Evening star., 1933-08-12
RAILWAY TRACKAGE.
CUT SETS RECORD.
1850 Miles Abandoned in
Nine Months-HighWay
Improvement Blamed.

A combination of factors. of which
officials ind the primary one to be the
rapid development of hard-surfaced
Highways. is causing the Nations rail-
reads to abandon trackage at a greater
rate than ever before.
Figures in Interstate Commerce Com
mission reports today show 1900 miles
OF track were abandoned in the nine
months ending August /, which nearly
doubles the GAS miles abandoned in the
entire year ending November l, 1882.
In that same nine months only III
miles of new track we're constructed
AMI in the preceding year only 38 miles.
Before hard times set in the rail car
riers stopped service over only 587 miles
in 1873 and built TT miles of new line,
in 1929 the respective figures were 539
and 6l8; in 1881 they were 1,0l9 and
244
Bus Competition Blamed.
Railroad and GoleInment officials
agree that most Ct t12 abandonment
was due to truck and bus competition
on parallel highways and discontinue
ance of minin- ard lumber operations
for which man small lines were built
years ago.
Only this week the commission au-
thorized the Norfolk & Western to
abandon another 54 miles in West Vlr-
ginia because an improved hard-sur-
faced highway most of the distance had
cut severely into rail revenues and the
line could not be maintained except at
heavy loss.
The reason for the sharp increase IN
abandonment in the last nine months,
as seen b. one high Government railroad
authority. is that the depression has
spurred the railroads to investigate and
Quit all lines that have ceased to per-
form a useful purpose
This same official sees more abandon
nent5 resulting from repeal of the re-
capture clause of the transportation act
under which the roads were required to
turn over to the Government for the
benefit of weaker lines one-half OF all
earnings III excess of per cent.
One Motive Is Gone.
abolition of the recapture clause
this Official says, might we'll increase
abandonments, because there had been
a tendency on the part OF the ROADS
subject to recapture to keep the proper
ties running because OF the increased
valuation
That motive for keeping lines mas
soi.e now" he asserts.
Texas. with 224 miles; had more
trackage abandoned than any other
state in the nine months ending Au-
gust |. California was next with 202.
kansas and Nebraska combined had
112 miles abandoned. Some OF the
lines in that territory over which serv-
ice was stopped ran into both states,
but the reports do not separate the
mileage.
Figures for Other States.
Kentucky and Tennessee. together'
abandoned 229 miles, while Michigan
and Ohio quit running trains over ITO
miles. ., e.
Abandonments occurred in 81 states
ali told. the others being:
Alabama, IA miles; Ar zona, loo' Al AZ
kansas. 10: Colorado. 81; Florida 70;
Georgia. IS; Illinois, 48; Indiana Al;
Iowa So: Louisiana, 8; Maine 90
Mass achusetts, IS; Mississippi, 81 MIS-
souri, 3: New Jersey, IS; New YORK, II,
North Carolina, 10; Oklahoma, ~
PENNSYLVANIA. 2; Utah. 2; Virginia, SG
WASHINGTON, 54. and Wisconsin, 90.
OF the II miles Of new track con-
structed in the nine months, 80 were
built in oregon and 1.5 in New jersey
tcopyr.ght. 1888. by the Associated Pres')