Salt Lake Herald-Republican | 1920-01-02 | Page 2 | Standstill in Rail Building is Announced

TIT V STANDSTILL IN I RAIL BUILDING I is isMore ANNOUNCED More l Track Abandoned in 1919 Than Than- Constructed Journal States Chicago Jan 1 Statistic I.-Statistic Statistics compiled compile b by the Railway Ago so show shoT that the far yi-ar 1920 begins with Ith the development development or of o the railway of oC the tho United States ates nearer a n. completo standstill t th than h at atan first rail raU t was s sum laid an any time timo since tho the in um America it itIn In n the tho h o 3 year car 1910 1919 says the nail Railway hallway way Age theo the total ml mileage enge of or new lines built In tho United States was liS miles the smallest figure tJ ure ever re recorded recorded re- re corded b by this paper It I does docs not represent a no net increase in mileage During tho year car mUM miles I of main lino tiro railway a were abandoned for operation Construction links Halls Prior to the fhe year car 1016 Inri the mileage e of ot the country countr was steadily IncreasIng Increasing ing although tho rate at which wh Ich it was Increasing had been diminishing n for tor sonic years and especially 1910 The Time available 1 statistics indicate that since 1916 tho the mileage abandoned has been substantially greater than the new mileage built During three years from 1917 In i iI to 1 1919 II 9 inclusive c ours our statistics indicate indicate indi indi- I cate cato that operation was abandoned on miles tulles of or line while in tho same I period only miles of ot extensions branch and other new lines were completed com com- Thus It appears that during tho last ast three years ears t there here has been an I actual decrease decrease of miles in th the e mileage c of ot railways operated In the United States I 1 Equipment nt Orders Order Less si The statistics regarding the number number num num- ber bel of ot locomotives es and cars ordered make maka some Iome striking new nett records Until I this year tho the smallest number of ot freight cars ordered in an any year ear for tor forthe tho the railways of or tho the United States since 1101 was this tills being tho time number ordered in 1908 1909 In the year car 1919 the theor number or of or freight ht cars ordered was only ont 1691 J and nearly all these orders were placed b by pr private te car lines is shown that b by the fact that 1 of or ortho tho the total orders for tank cars The number of or freight cars built for tor use on United States railways was much moro satisfactory being Time Tile result of ot course of or tho the number of or I freight ht cars built so far exceeding the number ordered Is that the end of the I year th car builders have almost no orders tor American railways s left on onI their books I The number of locomotives ordered I was H and mo mot t of or these were ordered by industrial roads