Vol. 84, No. 4

Table of Contents Appears on Page 5 of Advertising Section

Yard Reports as Aids to Efficient Operation

MODERN operation on busy railways requires the construction of huge yards, in which the cars may be classified and otherwise handled. However, unless great care is taken, the very size of such yards is likely

to prove a handicap to efficient operation. A yard that is seven miles long and a mile or two wide presents many hiding places into which cars may get and be delayed. This is simple enough, but such supervision of large facilities, unfortunately, is not to be had merely for the asking. The New York Central has evolved means for aiding in the supervision of its Selkirk yard, near Albany, N. Y., which have proved most successful. As described elsewhere in this issue, a comprehensive system of reports covering every phase of the operations is rendered by the yardmasters. In addition, all movements in the yard are controlled by director yardmasters, whose duties are, in effect, those of yard dispatchers. The system of reports provides the trainmaster and general yardmaster in charge at Selkirk with a complete daily picture of the yard. This, added to their personal observations on the ground, gives them ample means wherewith to supervise the yard properly. A glance at the time savings effected at Selkirk since this system has been operating is convincing as to its efficiency.

Paying Freight Handlers on Tonnage Basis

THE practice of paying freight handlers at stations and transfer platforms in proportion to the tonnage handled, rather than a flat rate, is growing rapidly. In every instance where this system has been installed scientifically and without favoritism, an immediate and permanent increase in the amount of freight handled per crew has been noted. Theoretically, perhaps, a freight handling crew should work at its maximum capacity, without any other incentive than that supplied by the regular wages. Unfortunately, this rarely if ever happens in actual practice. There are nearly always a sufficient number of malingerers to cause disaffection and dissatisfaction among the entire force. Under the payment-for-tonnage plan, such inequalities are quickly ironed out. The added incentive afforded by the opportunity of earning more money results in the men supervising themselves very largely, and the loafers are soon eliminated. The likelihood of increased damage due to the acceleration of operations should not be overlooked where such a plan is installed, but proper supervision will minimize this danger. In fact, at the Lehigh Valley's transfer platform at Manchester, N. Y., and the

Chicago Junction's freight station at Chicago, where the tonnage plan is in effect, it has been found that, after the installation of the plan, the damages actually decreased, attributable no doubt, to the increased interest the men were taking in their work.

Draft Gear Slack

a Serious Problem

THE average slack between any two freight cars in

American railroad service is said to be nine inches. It is due to lost motion in worn coupler knuckles, slack and travel in the draft gear itself, and displaced draft lugs or stops. On a 100-car train, this means 75 ft. or more of slack which runs in or out, frequently with the most damaging results. Gages are provided to establish the limit of coupler wear and a fairly high standard of maintenance obtains with regard to this feature, but the same cannot be said of draft gear conditions. In too many cases, cars are taken into repair shops after extended service periods and everything thoroughly overhauled except the draft gears, which receive little more than casual attention as long as all of the parts seem to be in place. Springs may have taken a permanent set, friction parts may be badly worn and only a fraction of the original draft gear capacity may remain, but as everything looks all right the gears are not disturbed. To illustrate how this works out, records show that in one case a car was shopped four times in one month for new draft sills before it was discovered that the real cause of the trouble was defective draft gears. How many of the enginemen involved were unjustly disciplined for mishandling this car? It is important to give draft gears as well as other parts of a car a thorough overhauling at general shopping periods. At intermediate shoppings, much can be accomplished by critical inspection and by keeping the amount of slack within close limits, particularly between the draft gear itself and the stops or lugs.

The Dispatcher and
Rough Handling

IN connection with the work recently begun to secure co-operation between the operating and freight claim departments to prevent rough handling, the dispatchers should not be overlooked. When trains are moving over the division smoothly and on schedule time, there is little cause for claims. The safe way of handling trains is to have orders and instructions ready at the point where they are to be delivered, as far in advance as possible. The placing of orders at the last minute, necessitating an abrupt change from a clear board to a red board is productive of injury to passengers and employees and of