New Britain herald., 1923-11-08
RAILROADS HOPE
 ID BREAK RECORD
Plan to Spend S24S,SO4,OOO for
 New Equipment
By The Associated Press.

By The Associated Press.
 New York, Nov. s. - Forccastine
 for 1924 another period of such rec
 ord breaking freight traffic as the | United States has experienced in the
 year just passing, two national or
 ganizations Of executives of the fore.
 most railroads today adopted an am. bilious program of financial and
 physical expansion in the next 12. month.
 The program, drawn yesterday by l the board of directors of the Ameri- | can Railway association of o4o roads was approved by the full membership
 in session at the Yale club this morn- | ing and later by heads of the 19I | class 1 roads which comprise the
 Association of Railway executives. Great Expenditures It contemplates the aggregate ex- penditure-exclusive Of what appro- priations may be contained in the 1924 budgets-of $243, ,S04,00O al- ready authorized for new locomotives, Nei io anu tuuiDiiltIllS. HIS WOulu bring total capital expenditures of class 1 roads since 1922 to sl,732.516,- S36--a high precedent in the history of American transportation for any similar period.
 Although the program did not spe- cify the total capital expenditures for 1924 that might be written in the budgets of individual roads, it ex- pressed complete satisfaction with re- suits of the billion-and-a a. half dollar plan for expansion embarked upon last spring.
 The goals set then had been nearly attained; many traffic records had bcen smashed to carry tho freight Of an era oC industrial prosperity much; new equipment had been acquired and old equipment restored Co serv- ice: car shortages had been few: traffic compositions rare and embar- goes, almost eliminated.
 New Spirit of Unity
 All these accomplishments, the A. k. A. and the A. k. r.. pointed out in adopting the program today, were due principally to new spirit of unity between the railroads and of cooperation between the roads and the public. The program for 1924 is a bid for further expansion toward the goal of maximum efficiency, ac. companied by more perfect team work between the roads. their pa irons, and the general public.
 The roads pledged themselves to:
 Continue intensive effort to reduce the percentage of locomotives and cars awaiting repairs and maintain 1t at the lowest possible minimum con sistent with the volume of business offered and the revenues the roads are permitted to earn.
 Increased supervision by the roads and greater cooperation with ship pcrs to attain fuller utilization of car capacity
 Continued intensive effort to in- crease the average daily movement per freight car. and 10 sct new rec ords for prompt movement Of traffic.
 Thorough consideration of the pos abilities of n moro extensive inter- change of joint facilities.
 Continued complete cooperation or the roads through the car service di- vision Of the American Railway as- sociation. which provides a central control and distribution Of freight cars between various railways and 
 Active support Of all phases Of the work Of regional shippers advisory boards Of road executives and cus- toners organized To solve mutual traffic problems.
 Accompanying the program ap- proved was the following resolution. which also was passed by both of the associations.
 Calling attention to the large capf. al expenditures made in 1923 for 'quipment and other transportation 1 acilitics. almost entirely from bur- i owed money. and to the necessity in i he public interest of the continuation ,f similar expenditures in inc future ! f tine needs Of tho constantly grow | ng commerce Of the country are to | ,c met. the railroads reaffirm their i aith that the American people. . hc agencies nf the government, i tatc and nation. who have thn inai voice in controlling railroad | avenues and expenses. recognize that . he continuation Of an adequate pro- 1 ram for transportation service de- ,cnds upon such net income to the ailroads as viii permit fair return lpon the property now devoted to the ,ublic service. and will make it pos iblc to secure rev capital which is needed.
 Notwithstanding th" unfrccedent- | volume of traffic successfully andled this year. the railroads have armed not even the moderate net re- 1rn contemplated"