Evening star., 1935-12-31
RAILS HAVE BEST
YEAR SINCE 1881
Both Passenger and Freight
Traffic Gains Cited by
J. J. PelIey.
BY ]. ]. PELLEY.
President, Association of American
Railroads

Railroads.
Railroad traffic, both freight and
passenger, and net railway operating
income we're greater in 1885 than in
any year since 1881.
Not a passenger vas killed in train
accident in the first II months OF
1895. according to reports received
from the railroads of this country.
Reports for the month OF December
are not as yet available
Loading of revenue freight during
the past calendar year totaled 81
45O 600 cars, an increase of sos, 900
cars. or 1.95 per cent. above 1884, and
an increase of 2.23000O cars, or 1853
per cent. above 1888. 1t also was an in
crease of 3,270000 cars, or ll.6O per
cent. above 1882. but a decrease OF
5.7O1,OO0 cars, or 1885 per cent, under
1881.
Measured in net ton-miles, the vol
ume of freight traffic handled was
10000 100000 net ton-miles, an in
crease of 474 per cent above 1884 and
13.49 per cent above 1888.
Passenger traffic in 1885 amounted
to l8.40O, 100000 passenger miles (the
number of passengers multiplied by
the distance carried. This was an in
crease of 2O3 per cent compared with
1884.
Glass l railroads of the United States
are expected to have a net railway
operating income in 1885 Of $500, ,0O0,-
900 or a return of 19 per cent on their
property investment, preliminary re-
ports indicate. The same railroads
in 1884 had a net railway operating
income of S462, $50 900, or return of
1.8 per cent on their property in
veStment.
Smaller Deficit Seen.
The Bureau of Railway Economics
estimates that after fixed charges have
been met, the railroads in 1885 will
have a deficit of approximately S15,-
100000. This is an improvement
somewhat compared with 1884, when,
on the basis of all annual reports filed
by the railroads, there was deficit of
$16,887000.
Gross revenues during the past
calender year totaled S3,440, 900 900,
an increase of Sis per cent above 1884,
and an increase of lib per cent above
1888. Operating expenses totaled ST.
575,O00,000, an increase of 5.45 per
cent above 1884, and an increase OF
14.48 per cent above 1898.
Rising operating costs face the rail-
roads, however, in 1886, due to in
creased taxes. Effective on March l.
the imposition of the tax against the
railroads under the new Railroad Re-
tirement act begins. This will cost
the railroads approximately $45,000,-
900 for the 10 months Of 1886 to which
the tax applies. In addition, taxes
levied in 1886 under the unemploy-
ment provisions of the Social Security
act will also cost the railroads another
$16000,o00.
Due to improvements in locomotive
construction, greater use is being OBJ
tanned from fuel, 119 pounds of coal
having been used in the first 10 months
of 1885 to move 1000 gross ton miles
compared with 120 pounds in the same
period in 1884. In 1920, the average
was 172 pounds.
New Plan Saves Empty Car Miles.
Action of the Association of Amer
ican Railroads in placing into effect,
on May l, 1895, plan whereby the
railroads pay for the use while on their
lines of box cars belonging to other
roads on a monthly average basis
rather than for the actual number of
days such cars are held has resulted
in substantial saving to the railroads.
The purpose of the plan was to dis
courage the movement off the line of
one railroad of box cars owned by an