The Winslow mail., 1925-11-13
ALL RECORDS
FOR HANDLING
CARS BROKEN
LAST MONTH
By STEVEN i. HORTON

The number of cars moved on
the Albuquerque division of the
Santa Fe for the month Of October
sound big, and it is big, especially
for a division a great portion OF
which is single track.
In fact it would be a good month
for a wholly double track road.
Taking then into consideration the
fact that this volume of business
was handled over single track be-
tween .WinsloW and Gallup, makes
it stand out as a real achievement.
One day this week l talked with
a transportation official from the
WinsIow office who told me that in
1905, 1900 cars per day was peak
business. In 1915, 2400 cars was
the high mark and that during the
past month 1000 cars was the aver
age. We have moved 10000 cars
in one day out of Belen, New Mex
leo. That could be done with little
extra effort, but to continue to move
1000 cars on an average for a
period of over month requires
an organization and equipment that
is second to none. For any organl-
zation that is able to double us
self over night without loss or ell
ficiency must be potentially sound.
During this time men who nave
been working as brakemen and
firemen will have their first oppor-
tunity to try their wings as con-
ductors and enginemen, which Will
not only be a testing time for the
men, but also a proving time OF the
organization. This year 300 cars
more were handled than during
the same time last year. That
means, my informant said, that we
must handle Is trains per day each
with an average of 81 cars over and
above our high average of last year.
To my querry as to who the most
credit was due for the handling OF
so much business, he replied the
organization, as no enc man or
class of men was responsible" For,
he continued, "the entire division
worked like a powerful, perfectly
adjusted machine. From the call
boys to the highest executive, each
cog and lever doing what it was
supposed to do, and" he added re-
fiectively, "a little more; for the
men as a whole, added a little
think and loyalty to their work.
H. ]. Fouts, station agent, in dis
cussing the past months business,
said in part: Il feel well pleased
with the record we have made, as
a station 1t is not the rocerd of
one man but a demonstration of
what can be done by teamwork.
We have handled more cars with
fewer engine tricks this year than
last, that too, is the direct result
of cooperation, that is system CO.
operation as the trains have come
TO us in much better shape with
regards to their makeup. The re-
suit being that the time from San
Francisco to Chicago has been
shortened in the neighborhood of
two days.
again this year we have had no
real car shortage. This is largely
due to the fact that firms receiv-
ing shipments have unlOaded them
promptly and left the cars clean.
the equipment back to the loading
territory without delay"
Mr.. Fussel, speaking for himself
and for the other yardmasters
said: During October and 1924, we
had 1914 engine tricks worked, as
against 158 this year. We were
able however, to handle 2798 more
cars, not so much because we
worked faster, but that there was
less switching per train. Of course
we want all the credit that is due
us, for we were far from being
.,sleep. We hope, of course, that
this years business win not be a
red letter year after next. And
that the problems solved this fall
will but give us the ability to crack
tougher nuts next year"
Ed Mathews, the man responsible
for providing the crews during
twelve hours of the day said:
Things have been tough at times
yet we have been able to meet all
the demands made of us. Of course
some men have had short calls, yet
when one stops to think that dur
ing the rush hours, from say six
a. m. to 10:30 a. m. that about 60
men are called for duty it is easily
possible to overlook bet"
Mr. Russell, of the S. F. r. D.
put out the dope that 1241S cars
were iced at the local plant, US
ing in the neighborhood of 700 tons
of ice. And that in all 13480 per-
ishable cars were handled. That
means that 400 cars must be iced
each day.
] did not have an opportunity to
talk with the roundhouse, but it is
very evident that some one up there
was doing their stuff, as engines
were manicured, had their noses
powdered and otherwise kept fit,
ard on the move.
In fact the big job was put over
by the coordination of many and di-
verse parts of a great machine,
each part a unit within itself,
wheel within wheel, all turning in
different directions, yet all to the
Same end