TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION
RAILWAY TRANSPORTATION

SUMMARY.—While economy and efficiency marked the operation of the railroads
 in 1924, the year 1925 witnessed new records. Traffic, measured in tonmiles,
 was even greater than in the peak year 1923 and 6.6 per cent heavier
than in 1924, Ag compared with 1924, the operating revenues increased 3.8
per cent; operating expenses, however, were greater by only 0.6 per cent; and
net railway operating income therefore gained by 15 per cent. Freight and
passenger rates. remained practically the same. Trafic was moved not only
without delay or interruption, with almost no car shortages and high car surpluses,
 but also with greater rapidity and efficiency. This excellent showing
is credited to the operating officials and employees, and to the hearty cooperation
 of the buyers of transportation—particularly through the Shippers’ Regional
Advisory Boards of the American Railway Association.
The improvement in financial results of operation shown in 1923 and 1924
continued throughout 1925, the operating ratio decreasing in these three years
from 77.88 to 76.13 and to 74.11 per cent. The net railway operating income
of Class I roads in 1925 was 5.9 per cent of the aggregite tentative valuation
(818,900,000,000) of the steam railway property of the carriers subject to the
transportation act, 1920. This ratio for the southern district was 11.9 per cent,
for the western district 5 per cent, and for the eastern, 5.4 per cent.
Railway mileage has changed but little since 1918 and the volume of tonnage
originating has increased less than 9 per cent. There has been a marked increase
 in ton-mileage, however, indicating longer average distances hauled.
Ton-mileage figures in 1925 were 37.2 ber cent greater than in 1918 (fiscal
year). The average amount received per ton-mile has increased 50.6 per cent
since 1913, while operating expenses have increased 102.9 per cent, operating
revenues 91.6 per cent, and net revenue from railway operations 39.1 per cent,
Table 1.—Summary of Major Statistics of Railroads
Nore.—Figures for 1925 do not include the smaller roads (Classes IT and III). The percentages of
increase over 1924 are computed from data for Class I roads only, as shown in subsequent tables.

[tem

9131

1099

1992

1094

1

1008

Per cent change
1925 from —

1913 | 19041

Number of miles owned. ...
Freight originated (thousand
 tons)... ...__..____.
Freight ton-mileage (million
 ton-miles).....______,
Average freight rate per
ton per mile (cents)____._!
Operating revenues (thousand
 dollars)_.._.._._____
Jperating expenses (thousand
 dollars).......______
Net railway operating income
 (thousand dollars) 8!

9,777 250,413
1,182,548 1,111,822
301, 730 | 342,188
50.720 1.164
3,193,118 | 5,674,483 |
2,235,923 4,500,991 |
8.805.266 769. 411

950. 9299

1,387,755
418, 256 |
1.132
6,419, 210
4,999, 383
074. 918

250, 156 |
1.287,413 11,247,137
391,045  4414,140
1.132 41.008
6,045,252 | 46,120,370
4,608,807 ' 4 4, 535, 785
084.463 4 1. 120. 361

+56] 45.0
tan.2] tee
+506] 16
43.3
+0.6
415.0

491.6}
1102 9

! Fiscal year ended June 30; other years ended Dec. 31.
! Percentages based on 1924 and 1925 figures for Class I roads only,
' Not available.
20%

t Class I roads,
} Class I and II roads.
Sea note 2 Table 9