Evening star., 1935-10-13
BY GEORGE w. GRAY.

w YHEN the Office of Federal
M co-ordinator of transporta-
Wv ton was created by Con-
gress in 1888, and Presi-
dent Roosevelt appointed Joseph B.
Eastman to the post, one of the first
problems confronting Mr.. Eastman
was that of railway modernization.
Many people believed that modern
invention, the automobile, was reSpon-
sible, n'part at least, for the railroads
plight. Might it not be that some
other invention, or combination of in
ventionS, would help the rails to new
self -sufficiency, enable them to i'm
prove their service, cut their costs,
lower their rates, and so. by providing
better transportation for less money,
win back their lost empire? 1t seemed
reasonable possibility.
Meanwhile, some of the large trunk
lines had followed the lead of en-
gineering research by adopting new
types of passenger trains. First in the
West, then IN the East and Just last
Summer in the South, there have ap-
pCdICu CCl Jdul dONSN oANLoAOAlo
in populous districts these streamlined,
lightweight, conditioned. special
powered units. They are pleasant to
look at, comfortable to ride in and they
get you there in a hurry. They have
proved enormously effective advertise
ments, attracting crowds of interested
spectators in every city where they
were exhibited and procuring much
favorable notice for their railroads.
Earning Capacity Test.
The acid test of any industrial in
novation, however, is its demon
strated earning capacity. Can it pay
for itself and its keep and return a
profit to its owner? The new trains
are too young to have piled up any
considerable body Of data as yet.
Their critics sagely point out that any
squirt of traffic in the first few months
of a novelty may reflect only tenn
porary fad and not be the solid re-
coyery we are working for. At the
same time, it would be unreasonable
to ignore the fact that the new trains
are getting traffic, that their conven-
ience and comfort and speed are win
ming new patronage to the railroads
and that their costs of operation are
low.
As an example of what the new
trains are doing, cite one OF the old
est, the Zephyr. It is streamlined
train of three >articulated cars, pow
cred by Diesel-electric motors, and
was placed in service in 1884 to make
the run between Lincoln and Omaha
in Nebraska and between Omaha and
Kansas City. The steam train had
required rs minutes to go the 55 miles
between Lincoln and Omaha; the
Zephyr does it in precisely 55 min
utes. Similarly, the 1875 miles between
Omaha and Kansas City, which occu-
pied 800 minutes by steam, is covered
by the Zephyr in 240 minutes, includ-
ing a stop at st. Joseph, Mo.
Spectacular Traffic Contrasts.
Traffic on the Zephyr shows spec
tacular contrasts with the old. The
new train has carried nearly three
times as many passengers as the steam
trains which it replaced, and at the
same time has cut operating expenses
to nearly half. The requirements of
fuel and lubricants for the steam
trains averaged $2,073 per month; for
the Zephyr they are only $685.. Total
operating costs show an annual saw
ing Of SIS, 400, and these costs are only
one-fourth of the train revenue.
The Burlington Railroad manage
ment is so convinced Of the practical
value of its innovation that 1t is adding
a fourth car to the original three OF
its Lincoln Omaha Kansas City trains
of the zephyr type to be placed in
service between Chicago and st. Paul.
New England made its first venture
into the field of streamlined railroad
ing last Spring, when the Flying
Yankee went into service between
Boston, Portland and Bangor. A few
weeks later another train, the Comet,
began to shuttle the A miles between
Boston and Providence in "A minutes.
This latter train introduced new
engineering note in the form Of a
double power plant, separate unit
at each end Of the train. BY this
means the train Is relieved Of the
necessity of turning round; switching
expense and delays are eliminated.
Streamlined Idea Extended.
In the West the Union Pacific "a
pioneer in this new field) and in the
South the Gulf, Mobile & Northern
are extending the idea of streamlined
Diesel-electric powered railroading to
longer trains moving over greater dis
tances. The City of Portland recently
went into service between Chicago and
Portland, Greg. In Midsummer the
Rebel began to ply the 488 miles be-
tween jackson. Tenn, and New Or
leans.
When Daughters Of the Confederacy
protested against bestowing the name,
Rebel, on . Southern train, the rail-
way management explained that the
name refers only to current railroad
history. The train is intended to
xymbolize the revolt In railway eEuip-