Summary of Railway Mileage in the United States by States and Territories in 1909 and 1908 and its Relation to Area and Population—Continued.1908 Owned (Official) MilesMiles of Line per 100 Sq. Miles of TerritoryInhabitants per Mile of LineUnited States,1909234,1827.88379""1908230,4947.76378""1907227,6717.74370""1906222,5757.55373""1905217,0187.34378""1904212,5777.20379""1903207,1877.00384""1902201,6736.82388""1901196,0756.64391""1900192,9416.51393""1899188,2776.37395""1898185,3716.28394""1897182,9206.21390""1896181,1546.15384""1895179,1766.08382""1894176,6036.02379""1893170,3325.94377""1892165,6915.78380""1891164,6035.67380""1890159,2725.51384
The column of operated mileage in 1909 testifies to the comprehensive character of the reports to this Bureau, while the last two columns demonstrate how railway extension has kept pace with the growth of the country. Territorially the United States now has 43% more railway mileage than it had in 1890, and the last column proves that the mileage is greater proportionately to the population than it was twenty years ago. The contrast in the density of population per mile of line between Rhode Island and Nevada is illustrative of the startling diversity of conditions under which railways are operated in the United States.
Railways Built in 1909.
The new mileage reported as constructed in 1909 tallies more nearly than usual with the increase in mileage for which operating reports are received. As reported in theRailway and Engineering Review, February 19, 1910, the new mileage by states was as follows:
Miles of Line Constructed During the Calendar Year 1909 by States and Territories.StateMiles Built1909StateMiles Built1909Alaska48Montana125.08Alabama35.62Nebraska13.15Arkansas155.20Nevada304.50Arizona48.02New Hampshire1.55California248.60New Jersey33.95Colorado98.13New Mexico35.00District of Columbia3.81New York52.20Florida102.81North Carolina111.92Georgia138.70Ohio18.41Idaho50.49Oklahoma163.20Illinois23.45Oregon158.38Indiana10.82Pennsylvania106.66Kansas87.21South Carolina66.14Kentucky101.52Tennessee94.26Louisiana131.57Texas650.61Maine87.00Utah28.00Maryland4.68Virginia85.75Michigan77.58Washington209.84Minnesota164.70West Virginia131.78Mississippi36.60Wisconsin68.30Missouri11.84Wyoming15.57Total4,040.60Second track, sidings, etc.1,515.07Total all tracks5,555.67
Railway Mileage of Foreign Countries.
The ratios of railway mileage to area and population in the table on page 19 may be compared with those of foreign countries for 1907 in the following statement:
Summary of the World's Railways and Ratio of the Mileage to the Area and Population of each Country in 1907.From Archiv fur Eisenbahnwesen, May-June, 1909.CountriesMiles 1907Miles of Line per 100 Square MilesInhabitants per Mile of LineEurope:Germany36,06517.21,563Austria-Hungary25,85210.01,818Great Britain and Ireland23,08419.01,785France29,71614.21,316Russia in Europe and Finland (2,057 miles)36,2791.82,941Italy10,3129.33,125Belgium4,87442.81,370Netherlands and Luxemburg2,23015.02,564Switzerland2,76312.21,205Spain9,2274.81,923Portugal1,6894.73,226Denmark2,14114.31,150Norway1,6061.31,390Sweden8,3214.8617Servia3792.16,666Roumania1,9943.22,941Greece7713.13,125Turkey in Europe, Bulgaria and Rumelia1,9671.95,000Malta, Jersey and Isle of Man6816.15,273Total for Europe, 1907199,3455.31,887" " " 1906196,4375.21,993" " " 1905192,5075.12,084" " " 1904189,8065.02,084" " " 1903186,6855.02,084" " " 1902183,9894.92,127" " " 1901180,8174.82,174" " " 1900176,3964.72,220" " " 1899172,9534.62,220" " " 1898167,6144.4" " " 1897163,5504.3" " " 1896160,0304.2Increase in eleven years39,315Other Foreign Countries in 1907:Canada22,4470.6373Mexico13,6121.8321Brazil10,713.321,408Argentine Republic13,6731.3356Peru1,332.323,449Uruguay1,2101.8769Chili2,9391.01.123Central Russia in Asia2,8081.32,777Siberia and Manchuria5,664.111,020Japan5,0123.19,090China4,1620.185,820British India29,8921.410,000New Zealand2,5702.4324Victoria3,4283.9351New South Wales3,4711.1394South Australia1,9240.16188Queensland3,4040.5142Egypt3,4451.02,860Cape Colony3,8041.3463Natal9763.5793Transvaal1,3611.1636Recapitulation:Total for Europe199,3455.31,889" " America302,9272.3524" " Asia56,2830.3815,540" " Africa18,5160.168,014" " Australia17,7660.6279" " the whole world594,837——
Of the above total railway mileage for the whole world, no less than 332,360 miles, or nearly 56%, is operated in English speaking countries, the mileage of the United States alone being over 35% of the whole.
