Evening star., 1923-04-22
BY WILL II. KENNEDY.

HE railroads or the Onlteo
States are expecting the big
| gest freight traffic this yeai
| that they have ever had and
because during recent years there
has been an annual shortage of rail-
road transportation facilities, espe-
cially about the rop-marketine
period, the farmers. manufacturers
and government officials are now ex-
pressing deep concern regarding the
prospective lack Of adequate cal
service.
| There is less need for worry than is
generally supposed. a very careful
survey of the situation indicating
that the railroads while facing un-
precedented demands will be in better
shape to handle this business than al
any time in the last six years.
Peaks shown by Chart.
A chart prepared by the car-service
division Of the American Railway As
sociation forecasts that the peak OF
business in May will be on the 26th
reaching $4,000 cars of revenue
freight loaded that week; the peak In
June on the 23d with 9S0,000 cars
loaded: the peak in July on the 2Sth
| with more than a million cars in
| August on the 4th with 100000; In
September on the 22d with more than
| 1,050,000: in October the greatest
peak for the entire year is expected
on the Goth with 1.0S2,000 cars loaded
| vious peak loadings these estimates
show a big increase in work for the
railroads. In 1916 the peak was on
| September %, 9S9,7S8; in 1919 on Sep
tember %, 9s6,S01: in 1920 on Octo-
Der IA, 1.o1S,539; in 1921 on october
| 21, 964,S11; and in 1922 on October %,
| 1.014,4S0.
The problem before the railroads
, and the country generally is-"How
are the RAILROADS going to handle this
| tremendous business?" The passen-
| ger traffic is running about 10 per
| cent above normal, while last years
| passenger traffic was the poorest in
| six years. No one is much concerned
| about the passenger traffic, so what
! is said here applies to the problem
| of freight transportation
| What Roads nre Doing.
The railroads have started out TO
do everything that they can: GsD 10
, improve their equipment; t2d) to add
| to their equipment; and f3d) to in
| crease other facilities.
First, regarding existing equip
ment: The condition of railroad
equipment last summer and early fall
got to be pretty bad as a result of
| the shopmen's strike. Between that
| time and March 10 (the last date for
| which figures are available) the con-
diton of equipment has been so i'm
proved that today the railr ads have
$500 more locomotives in service BILE
condition than they had in August
and $4,000 more freight cars in serv-
| iceable condition. That's equivalent
to adding so much new equipment be-
cause cars in the shop are OF no i'm
mediate use.
Second. regarding new equipment;
On March 10 the railroads had under
construction 106.336 freight cars and
o.113 locomotives So far as is known
this Is more than they ever had under
construction before at this time of
the year. The average construction
for period of ten years. 1913 to 1922,
inclusive, has been 101,009 new cars
per year and 1860 new locomotives
per year.
That's the situation as It now
| stands. In addition during the last
fifteen months the railroads had de-
livered to them 117,000 new freight
cars and 2,106 new locomotives. That
also is the largest number Of new
service during any recent year.
Nearing Pre-war Level
Now, here's little angle that
seems to be worthy OF some thought.
The year 1916 was the last year be-
fore the United States entered the
i nd nj -
the railroads are beginning TO attain
la pre-war normal level of railway
equipment.
Third, as regards other facilities:
1t is harder to get information re-
garding new tracks. heavier rails.
larger yard facilities (Which is ex-
1tremely importantly, the Strengthening G
out of curves, the cutting down Of
machinery to promptly handle re-
pairs, etc.
This year the improvement program
of the railroads, so far authorized
provides for the expenditure of ST.
10o, 100000, because they fully realize
the necessity of the greatest improve
jment and expansion possible of the
countrys transportation facilities to
Inject the growing demands Of COM
merce. OF that amount am ndn s615,ooo.Ooo
i
jtives and s425, 900, or about 40 per
icent is for trackage and other facili-
ties This Is composite of the best
Judgment Of all the railroad com
panies as to what they should do TO
meet the situation.
The results from these preparations
are largely in the future, but 1t is a
matter of great interest that thus far
this year the railroads have been able
to handle traffic greater than ever be-
fore in the same season and during that
same period have been cutting the
! car shortage down about 1000 cars
that is from 1925 on January l 10
6S.sS6 on March Is. That they have
been able to make any reduction at
all while handling the largest traffic
in history is decidedly encouraging
Last fall the car shortage was great
! er than 25o, 900 cars. This. it must be
understood, Is the demand by ship
pers for cars for loading which the
| railroads were not able to supply. So
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