New Britain herald., 1924-12-08
Arrives At His Figures By Noting Discrep- ancy Between 1914 And 1923, Then Halv- ing It.
Advocates Co-Ordinating Railroad and Highway Facilities So Neither Will Be Acting in Con- petition.

Boston, Dec. S. 8.--Co-operation in plan of co-ordinating railroad and highway transport so that each will serve it's own purpose in solving the transportation problem without either acting in competition with the other, was advocated by C. l.. Bardo. general manager of the N. Y, N. H. and H. railroad in an address on the railroads and highway trans port" before the New England motor transport conference here to- day. Representing the railroad in- terests MT. Bardo said they were in complete harmony" with views ex- pressed by the late President Hard , ing that i've ought to turn the motor truck into a railway feeder and dis tributor instead of d destroying com- petitor" and in resolutions of the | national transportation conference that each type of carries confine it's efforts within its own economic linn | itauons.
 Questions of Competition.
 'The first question that naturally presents itself in dealing with the matter of highway competition as related to the automotive industry is how much and to what extent had this form of competition eaten into the revenues of the railroad," said | Mir. Bardo. Declaring that there is no way of definitely determining these facts, he quoted, as an index of what has taken place. figures to show 8 discrepancy between 1914 and 1928 in the sale of local rail- road fare tickets over the New Ha- ven representing s13,S00, 900 "an amount equivalent 10 g dividend of 1 8.T per cent on the entire capital stock of the New Haven road"
 Quoting figures on a check on ! highway traffic in Connecticut dur ing a period of the year 1922. he said:
 Figures on Losses.
 If the net tonnage moved by motor trucks during this period was projected for the entire year on the same basis it would amount to 4430,715 tons or 15,3 per cent of the net tonnage moved. by the New Haven for that year. If this Con necticut traffic had moved by rail at the prevailing average net ton mile earnings, our gross revenue for 1922 would have been increased to the extent of 1 1-4 million dollars. If we double this estimate to cover the remainder of the system we have a Combined loss in gross freight revenue of eight and one half million dollars.
 A Direct Loss.
 Coupling the estimated loss in local passenger earnings for 1923 of $l5,50o,00o with this amount we have a grand total of S21,SO0. GOO. 1 Giving due regard to the fact that some of the passengers formerly using local tickets are now riding on other forms of rail transporta- ton and that some of the freight traffic handled by motor trucks is 1 n-competitive, it IS a fair state ment that something in excess of half of this enormous sum repre- sents direct loss in the gross reve- nues of the railroad company to highway trucks and automobiles
 Having by large expenditures brought our railroad capacity 10 a point more than adequate 10 carry the highway and rail traffic we sub nit that the public is under some obligation to protect us"
 What is taking place in Ccnnecti- cut Nr. Bardo says is to greater or less degree taking place on the ! highways of other states.
 Thirty-five per cent of the New Haven's freight train miIelee is de voted to serving local requirements and the average ladj0F Of trains is below the tonnage rating of locomo- tives, the same apPlviog to incro7s- . ed tocal passenger traffic, Mir. BsrIo said
 Chances "t Improvement.
 T think f can he fairly statal that qs hv and large proposition our present highway methods dis trinuG9n of local traffic from the rail heads practically. in our industrial centers can be much improved. th" eff oiencv increased, a better utiliza- ton If equipment brought about and tne costs to individuals and the com uuNi-ies very substantially reduced
 Tt is our further conviction that if this is accomplished very sub stantiaI relief will be afforded from the standpoint Of congestion upon our highways and city streets and the hazards of personal injury in highway accidents also reduced.
 Canadian Policy
 We need only to cross the inter national boundary on the north to find in very successful operation a plan of cooperation upon the part Of railroads and coordination of rail- road and oCtsioe agency efforts in the definite handling of traffic from the rail heads.
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