Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1923-02-20
BUSINESS WORLD
LOOKS BRIGHT in
R. R. ACTIVITIES
Railroads of Country
Order More Engines,
Equipment
FACTORIES ACTIV E
Western Railroads Want
More Repair Work;
Big Shipments
FACTORIES ACTIV E
By J. G. RoYLE

Special to the Imperial Valley Press
NEW YORK, Feb. 20.-Manufac-
turers of railroad equipment are
planning increased plant capacity as
Il result of demands now Delng made
upon them. Some of the companies
probably could operate at profit
throughout 1928 on the orders they
now have if not another dollar 8
worth of equipment was bought UNI
til December 81.
Many Untitled Orders
There has been no check in the
flood of orders for new railroad
equipment since January l, Unfill-
ed order for locomotives alone to-
day amount to over 1926, 100000, ac-
cOrding to railroad men. Orders for
freight and passenger ears have
been on an equally extraordinary
scale. Conservative estimates of
capital expenditures by the rail-
roads of the country throughout the
coming year including new track,
ears and locomotives, are placed at
over $70O,O00,OOO. The equipment
cannot be turned over complete to
the railroads in less than six months.
An accurate indication of the ex-
tent of the movement for additional
equipment among the carriers is
found in order of the Pennsylvania
r;,ilrOad company for 275 1ocomot-
ives, placed in one lot with the Bald
win Locomotive Works. This brings
the total order by that road since
January to 500 engines. The Nor
folk and Western will be in the mar
ket within short time for 1000
box ears, 1000 coal cars, IL passen-
ger locomotives and so freight en-
gines.
Much Repair Work
Railroads in western territory are
shopping for repairs on approx
mately 5000 freight ears and sever
al hundred locomotives. The ter
minal railroad in st. Louis alone
has determined to pnt $16,O00,O00
into improvements and new equip
,ment Immediately with an addition
al program involving $35,OO0,OOO in
prospect.
The rush Of manufacturers to lay
in stocks of raw materials and the
demand for finished products has
taxed the freight capacity of the
railroads to the utmost this Month,
and it is expected that shipments
will speed up as result of favor
able action by congress on the Brit
ish debt settlement measure.
The electrification of railroads,
which as yet has scarcely been
touched, is expected to advance ire
mendously this year, and in antici-
patton of this the General Electric
Company and American Locomotive
Company have entered into an
agreement whereby the electrical
locomotives of each company will
approach others more closely in de-
sign and construction. iE
Need Skilled Men
This activity is calling for con-
stantly Increasing number of skilled
artisans and mechanics. Possible
wage trends in the metal trades
were indicated today by announce
mcnt that several thousand EN-
ployes of the Saco-Lowell Machine
Shops in New England will receive
wage increase effective Febru-
airy 26.
Big Ford Sales
The winter sales of the Ford
Motor Company have been larger
than the most optimistic estimates,
according to reports from Detroit
today. The output for February is
now expected to reach $4,000 ears.
With 100000 vehicles turned out in
January, the first two months of
the year are expected to exceed the
records for the corresponding
months last year by 10000 ears.
The call for trucks has been such as
70 induce some manufacturers of
commercial vehicles to double their
production schedules for the next
few months.
Demand Farm Labor f
Demand for farm labor in the
northwest is not confined 70 the
United States. Calls for assistance
in this regard are coming from the
Canadian grain fields, and the Cam
adian Pacific Railroad is Conduct
ing a vigorous campaign abroad in
Great Britain, Belgium, Holland and
Denmark to attract farm laborers
to the northwest.
Sales of copper have reached sur
prising proportions in the last week
both for domestic consumption and
for export, and the copper proper
ties of the west are gradually in
creasing output.