Evening star., 1924-04-05
RAILWAY FREIGHT
LANDINGS GROW
Heavier Shipments Present
Year Than Ever Before,
Is Predicted.
BY j. @. ROYLEs
Special Dtsrsteh 10 The Star.


NEW YORK. Apr.l THE railroads
Of the country seem destined to move
more freight this year than ever be-
fore. They will have to do so in or
der to pay for the new equipment now
going into commission and in pros
pect In the last month there have
been numerous fires in the railroad
centers of the country which have not
needed an appeal to the local fire de-
partments. The railroad companies
have been burning UP thousands OF
old freight cars to recover the iron
and steel contained in them.
New Car Orders OF Hinge Volume.
Orders for new cars were Of tre-
ynendous volume in 1923 and have held
up remarkably SO far this year, but
they have not exceeded the number
of requirements required. There are
now in operation about 100000
freight cars. Taking the average life
OF car as twenty years, the country
requires at least 10000 new cars an
nually. The increase in population
automatically requires an additional
supply. It is extremely probable.
therefore, that between 10000 and
100000 new freight cars will be cr-
dered and built this year.
Some of the roads have provided
for their requirements. Others have
not There is no car shortage in pros
pect but many roads will require ad-
ditional cars of particular types.
Nearly $4,000 cars have been orie
since January 1. Improvement in op-
Grating efficiency, increased car mile
age. increased car capacity, better
loading and fewer bad-order cars will
help the situation. but the industries
involved in the railroad equipment in
dustry are anticipating good business.
Equipment Companies Hopeful.
This attitude was expressed by
William H. Woodwin, president of
the Car and Foundry Company. who
declared the outlook for the industry
-~as br1gnt.
There has been quito a bit OF busi-
ness placed for tho car equipment
companies" he said. "and II has not
been completed. ] do not expect the
total orders for equipment to be as
big as last year, but we are looking
forward to good business. There Is a
very sound financial basis at present"
The cost of the new equipment and
the freight to be moved to make 1t
nay has been strikingly illustrated
by c. j. Mcdonald, superintendent Of
perishable freight of the Southern
Pacific. Ss
* Pacific type OF locomotive in
1916" he said. cost us s25,5S4. 1t
would take gross earnings from
hauling 90 carloads of fruit frona
Fresno to Chicago to pay for 1t
Now the engine costs ss4,244, and
even at the Increased freight rate
l54 carloads would have to be hauled
to pay fer 1t. We paid $13,f24 for
switch engines nine years ago. the
equivalent Of the sum received for
hauling 56 cars OF cantaloupes from
Brawley, Calf, to Ell Paso. Now 1T
would be necessary to haul 13o car
loads to earn. the present cost OF
S3s,623. ~
Cost OF Carriage Compared
I'm 1915 we had to haul fiye car
loads of oranges from Los Angeles to
Ell Paso to pay $1,000 for box car.
The same car now costs $4,000. Fir
cross ties which we could buy for
35 cents. then cost $1.12 apiece in
1923, making the total for ties cor
one mile of track $3.225, as compared
with $1,01S."
Increased activity In the railway
signal industry has followed the or
der OF the Interstate Commerce Com
mission requiring forty-nine of the
large carriers TO install train-oontroi
Gevicaa