To the most casual student the disparity between the density of population to railway mileage in the United States and Europe of one to five, is as apparent as it is significant of our necessity for so much greater provision of transportation facilities per capita. If our per capita mileage were relatively the same as that of Europe, the United States would be set back to the transportation facilities of 1869, when the completion of the Union Pacific raised its total mileage to 47,254 miles. But even then it had a ratio of one mile of railway to 810 inhabitants, which was higher than Europe's ratio today.
Clearly there is nothing in the statistics of the railway mileage of the world to account for the epidemic of railway phobia that periodically convulses the people and legislatures of the United States of America.
Mileage of All Tracks in 1909.
Of almost equal importance to the mileage of American railways are the auxiliary tracks upon which the extent and efficiency of their public service so largely depends. As the next statement shows, these continue to increase more rapidly than the miles of line.
Summary of Mileage of Single Track, Second Track, Third Track, Fourth Track and Yard Track and Sidings, in the United States, 1897 to 1909.YearSingleTrackSecond TrackThird TrackFourth TrackYardTrack and SidingsTotal Mileage Operated (all tracks)1909 (94.4%) Bureau221,13220,6372,1861,49180,669326,1151908 Official(a)230,49420,2092,0811,40979,452333,6461907227,45519,4211,9601,39077,749327,9751906222,34017,3961,7661,27973,760317,0831905216,97317,0561,6091,21569,941306,7961904212,24315,8241,4671,04666,492297,0731903205,31314,6811,30396361,560283,8211902200,15413,7201,20489558,220274,1951901195,56112,8451,15387654,914265,3521900192,55612,1511,09482952,153258,7841899187,54311,5461,04779049,223250,1421898184,64811,2931,00979347,589245,3331897183,28411,01899578045,934242,013(a) To the figures for 1908 should be added the 1,626 miles of main track and 2,085 of yard track and sidings of switching and terminal companies, excluded by the Official Statistician, raising the total of all tracks to 337,357.
By adding the auxiliary trackage reported to this Bureau for 1909 to the 234,182 miles of operated line reported to the Interstate Commerce Commission for June 30 of that year, it appears that the total of all tracks on that date wasupwards of 340,000 miles.
It will be observed that in every instance the mileage of second, third and fourth track and yard track and sidings reported to this Bureau in 1909, the year of comparative stagnation in railway construction, exceeded the complete mileage of these tracks in 1908 reported to the Commission.
The above table (with the Commission's figures for single track) shows that where there has been an increase of only 50,798 miles of single track, or 27.7%, in twelve years, all trackage has increased over 98,000, or 42%, during the same period. It also shows that during the same twelve years second track has increased 87%; third track 120%; fourth track 91%, and yard track and sidings 76%.
Mileage and Track of British Railways.
