cars.
Annual Records Exceeded on
October Is of This Year.

1.-THE orders the railways have
placed thus far this year for locomo-
lives and freight cars show that they
are using all available resources to
increase their facilities" says the Rail
way Age The number of freight cars
ordered this year to October 10 was
I22953 This exceeds the average an
nual records of both the last five and
the last ten years. In ract in only
three years of the last ten were larger
orders placed, namely in 1912, 1913
and 1915. The average number of cars
ordered annually in the ten years end
ing with 1921 was 106, 469, and in the
five years ending with 1921 it was
6G.619.
sHrhe number Of locomotives which
had been ordered to October Is was
1872. The average number ordered
annually in the ten years ending with
1921 was ais Thus, orders placed
in the first forty-one weeks of this
orders of the last decade They do,
however, exceed the average number
ordered annually in the five years
ending with 1921, which was only L.
4sS.
1.-THE new equipment bought will
not, of course, result in an equivalent
net increase in the amount of equip
ment in service. The average num-
Der ofslocomotives retired from service
annually in the ten years ending with
" Il
than the total number ordered thus
far this year. The average number of
freight cars scrapped and retired from
service annually in the ten years end
ing with 1921 was 76,760. This is
only 46,1e3 less than the total freight
cars ordered thus far this year. Be
cause of inability of the railways with
in recent years to buy a normal
amount of new equipment the number
of locomotives and cars that ought
to be retired is now unusually large
Won't Make Up Deficiency.
But two and one-halr months of
the year 1929 still remained when
these statistics regarding the Norders
placed this year were Compiled. Sub
stantial orders are still being placed
and probably will continue to be until
the end of the year They will pro-
vide for a normal years net increase
in equipment, but will hardly make
up for any of the large deficiency in
equipment which has accrued within
recent years.
"The comparatively large orders for
locomotives and cars being placed evil
IDENTIFY are predicated on the belief OF
tinue to move in increasing volume.
I'm the fall of 1920 the railways
handled the largest business that they
ever did in their history. The total
number of cars loaded with freight
in the four weeks ending with Oc-
tober II, 1922, was only 20 per cent
less than the number loaded In the
corresponding weeks of 1920, but there
are wide differences in the tonnages of
the various classes OF commodities
handled in the two perfoGs. Study of
these differences may suggest what
future tendencies are likely to be.
MANY people believe tnat the rea-
son why the railways are now hand
ling such a large volume of freight
is that the coal strike has forced upon
them an abnormal tonnage of coal
and that therefore the present excess
in the demand for transportation over
the supply will be temporary. The
fact is that in the four weeks of 1922
mentioned the number OF carloads of
coal moved was Is per cent less than
in the same weeks of 1920. Fur
per cent less, OF forest products 81
per cent less. and of coke 80 per cent
less. How, then, was It that the total
shipments were only three per cent
less?
All Shipments Heavier.
shipments of grain and grain pro-
ducts were Fl II per cent larger than
in 1920; of livestock 151k per cent
larger and of less than-carload mer-
Chandise II per cent larger. The
farmer is sending his crops to market
and getting his money for them as fast
as he can. He was holding his crops
back in 1920 and not getting his mon
ey for them. In view or these facts,
- ne noE HkGlN TO De a larger Dur-
chaser in 1928 than he was in 1922
shipments of L. c. L. merchandise
thus far this year have been much
greater than ever before. They con-
siSt chiefly of finished products. Re
tail merchants must have been buying
them from wholesale merchants ana
they from manufacturers. in large
amounts or they would not have been
shipped in Notwithstanding volume.
Since this has been the case, does it
not seem probable that there will be
great activity in general mapufactur-
ing for months to come? When there
is great activity in manufacturing
there is a large demand for fuel and
raw materials. Those engaged in the
construction business say there is
prospect of a great deal of construc-
ton work Do these things not indi-
cate the prospect of an increase in
shipments of the classes of commod-
tiles which are not now moving in as
large volume as two years ago.
Unless all past experience is mis-
leading. the demands upon the rail-
ways I'm months apd years Immediately
ahead are going TO increase. and they
viii have use for more additional ia
cilitfes than they viii be able to pro-
vide-'