The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-10-19
BIC INCREASE IN
FREIGHT TRAFFIC
Reflects Upward Trend i'm
Business Here and
Elsewhere
45O LOADED CARS
THROUGH TOWN DAILY
Normal Two Months Ago About 300
Weekly Receipts i'm BrattlebOro In
crease from Dozen or So Six Months
Ago to About 115 at Present

The upward trend of business in gen
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 40
loaded cars are being sent daily through
the town from northern points to sta
tons on the Central Vermont and other
systems south. Four to six months ago
a shipment of from 10 TO u loaded cars
weekly te Brattleboro was considered
normal. but today this number has in
creased to approximately 115 cars. The
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 x 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, there
are occasional instances where the
freight trains in the yards have been so
numerous that passenger traffic has been
slightly delayed.
To assist in the expedition of freight,
an extra crew has been put on in the
freight department of the Central Yer
mont, and these men are operating be-
tween Brattleboro and White River
Junction.
Railroad officials say that business has
increased all along the line, and it looks
to them as though business had come to
stay Just how the freight traffic Will
fare during the cold weather is a prob
lem. for cold weather always renders the
movement of freight difficult. and only
with much effort can locomotives be
operated in winter with high degree
of efficiency. 1t is pointed out that ex-
treme cold weather often requires the
use of two locomotives to n train where
in moderate weather one engine only is
necessary. With the coming of the cold
weather and with all engines being used
now. the prompt movement of freight is
problematical.
4 considerable increase in the ship
ment of coal has been noted this week
over the previous weeks, and it is ex-
pected that the number of cars devoted
to the movement of anthracite will in
crease gradually from now on and thus
add to the already heavily-laden freight
trains. As far as can be ascertained, no
new rolling stock in either cars or loco
motives is expected in the immediate fu-
ture An additional frfeiht engine which
some time ago had been promised for
this section of the Central Vermont sys-
tenn has been diverted to another divi-
sion. and local freight officials, while
somewhat disappointed. feel that they
have sufficient motive power to reason
ably take care of all requirements, bar
ring emergencies.