As English railways are so often brought into comparison with American railways, it is well to know the total of all tracks in the United Kingdom as well as the mileage. Both are given in the following statement, compiled from returns to the British Board of Trade for the years ending December 31, 1904 to 1908:
Description of Track19081907190619051904Single track (miles)23,20923,11223,06322,87022,601Second track13,04812,96312,93412,81912,692Third track1,4351,3851,3631,3241,271Fourth track1,1411,1031,0911,0671,030Fifth track208195186170153Sixth track1221171119785Seventh track5951474035Eighth to twentieth tracks9487754434Sidings14,35314,14514,03213,89113,733Total trackage53,66953,18952,90452,32251,634
Here it will be perceived the mileage of British roads increased only 608 miles and the trackage only 2,035 miles in four years. During the same period, as shown in the preceding table, the mileage of American railways increased 18,251 miles and their total trackage 36,543. It is this continuous demand for increased mileage and trackage in the United States, to say nothing of equipment, that differentiates the problem confronting American railway management from British. In the United States we need more railways and still more railways, and the problem is to get the capital on reasonable terms to provide the facilities.
In railroad mileage alone we have over ten times that of the United Kingdom and we have more than six times as many miles of track. We have enough trackage in our yards and sidings to double track all the British railways, with enough over to put four tracks where they have only two tracks now.
An Object Lesson in Equipment.
No car shortage occurred to interrupt the orderly movement of railway traffic during the fiscal year 1908-09. On the contrary, there was an unprofitable surplus of cars throughout the year, ranging from 110,912 in September, 1908, to 333,019 in January, 1909. From this high figure the surplus was slowly reduced by the demands of traffic until subsequent to the close of the fiscal year, in September last, it reached a practical level of shortages and surpluses. During the year there was an average of 150,000 freight cars in the shops, where in times of ordinary activity the mean would be in the neighborhood of 100,000.
These conditions, which prevailed since November, 1907, account for the greatly reduced purchases of rolling stock during the years 1908 and 1909 shown in the following record of locomotives and cars built in the United States during the past eleven years:
Eleven Years' Output of Cars and Locomotives.From the Railroad Age-Gazette.YearLocomotivesNumber Passenger CarsFreightCars1909(a)2,8872,84996,4191908(a)2,3421,71676,5551907(a)7,3625,457284,1881906(a)6,9523,167243,6701905(a)5,4912,551168,00619043,4412,14460,80619035,1522,007153,19519024,0701,948162,59919013,3842,055136,95019003,1531,636115,63118992,4751,305119,886Total46,70926,8351,617,905(a) Includes Canadian output.
Between 1898 and 1908 the Interstate Commerce Commission reported an increase of 21,464 locomotives, 11,697 passenger cars, and 856,999 freight and company cars. Allowing for the Canadian output in the above table, this would show 22,742 more locomotives,13,821 more passenger cars, and 674,023 more freight cars built in ten years than are accounted for in the official returns. Roughly speaking, these last figures represent the number of locomotives and cars worn out beyond repair or destroyed that have to be replaced annually. It means that provision has to be made every year for the purchase of new equipment amounting to approximately 5% of locomotives and passenger cars and 4% of freight cars in order to maintain the equipment numerically, irrespective of the sums spent on maintaining the remainder in serviceable condition.
On the equipment reported by the Commission for 1908 this would necessitate the following outlay for replacement alone:
NumberNeeded for ReplacementAverage CostTotal CostLocomotives57,6985% = 2,884$15,000$43,260,000Passenger cars45,2925% = 2,2146,00013,284,000Freight cars2,100,7844% = 84,0311,00084,000,000Company cars98,2813,9315001,965,500Total cost for replacing equipment$142,509,500
It is probable that the computed percentage for the replacement of locomotives and passenger cars is too high and that for freight cars too low. This is the opinion of operating officials. If so, it would amount to a set off and the aggregate would still be approximately $142,000,000 to be expended annually for new equipment to take the place of old, worn out and discarded rolling stock. Conditions forbade the expenditure of any such sum in 1908 and 1909.
Number and Capacity of Locomotives for Eight Years, 1909 to 1902.
