Himalayan Times (1958)

March 30, 1958

ftinutlmgan IS&mts

Sevan

this figure represents the
comparative increase in
the occupation of each
oarriage during this period.
The position has not been
so bad fortunately, for
the railways' utilisation
of oarriages has advanced
by Marly 25 per cent
from 137 miles per
day on the broad gauge
to 170 miles, and to this
extent overcrowding has
beet) reduced. Besides, in
J938-39 the carriages were
running much below full
carrying capacity. The
overcrowding is not, there-
fore, so great as it might
otherwise have been.
Goods Traffic Spurts
A slightly different
story unfolds itself on a
study of the growth of
goods traffio on Indian
railways. In this very
important field, the rail-
ways are well-set to meet
the pressure of goods
movement, muoh better
and as the plans go
through, it will enable us
more fully to meet the
challenge.

In 1947-48, the first
year of independence, the
tonnage carried amounted
to 69.8 million which in-
creased to 91 4 million
tons in 1950 51. This fi-
gure moved up in ths
next three years by 1\
per cent to 98.1 in
1953-54, slightly higher
than the anticipated rate
of increase. Thereafter,
the advance has been

striking each year, and
in 1956-57, the volume of
goods lifted touched 124 1
million tons.

More work out of Rolling
Stock

This substantial in-
crease in goods traffic has
been aohieved without a
commensurate increase in
the resources of rolling
stock. During the period
from 1947 48 to 1956 57,
when there was a 78 per
oent increase in the ton-
nage of traffic carried, the
goods wagons and locomo
tives on the line rosa
only by 20 par C9nt That
is, the rolling stock assets
improved by just about
a quarter of the increased
tonnage handled by the
railways Fhe conclusion
is self evident. Railways
are getting substantially
more work out of their
rolling stock, turning over
their wagons faster and
putting a heavier load
into every wagon.

Unfortunately, there
is a lurking feeling in
some quarters that
although some progress
may have been made, a
lot more can still be
aohieved. There will al-
ways remain room for
improvement everywhere,
particularly with present
day rapid technological
advances. But, aotually,
what can be squeezed
out of every asset de-
pends to a great deal on
the implements we possess.

For example, with exten-
sive electrification or
doubling, the track the
railways could move faster
trains getting more mileage
out of the rolling stook.

But, with what we
now have, w e have
advanced a great deal.
There has been a 40
per oent improvement in
the mobility of wagons
during ths last iO years
and a 60 par csnfc im-
provemant in the net.ton
miles moved per wagon
per day. Theso are no
mean achievements These
have enabled the railways
to carry 78 per cent more
traffic with just 20 per
cent* increase in wagons
and locomotives resources.
"Seek" Wagons are dow
Fewer

Another important
figure is the percentage
of wagons lying immobi-
lised under repairs. On
the U S. railroads and
the Canadian National
Railway only 4 to 5 per
cent wagons remain sick—
a good record indeed. On
the Indian railways till
1953-54, the figures were
7.4'per cent. Since then
a great deal of effort has
been made and the figure
now stands at about 43
per cent—roughly at the
same level as in Canada
and U. S. A.

With the present
system and the the pre-
sent types of assets and