New Britain herald., 1928-12-13
RAILROAD ELECTRIFICATION

RAILROAD ELECIRlFISAlION
 Announcement by the Reading railroad that it will electrify it's serv- ice in the environs of Philadelphia recently followed announcement by the Pennsylvania that it would cleo trify it's line between Manhattan Tranfer and Wilmington. and would follow this with identification of the suburban lines at Pittsburgh. Which leads one to surmise that race for the identification of railroads is dawning
 Railroad managers believe there are economics in identification, al- though for about ten years many of them were of a reverse opinion. Identification of itself does not pro- duce more passengers or more freight; the cost of installing the electrical wiring is high and the cost of electrical equipment of trains and the purchase of electrical loco motives also mounts amazingly. An electrical locomotive, though small CT than a steam locomotive of corre- spending power, costs many times as much. The New Haven railroad, with an electrified line from New York to New Haven, probably does not haul a dollars worth of addi- tional traffic over the line than would be the case were it not cleo trified. This, however, is due to the fact that the New Haven along this stretch does not suffer from com petition: it gets all the traffic there is regardless of how it is hauled. | The situation between the Penn sylvania and the Reading is differ ent These are competitive lines be- tween New York and Philadelphia, and it is unlikely that if the Penn sylvania electrifes the line that the Reading will fail to meet this com- petitive thrust. The Reading has constructed beautiful new auxiliary station in Philadelphia, and in conjunction with the Balti- more X Ohio-which with the New York Central owns half the Read ing stock-it has or will construct & vast new freight terminal. The Reading, the Central of New Jersey. 1 the New York Central and the Balti- more & Ohio form a quartet working in harmony that will take no licking lying down from the Pennsylvania. and if the Pennsy electrifies ex- tensively. so will the competing lines be electrified. It may be said of course. that the Pennsy has the cream of the through passenger traf- fic south of New York; but that is only part of the business. Suburban traffic on the other lines is heavy. the terminals are crowded, and the freight business is enormous. Much Of the hard coal coming into New England originates on the Reading and Jersey Central lines. while the Jersey Central owns the most valu- able waterfront railroad property in New York harbor of any line. These subsidiary lines south of New York have money, and the only reason they do not construct a tunnelized station on Mahattan Island is be- cause they don't think the passenger traffic would pay for the investment The Pennsy did it, and it was a great public service; but nobody knows except a few insiders whether the increased financial returns will evel pay for the huge borings.
 The railroad companies like 10 be important passenger carriers: it adds to prestige in the public mind. But
 it is the haulage of freight which frequently pays the deficit of run. ming s'crack passenger trains" The Pennsy hauls more freight than any other line-as the ads say-becauss it is bigger Some of the minor lines. however, haul more freigh' per mile of road.
 It is significant that the Penns, never considered electriflcation unti
 it's officials took 10 believing that f
 would help freight traffic.