Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 195, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 August 1916 — STATISTICS NOT FAIR [ARTICLE]

STATISTICS NOT FAIR

AMERICAN RAILS FULLY EQUAL TO THE FOREIGN-MADE. Weight of Locomotive* and Car* Mart Be Taken Into Consideration — Average of Accident* I* Con- + stantly Bping Reduced.

On April 25, the bureau of standards, at Washington, made a report on railway material which Indicated that rails of foreign manufacture were superior to those produced in this country. It is understood that the report was based mainly on accident statistics, such as derailments, although, of course, the rail making processes of Europe and America are generally known to the bureau. It was found that derailments in the United States are 26 e tlmes as numerous for ea?h thousand miles of track as in Great Britain; three times as numerous as in Germany, but not so numerous as in Austria-Hungary. Low accident and derailment figures are shown for France, Russia and Sweden. In France one person is injured out of every 2,000,000 carried; 14 persons out of ever 2,000,000 transported in the United States are injured. In France one rail out of 2,000 has been found defective; in Germany, one in 1,350; in the United States, one in 470.

This, apparently, is a bad showing for the American rail. Generally speaking, American rail transportation is not regarded as being as safe as that in England, but explanations are necessary. The News, is in receipt of a communication from George C. Pyle of Indianapolis, who writes from Leeds, England. The report of the bureau of standards was not fair, in the opinion of Mr. Pyle. “The bureau,’” he writes, “after having announced rail accidents, derailments and rail breakages, should state the possible cause and not allow the average American mind to discount homemade goods. The rails used here (in England) are as heavy as those in use at home. The freight cars here are only 15 feet long—on four wheels—and ten tons is a good big load for them. The passenger cars here are about as long and perhaps less in weight than the interurban cars entering your city and many are much shorter. The average locomotive here is only about one-half the weight of ours, and I doubt if any of them could pull three Pullmans forty miles an hour. Compare the weight of our rolling stock to that of any European country and I think any schoolboy can figure out why we have more rail breakages.”

The deficiency* in the bureau of standards’ report, which Mr. Pyle points out, Is covered, however, in many reports of investigations made by the Interstate commerce commission. A few years ago, when the New Haven was having a series of bad accidents, It was shown that rail ages were due to many causes. It Is difficult to discover flaws which exist In a steel rail. These may develop through age and use. A rail which might stand up. on a straight stretch could not bear the strain of a crossover. Possibly the most important factor Is the weight of equipment. After that the element of personal responsibility enters. Perhaps the average European train crew is subject to stricter discipline, though not, of course, -when the comparison Is made with the best American roads. Another point which may be brought out la that American railroad transportation, which Is without doubt the most highly developed In the world, is yearly reducing the average of accidents from all causes. —Indianapolis News.