Evening star., 1924-08-28
LARGER RAILROAD
.EARN|NGSDUES0ON
Crops and Coal Will Boost
Traffic-More Cuts in
Operating Costs.
BY J. c. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, August 2S. - Larger
earnings for the railroads are in
imm ediate prospect During mid
Summer, freight traffic took an un-
doubted drop, with consequent effect
on gross revenues. but the busiest
time Of the year is getting under
way and now the seasonal tendency
upward seems likely % be augmented
by crop movements. transportation
of coal and the general revival of in
dustrtal activity, which always pre-
sages an increase in freight shipments.
Railroads have an ample surplus OF
locomotives and freight cars in repair
to care for any expansion of trafnc
that may be expected. The better
ment OF business for the carriers will
be multiplied by the fact that it Will
be accompanied by lower operating
costs in some departments. This in
crease of efficiency has been especial
ly marked in the average number of
cars moved in each freight train and
the heavier loading Of each car.
High Grain Averages.
Latest figures available show that
an average of over AZ cars are being
moved in each freight train of the
main carriers of the country while the
records of some individual roads
show an average Of above 4S cars per
train These figures compare with a
general average of 36.6 cars in 1920
and 39.9 in 1928.
Even a small increase in each train
load means saving of many millions
in operating expenses, as can be
judged from the fact that if the roads
had handled only the same number OF
cars per train this year as in 1923
they would have had to run those
trains nearly 100000 more miles
than they did to handle the busi-
ness.
1t is estimated that the difference
in the number of cars per train in
1924 over 1914 will result in a saving
Of $500. 100000. as compared with the
expenses of the latter year.
Seek Greater Efficiency.
The individual roads are using in
dividual methods to maintain and
raise this greater efficiency. greater
number Of cars per train gives the
locomotive more tons to pull. In order
that the engine may pull this larger
tonnage, it is necessary either 10
provide more powerful locomotives or
reduce track gradients, or both
Either method requires the construc-
tion of stronger tracks and bridges
longer turntables, larger round
houses. stronger cars and longer
passing and yard tracks.
The Eastern carriers, with fewer
heavy grades to contend with, have
turned to the larger locomotives. This
tendency has been encouraged by the
success of the new type on the Della
ware, Lackawanna and Western
These engines are equipped with a
booster" appliance which furnishes
additional traction power on heavy
grades, and with mechanical stok
ing device feeding coal automatically y
to the firebox.
Faster Freight Likely.
Such locomotive, Lackawanna
experts claim. can move heavy coal
train from Scranton to Secaucus. y.
j., in IL hours or less. The Older
types required Is to 20 hours, with
additional costs for train crews. The
experts expect these locomotives
will allow complete revision OF
freight train schedules, the elimlna- :
ton of extra crews and will result
in speeding up shipments all the way
from Buffalo to Hoboken.
In the far West building of cut
offs to avoid heavy grades. double
tracking of lines and Improvement
of road beds is proceeding at top
speed and is furnishing employment
for thousands of men and assuring
purchases of thousands OF tons of
steel, lumber and other material 8.
The class l roads of the country in
the first half of this year spent
s6.S5O.OO0 more on maintainence OF
way than in the similar period of
1928. but their total operating ex-
penses for the six months declined by
sl71.7S7.0O0 from s2,445,62o,000 to
3s273, $4,000.
Further reduction of operating ex-
penses undoubtedly has been one
object of the recent railroad con-
solidations and has furthered the
prospects of other mergers.