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511
37 per cent more than in the highest pre-war year, 1913 (fiscal year),
and slightly above the previous record figure of 1923.
Table 3.—Freight Traffic of Class I Railways,! by Districts
ear
9147...
015%
BS
Jom nwmn mmm
1 eee
925...
‘er cent change
from 1924__._._
Revenue freight originated (thousands |
of tons)
Total
Eastern |
Jouthern| Western |
. 008, 460
923, 428
203, 367
264, 016
263, 344
096, 111
255, 421
240, 183
13, 745
279, 030
157, 208
47,137
450
196, 101
153, 741
790, 301
317, 844
314, 704
23, 811
106, 786
19, 674
7,238
07 892
. -. 595
331, 208
174, 319
164, 482
196, 392
1, 475
216, 082
24, 564
24, 127
17,258
“586
¥ 338
338, 040
315, 205
116, 674
134, 697
132, 558
377, 737
4, 508
43, 250
©7919
= 919
£
181, 621
42.3
411. 4
Ton-miles of revenue freight (millions) !
Total
Eastern
Southern, Western
284, 025
273, 913
362, 444
394, 465
105, 379
164, 203
110, 306
106, 840
130, 285
a7
43,116
(35, 643
77,487
187, 966
190, 943
70,118
88, 518
8, 503
31,210
13, 088
", 039
9, 730
19, 524
17,325
31, 708
38, 371
72, 101
34, 000
6, 925
9, 679
‘9, 565
1 705
“5
92, 285
90, 945
123, 251
(38, 128
142, 335
30, 176
44, 363
08, 658
18, 511
27, 034
36,025
“49 460
At
n
"4.7
{ Includes all roads with an annual operating revenue exceeding $1,000,000; these account for about 93
per cent of the nunber of tons originated and 99 per cent of the ton-mileage.
? Year ended June 30; excludes some unassigned originating freight.
Source: Interstate Commerce Commission.
The tonnage of revenue freight originating in 1925 was 5 per cent
greater than in 1924 and only 2.5 per cent less than in the peak year,
1923. The increase over 1924 in the eastern and western districts
amounted to 2.3 and 4.7 per cent, respectively, and in the southern
district to no less than 11.4 per cent. The relative importance of
the three districts has not changed greatly during the 10-year period
covered in Table 3, although in recent years there has been some gain
in the southern district at the expense of the eastern.
While both tons originating and ton-miles are excellent indexes
of railway traffic, neither presents an entirely accuratd picture.
Statistics of tons originating somewhat understate the increase in
volume of freight handled, since they do not take into consideration
changes in the average length of haul, which has increased since pre-
war years. On the other hand, an increase or decrease in the number
of ton-miles does not necessarily represent a proportional change
in the transportation burden imposed upon the railways. Neither
“he revenue nor the expense of handling a shipment 200 miles is twice
as much as for hauling it 100 miles.
The ton-mileage of revenue freight carried by Class I railways
during each month of 1925 exceeded that in the corresponding month
of 1924 with two exceptions. Each of the last five months of 1925
exceeded the corresponding months of 1923, the previous peak year.
In absolute figures the eastern and southern districts showed almost
equal ton-mileage increases; relatively, however, the southern dis-
irict gained 11.7 per cent as compared with 5.7 per cent for the eastern
district The increase in the western district was 4.7 per cent.
