The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-12-09
NAzI RAILWAYS SEEN BREAKING
 IN SIX MONTHS
By JOSEPH A. GREGG, yR. United Press Stan COFrusponAenel

By JOSEPH A. GREGG, yR.
 United Press Stan COrrcsponAentl
 London, Dec. 9 (UP)-Germany'I transportation system may Suffer Q near-breakdown in the next si1 months and prove 6 major factor in her defeat, British economic ex- pertS predicted today.
 The railroads supplying her hard pressed armies in Russia and Italy already are strained almost to breaking point, according to reliable reports reaching here.
 British and American air attacks on the Reich's main conmunica- tions centers have created chaotic conditions on the railroads and knocked out or seriously damaged some 100000 tons of shipping in the past two years, these reports added.
 Persistent cannon and machine gun attacks by RAF fighters on German trains in occupied France and the low Countries were esti- mated to be smashing up some 150 locomotives Q month. Reliable re- ports reaching here indicated the German railroads now are short of 5000 locomotives and 10000 freight cars.
 Many of the Reich's major rail- road marshaling yards and repair shops were devastated by British and Amercian air raids this sum- mer.
 Three-fourths of the big Wagon Fabrik Talbot rolling stock plant at Aachen was destroyed in a raid on July 13. Three major attacks on Cologne in July and August did vast damage to the railroad work shops at Nippes and the marchal- ing yards at Muelheim, Kalk and Deutz. The Allied air forces have systematically attacked rolling stocks works at Munich, Essen, Augsburg, Berlin, Liege and other important centers in ermany and occupide Europe.
 Even conservative experts here believe If these attacks continue on the present scale the whole Axis transportation network could be brought to something like stand still in the measurable future.
 Ever since 1883 the Nazis have neglected Germany's railroads. It was estimated she entered the war with 20 per cent rolling stock deficit.
 The Nad authorities sought to remedy this situation by denuding each occupied country of the greater part of its locomotives and rolling stock, Experts reported about 4,000 French locomotives and tens of thousands of French freight cars now are in Germany itself, work ing solely for the German State Railways. This reserve, however, probably has been exhausted by now.
 A year ago, in view of the in- creasing shortage of rolling stock, the German State Railways order ed every freight car to be loaded two tons above the normal maxi mum. Damage caused as . result of this regulation was % extensive that it was recinded in June this year, but recently a new order was issued for overlooking by one ton for each freight car.
 Passenger train services through out Germany and the occupied countries were slashed ruthlessly this year and ''rationed travel" in- troduced for the first time. It now IS impossible even to climb aboard a distance train in Germany without special permit.
 At the outbreak of war the Ger mans had two locomotives for every 1.3 miles of track. Today, &C., cording to reliable estimates, they have less than one for every IS miles.
 A year ago the Nazis attempted to meet the increasingly dangerous shortage by boosting locomotive construction to an Al priority. Plans were drafted for building up so-called utility" or simplified To- comotives.
 This year the building program was stepped up further to provide for building 5000 to 1000 locomo- tives, but the program was thrown completely out of gear by intensive bombing or Ruhr factories. Latest reports indicated the program would come nowhere near being met.