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Show Western Roads Face Hard Task The shift of the tide of war supplies sup-plies from the east to the west brings to western railroads the toughest task in their history, says an Associated Press story. The tremendous job of moving mountains of material and train-loads train-loads of troops to the Pacific shore is thrust upon seven trunk lines that cross the western mountains and most of these all-important all-important arteries are single-tracked single-tracked over long distances. Chairman C. E. Johnston of the Western Association of Railway Executives expresses confidence that they will be able to carry "all of the men and war materials that can be handled through the west coast ports." Early in the war the carriers fanning out to the west from the Mississippi Valley gateways began be-gan preparing for V-E day and the assignment of transporting a major share of the shipments needed to knock out Japan. They took steps to circumvent bottlenecks along the 2000-plus miles of rails that link! pastern and central arsenal areas to Pacific Pa-cific docks. New freight yards were built; old ones enlarged. Sections of double track were laid. Tracks (were straightened and tunnels were dug to eliminate curves. Centralized traffic control systems sys-tems were installed to increase single traok capacity. More powerful locomotives were put on steep grade sectors. Loading and unloading facilities at west coast terminals were expanded. There still are problems. Keeping Keep-ing empty cars rolling back to the east will require exacting teamwork. team-work. There is a manpower shortage short-age and railroaders hope discharged discharg-ed war veterans will fill out the working ranks. Even before the fall of Germany Ger-many signalized the east-to-west turn-about of military cargoes, the lines, as one official put it, were "carrying a heavier load than they ever thought they could carry." But war freight and war personnel per-sonnel will be moved, he adds, and the roads will endeavor to maintain satisfactory civilian service. ser-vice. "It still will be necessary," Johnston cautions, "to forgo unnecessary un-necessary travel." |