Evening star., 1933-03-26

of things-but they should be subject
to the same principles Of supervision
| and regulation that control the rail-
roads.
IF that is done-if the laws are
ecualized so that no form of carrier is
| favored to the advantage of another
and none is restricted by regulations and
charges and taxes which do not apply to
the others-and If when this is done
the railroads can't survive, then they
must go the way Of all obsolete things.
! But the railroads will survive and go
on to yet larger development simply be-
cause no agency can possibly provide
mass transportation SO adequately, so
consistently and dependably in all kinds
of weather and SO chearly as the rail-
roads,
Last Summer the Pennsylvania Rail-
road totaled the traffic movement for
one day on its middle division through
ured that to haul this depression freight
an equal distance by highway would re-
quire two solid lines of 5-ton trucks
reaching across the State.
Prof. William 2. Ripley OF Harvard
made computation to see how many
5-ton trucks would be required to
transport the 1929 freight traffic of the
American railroads-and it came to
6,250,0 900 vehicles. They would have to
be constantly at work to get the ton
mage moved in a year, and allowing an
average of Is feet length to each truck,
they would form a line 10000 miles
long-more than nine columns abreast
tenders touching, all the way from New
York to San Francisco.
Surely" concludes Prof Ripley, "the
assumption Is well founded that these
railroads are bound to stay Indefinitely.
Tomorrow's transportation program
cannot do without the rails-and also ii
cannot afford to ignore or neglect OF
handicap any Of the other forms OF
carriers.
Il was on the Pacific Coast last
month";" said Gen. Atterbury, land II
was a great comfort to know that at
home-thanks to the transcontinental
airlines. have great confidence IN the
future Of aviation.
But the airlines will thrive most
surely, and the rail lines will thrive
as the two recognize their rational func-
tions and coordinate them in the serv-
ice Of the public-the railroads to
every day long distance hauls Of freight
and passengers, where the economies
and comforts of mass transportation are
a prerequisite; the atrlines to high
speed transport of both passengers and
| goods, mail and emergency freight
where the need to save time warrants
the higher rate.
And this idea holds for the other
forms Of transport, too," added the rail-
road man. Petroleum, gasoline and gas
can be transferred rapidly. safely and
cheaply by pipe line-and railroads
might as well grant the fact. Short
haul traffic can in certain instances &c
more expeditiously by highway carriers
Certain bulky freight, for which celerity
of movement Is not required, can be
moved satisfactorily by barges and
other water carriers. A complete trans.
portation system calls for the use oi
all these facilities.
1.-The railroads are not blind to this
fact. They have been working toware
it for years. Thus, the Pennsylvania
Railroad is interested in bus lines, in
highway trucks, in transcontinenta
airline and In steamships sailing be-
tween Baltimore and European ports
We should like to operate on American
waterways and in the c6astwise trade
too, and look to future changes in thu
regulatory laws which will not bar the
railroads from water transport. as pres
ent laws do. We believe that by CO.
various forms of transport the public
can be served more efficiently and more
economically.
Drastic economies have been effected
by many Of the roads; hundreds Of un-
profitable trains have been discon.
tinued; more than 1,700 improbable
stations have been shut down; dining
car service (always heretofore an ex-
pensive luxury not only to the patron
OF the diner, but also to the operating
railroad, has been debated to appea
to the pocketbook Of the coach passen'
ger, aid some diners are even oper.
ating q tray service Ia cafeteria. Ir
many sections, where passenger service
has not been discontinued altogether
mixed trains are combining freight and
passenger traffic.
New equipment Is cutting expenses
Thus, in 1881 the Lehigh Valley Rail-
road invested $2,340,0 900 in 20 steam
locomotives of an improved type. They
took the place Of 40 old locomotives
and at the end of the year it was fount
that operating economies totaled $780,.
000-a return Of 50 per cent on the In.
vestment.
Lately the Santa Fe put on trial 9
new steam locomotive which, compared
with the records Of the engines thai
were modern five years ago, is handling
Is per cent more tonnage In 8 per CEN
less time and with II per cent less fuel
i Fifty-seven rail motor cars, used t.
displace locomotives in certain services
on the Chicago, Burlington d Quincy
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