The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-31
CARRIERS OPEN
1885 RADIATING
Renewed HOPE
Freight, Passenger Traffic
Showed Gains Over
1888 and 1892.
BY ]. J. RELLEY
President American Assn. of Railroads

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31.-The
railroads of the country enter the
year 1885 with renewed hopes as to
their future. While the last II
months have not been fully up to
expectations, so far as traffic and
earnings are concerned, there have
been notable accomplishments dur
ing the year in other respects.
Although the railroads have, as
has industry in general, ] felt the eff
fects of the depression, rail trans
portation service has continued to
improve. Freight traffic Us now be-
ing handled nearly half again as
last as it was ten years ago. Dut
to Improvements in locomotives, and
in operating methods, itN now re-
quireS only 100 pounds Of coal to
haul 1000 tons of weight a distance
of one mile, compared with 149
pounds a decade ago.
Many other improvements IN IA
cilities and methods of operation
have also been made, all Of which
have been directed to providing the
public with the best rail trallspor-
tation service ever afforded it,
PWA Loans Helpful
Partly due to Public Works lAd-
ministration loans made for the pur-
pose of stimulating employment, lthe
railroads in 1884 installed in service
more new freight cars and lOcomO-
tiyes than in any year since 1890.
New freight cars installed totaled
$4,000, compared with 1874 cars in
1888. On Dec. l, 1884, they had 177r
new freight cars on order, compared
with 125 the preceding year.
Fifty new steam locomotives and
35 new electric locomotives were
placed in service in 1884, compared
with one steam in 1888. On Dec. l.,
1884, there we're % new steam and
95 new electric locomotives on order,
compared with one steam locomotive
on Dec. 1, 1888.
Both freight and passenger traffic
in 1884 showed an improvement over
the two preceding years.
Preliminary reports which will not
become complete for several weeks
indicate that loadings of revenue
freight in 1884 will total 30,684 900
cars, an increase of l ,463 900 cars, or
S per cent above 1888, and an in
crease of 2,5O4OOO cars, or SO per
cent above 1882.
Passenger Traffic Up
For the first time since 1928 the
railroads showed an increase in the
amount of passenger traffic. Pre-
liminary estimates for the year,
based in part on actual reports for
the first ten months, indicate that
that traffic, measured by passenger
miles, the number of passengers
multiplied by the distance travelled
will total 1875, 100000 passenger
miles in 1884, an increase of "a per
cent above the preceding year and
an increase of So per cent above two
years ago.
Preliminary reports indicate that
the Glass l railroads of the United
States as a whole will have a net
railway operating income in 1884 Of
$445, OOO,0 OO or return Of IT. per
cent on their property investment.
Glass l railroads in 1888 had a net
railway operating income of S474,-
100000, or a return Of 1.8 per cent
on their proprty investments. Due
to the increase in traffic, gross OPP
Grating revenues, preliminary re-
ports indicate, will amount to
So, 24O, 100000, an increase of At per
cent above those for 1888.
Operating expenses in 1884 totaled
50, 435, 100000, an increase of 3.3 per
cent over 1888. The major items
in causing this increase in operating
expenses were the restoration in
part of the 10 per cent deduction in
wages of employees and the increase
in the cost of materials and supplies.