Next follows a summary giving the number and capacity of locomotives for the seven years since the Commission has included capacity in the published returns:
YearNumberTractive Power (Pounds)Weight without Tender (Tons)Average Weight (Tons)1909 (94.4% represented)55,4951,421,114,7984,033,30972.71908 Final returns57,6981,519,568,5514,071,55471.5190755,3881,429,626,6583,828,04569.1190651,6721,277,865,6733,459,05266.9190548,3571,141,330,0823,079,67363.6190446,7431,063,651,2612,889,49262.1190343,871953,799,5402,606,58759.4190241,225839,073,7792,323,87756.3Increase seven years to 190934.6%69.4%73.6%29.1
Complete returns will raise the totals for 1909 approximately to 57,704 locomotives of 1,465,070,000 pounds tractive power and 4,158,000 tons weight, exclusive of tenders. These figures bear out the conclusion expressed above that the purchase of new locomotives in 1909 was barely sufficient to replace those abandoned or destroyed during the year. The loss, however, was in a measure made good by the greater weight of the new engines. As the average weight of locomotives in 1899 was approximately 53 tons, the figures just given indicate an increase of nearly 114% in the weight of all locomotives during the decade.
In connection with the estimate of $15,000 put on locomotives in this report, it is of interest to reproduce the return to the legislature of New South Wales of the cost of engines built in the railway shops at Sydney recently. The figures refer to 6-wheel-coupled heavy mail and express engines weighing, with tender, 163,128 pounds, as published in theRailway Age-Gazette, December 3, 1909:
Details of Locomotive Costs.10 EnginesCost Per EnginePer Ton(a)Direct charges:Materials$117,462.77$11,746.28$161.29Wages76,484.237,648.42104.99Total$193,947.00$19,394.70$266.28Indirect charges:Percentage of shop charges (exclusive of superintendence) on wage basis in each shop, 37.84%28,943.792,894.3839.74Superintendence, on wage basis, 3%2,294.51229.453.10Interest on capital cost of new shop and machinery, including land4,850.52485.056.63Proportion of interest on capital cost of old shops on locomotive work produced for new engines5,449.53544.957.45Depreciation of machinery and plant, 2% on capital cost5,149.99515.007.03Total indirect charges$46,688.34$ 4,668.83$ 63.95Total charges$240,635.34$24,063.53$330.23(a) Ton of 2,240 lbs.
Applied to a Mallet articulated compound locomotive, such as that built for the Erie weighing 410,000 pounds on the drivers, the rate per ton paid by the government of New South Wales would make it cost over $60,000. It did not cost any such sum, but theAustralian experience is a straw which shows how the cost of locomotives is soaring. American railways find it necessary economy to build engines whose average weight is well above that built in the government shops at Sydney.
Passenger and Freight Cars.
During the same period, 1902 to 1909, covered in the table relating to locomotives, for which alone full data is available, the increase in the number of passenger cars and freight cars, and in the capacity of the latter, is shown in the following statement:
YearPassenger ServiceFreight ServiceAverage tonsCompany's Service NumberNumberCapacity (tons)1909 (97% represented)44,6652,050,04971,028,26634.696,7391908 (Final returns)45,2922,100,78473,526,4403598,281190743,9731,991,55767,216,1443491,064190642,2821,837,91459,196,2303278,736190540,7131,731,40953,372,5523170,749190439,7521,692,19450,874,7233066,615190338,1401,653,78248,622,1252961,467190236,9871,546,10143,416,9772857,097Seven years' increase(a)20.8%35.9%64.0%23.5%69.6%(a) Final returns for 1909 will raise these percentages materially.
It is in the increased capacity of locomotives and cars rather than in their numbers that the seeker after truth will find the explanation of how American railways have been able to handle freight traffic that has increased in volume over 80% in ten years where numerically the increase of equipment has been less than 60%. During that period the average capacity of the freight car has increased from 27 to nearly 35 tons, accounting for an aggregate increase of 109.6%.
Between 1899 and 1909 the population of the United States increased from 74,318,000 to 88,806,000, or 19.5%. (On April 1, 1910, the treasury estimate was an even 90,000,000.) In the same ten years the number of passenger cars increased over 36%, accompanied by a steady advance in their size, strength and conveniences.
Between 1902 and 1907 the Official Statistics furnish the following information showing the gradual transformation taking place in the number and capacity of freight cars: