Santa Fe

By J. A. DANA Division Freight Agent, Houston

HE WILLINGNESSOf America’s railroads to provide facilities T whereby commerce might move expeditiously and be widely distributed has been one of the greatest factors in the Na- tion’s growth. Had it not been for the part the rail lines have played it is doubtful if the United States could have reached its present status as an industrial and agricultural nation. Playing a predominant part in the transportation of America’s products during the past 75 years has been the Santa Fe system. Indications point to the Santa Fe taking a still greater role in the years to come. Operating 13,102 miles of railroad, the Santa Fe system links many of the nation’s largest industrial and supply centers with the Gulf Coast and the Pacific Coast. Not only are the industrial and supply centers afforded a speedy route for the movement of their products but likewise the vast agricultural area of ,the Southwest and the Midwest are served. History of the Santa Fe system, as it operates today, dates These new steel beauties are typical o~ the super-powered high speed freight back to 1859 when Cyrus K. Holliday a, pplied for, and received, a locomotives ordered by the Santa Fe and among the first o~ the big fleet of freight and passenger engines now being delivered. Left to right, they are the new 4-8-4 charter for the construction and operation of a railroad which steam Iocom~ive of the 2900 class, next is a 5400 horsepower freight Diesel would link the two struggling Communities of Atchison and Topeka. electric locomotive, and last a 2-10-4 steam locomotive. They are pictured here at Clovis, New Mexico. From that point onward the Santa Fe system has been steadily developed until now it not only serves these two c~mmunities but plays an essentially important part in the movement of America’s Officials would appear to be one of no great magnitude. A close commerce .... . perusal of the facts, however, will show that this is far from true. During the 75 years it has been in operation the Santa Fe has The problems created by America’s entry into the war were been forturfate in having as its guiding heads men who were blessed many. There was the question of providing increased service for with wisdom and foresight and who devote their time and energy communities, which before had only a limited service. Then there not only to promoting the affairs of the rail system but likewise was the problem of providing still more equipment to these com- worked for the development of the communities which it serves. munities which already were handling a large volume of commerce. Many of the types of which were not available in large quantities. That this wisdom and foresight has paid dividends, not only to the Santa Fe but to the nation as a whole, can best be illustrated Lastly was the problem of schedules. It was vital that not only in the part the rail system is now playing in handling the move- should the schedules then in effect be maintained, but in many in- ment of both materials and men, so vitally needed in the prosecu- stances speeded up. tion of the war against the Axis powers. It was necessary to map out a plan whereby there would be a Not only in the present conflict has the Santa Fe played a pre- steady flow of both men and materials to the various points of the dominating part, but likewise in the several wars in which this Nation with no loss of time. The record during the subsequent war country has been en.gaged since 1859, the year the Santa Fe came period speaks for itself. into being. The records show one thing conclusively, and that is that the Those who founded the Santa Fe had in mind solely the crea- Santa Fe organization functioned efficiently, and with practically tion of a transportation facility which should permit industrialists no l~st motion. They also show that the interference with the free and farmers to move their products as expeditiously and safely, as flowof commerce was negligible. well as economically as possible. Even more significant is the fact that this increased volume of Prior to December, 1941, the Santa Fe devoted._its attention to business was handled by a largely reduced staff. Also that new equip- the movementof seasonal commodities from the various sectiotas it ment was not available on any large scale. It was necessary to carry served, as well as the handling of passenger traffic from these same on operations with available equipment which had to be operated communities. to its utmost capi~city. However this would not have been possible without the splen~lid cooperation of the shipping and traveling ascii Then came Pearl Harbor. public, n Almost instantly a new order was created. Hardly had the With the decre manpower it has been necessary for every Nation recovered from the shock of the dastardly act than officials Santa Fe employe, from the highest to the lowest to put forth every of the Santa Fe were in conference. effort in his or her power to see that everything possible was done These men knew that the Santa Fe would be called upon to in order that there might be no delay in the transportation of the handle the largest volume of commerce, as well as passenger travel, vital materials. in its history. They were determined that they would be prepared. In maintaining its schedule it has been necessary that the trains That the Santa Fe would furnish the same high type of service operate regardless of elements of the weather or other difficulties. as it had always been noted for. Speed has been the essence of transportation and toward this the To the casual observer the problem confronting the Santa Fe system has constantly worked. 21 May, 1945 22 Houston PORT BOOK

The A.T.&S.F. agreed to pay for the Texas line at a valuation of $8,000 per mile, in A.T.&S.F. stock and to assume its bonded indebtedness, but the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe was to pay for the new construction to a connection with the A.T.&S.F. in Okla- homa. Arranging the financial end of the deal was a comparatively easy matter but the construction of the 300 miles of track within the stipulated time of one year presented some difficulty, but the task was accomplished in the time allotted. Relative to this performance, which was one of the most out- standing accomplishments by any railroad of that period, it is best described by Walter Justin Sherman, who was Chief Engineer of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad. Writing in the Santa Fe Magazine in June 1934, Mr. Sherman said: ’~One evening in April 1886 the General Manager advised me that our road had been sold to the Atchison, and that we were re- quired to deliver 1,000 miles of track within a year. At that time we had about 700 miles in operation. This meant that we must The CHIEFpasses another Santa Fe train in Cajon Pass, California, where the build 300 miles in practically 300 working days beginning the trans-continental main line cresses the Coast range of mountains. following morning. ’~He asked me if I would undertake the job. I assured him that Perhaps at this point it would not be amiss to look back briefly I would if he would provide the necessary capital and give me into the history of the Santa Fe, to secure an insight into what made strong backing. it possible for the system to achieve its unexcelled record in the "At this time the Companywas woefully lacking in facilities handling of commerce. for executing a work of this magnitude. No surveys had been made That portion of the Santa Fe serving central Texas and the and no right of way secured; no construction material was on hand Gulf area was chartered as the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad and no engineers or contractors were at our command. Companyand still oFerates Under that name in the section it serves although since 1887 it has been a part of the Atchison, Topeka & ~It required about 100 working days to organize and get Santa Fe Railway System. In choosing a name for the line the found- underway at the end of which time we had on the work 100 engi- ers selected one which would be descriptive of the territory it was neers, 2000 teams and 5,000 men. hoped to serve. ’~We gave the track laying crews one mile of material at 7:00 Plans called for rails of the Gulf Colorado and Santa Fe to a.m. and another mile at 1"00 p.m. and permitted them to lay off reach Colorado and Santa Fe, New Mexico, giving the shippers in when the mile was laid. these territories, as well as intermediate points, a connecting link ~There was much rivalry between our men and those of the with the world’s markets through the Gulf Ports. Atchison coming down with the track from Arkansas City to During the time the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe was extend- meet us. Bxlt we beat them to the junction point by four hours ing its lines into what was then known as Indian Territory, its and there was a great rejoicing among our faithful workmen. eyes were on the rapidly developing State of Texas. Leaders of the ’~Three days ahead of our schedule, the job was completed." two rail companies realized that a union of the two was to the advantage of both. The merger was particularly advantageous to Even before negotiations were entered into with the Atchison tee Texas line. While it was doing a good business it was dependent Officials of the Texas line turned their attention to the vast timber almost entirely on local traffic. lands of East Texas. They realized that the large volume of lumber tonnage available in that area would be of material benefit not only to the company but likewise that the construction of the rail line would be of benefit to the lumber producers. Through construction of its own lines and by the purchase of other existing lines the Santa Fe was able to furnish the lumber trade of that territory a service which enabled them to ship their product to practically all markets of the world. The same zeal of development that had been manifest in the central and southern portion of the Texas, as well as in other areas served by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe was manifest in the con- str~tion of rail lines to serve the Western portion of Texas. The Santa Fe pioneered in the construction of its lines in West Texas an~ the Panhandle of Texas, developing virgin lands into a vast agricultural Empire. The traffic thus developed in that terri- tory has been one of the prime reasons for the development of the Texas Gulf Ports. During the time that the Santa Fe was busy in extending its service in Texas it likewise was expanding its services in other por- tions of the United States with the result that it had gradually in- creased its trackage to the point where it not only was able to serve the shippers of the Southwest but those of the mid-west and Pacific Coast areas as well. Recitation of this brief portion of the history of the Santa Fe Typical cotton scene on the Santa Fe in the Texas plains Country. May, 1945 Hous/on PORT BOOK 23

has been for the purpose of giving the reader an insight into the character of the men who have headed the Santa Fe, and to show that the line has been anxious and willing at all times to provide the highest type of service possible for shippers, as well as the travel- ing public. The spirit that prevailed in the early days of the Santa Fe has been carried on throughout the years and today one finds the directing heads as eager, and willing, as in the early years to not only afford the best possible service but to bring about improvements. Not only has the Santa Fe pioneered in the construction of rail lines but likewise has been a pioneer in the development of many innovations in transportation. This is particularly true with regard to the use of Diesel electric passenger locomotives. These, it might be mentioned are the last word in locomotive construction. The Santa Fe’s first Diesel electric passenger locomotive was received October 1st, 1935. It was a 3,600 horse power two unit locomotive manufactured by the Electro-Motive division of General Motors, and was placed in regular service handling the Super-Chief on May12th, 1936. This was the first locomotive built in the United horse-power, two cycle Diesel engine. The engine was tested in the States that was designed for handling the then standard weight territory between Chicago and Los Angeles to determine whether passenger trains. Diesel locomotives would be suitable for handling heavy freight As was expected by both the builder and the railroad company, trains. During recent months this type of Diesel locomotive has many failures occurred in the first locomotive due to broken parts made test runs from the Chicago area to the Gulf over the Santa and electric failures. Fe to provide data for post war operations of those locomotives These were expected as there was no previous experience or over this route. information available, which made it necessary to do the research Today the Santa Fe has in service 68 of the 5,400 horse-power and development work as the manufacturer and the railroad gained Diesels handling fast freight schedules between various sections of knowledge by the actual performance of the locomotive. its railroad. It has been through the use of locomotives of this type The experimental work accomplished on this first locomotive, that the Santa Fe has been able to maintain its speeded up war and the knowledge gained by tests under actual service conditions, schedules and to achieve its goal of handling an unprecedented resulted in major improvements materially adding to increased per- volume of traffic. formance, availability and decreased cost of operation in the later Not only has the Santa Fe made use of the Diesel electric loco- models. motive in the handling of its freight and passenger trains but is As the Diesel electric locomotives proved their worth addi- using this type of engine in its switching service. tional ones were purchased and today the majority of the trans- It was in February, 1935, that the Santa Fe purchased its first continental trains of the Santa Fe are powered by them. Diesel Electric locomotive designed for switching service. It was In December, 1940, the Santa Fe purchased its first Diesel placed in the Chicago railroad yards for observation and test. It electric freight locomotive, consisting of four units totaling 5,400 proved so successful in its performance, having a greater availability horse-power, each unit being equipped with a 16 cylinder 1,350 than steam switch engines, that it was decided to purchase additional

Topock--Santa Fe’s new double-track bridge, located a fewhundred feet upstream from the Red Rock bridge which has served as a Colorado River crossing for the Santa Fe Railway for fifty-five years, having been completed in 1890, is the third bridge the Santa Fe Railway has had across the Colorado River in the vicinity of Needles and at Topock. Work on the substructure of the new bridge was begun in November, 1942, and it was completed July 1, 1944. Work of erecting the new bridge was begun May 1, 1944. It consists of three 350-foot deck truss spans over the channel, a 50-foot beam and a 100-foot deck girder span on the east end and three 100-foot deck girder spans on the west end. Its total length is 1506 feet and nine inches. Topock, the present title of the station at Topock, Arizona, is taken from the Mojave Indian word "A-ha-to-pok," meaning waterbridge. (This tribe has another name for a bridge which spans no water.) 24 Houston PORT BOOK May, 1945

Much of the repair work done in the Barstow house is running or light repair. For speedy handling, considerable of the repair work consists in replacement units. In other words, dirty oil and air filters are taken out and replaced with clean units. If a traction motor needs repair, the complete set of trucks in which the motor is located, is taken out and replaced with a newly repaired set of trucks. Reclamation is also practiced in the Barstow maintenance house. By this is meant that when lubricating oil is changed, the old oil is salvaged and sent to Topeka, Kansas, where it is reclaimed. Reclaimed oil costs about 10 c~ixts per gallon as compared with 35 cents per gallon for new 0it, ; ..... Likewise, when repair work’- requires the draining of Diesel radiators the distilled water is reclaitned and used again since it costs $10.00 per 1,000 gallons. The water is distilled to prevent forma- tion of scale in the small radiator passages. Then in order to prevent corrosion, a chemical inhibiter is added. The Diesel maintenance house at Barstow is the first of its kind built. It is so constructed that additions can be made in order to do complete Diesel repair work including the yearly inspection and heavy overhaul. The entire trans-continental main line of the Santa Fe is equipped with automatic block signaling from Chicago to San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. Similar protection is provided on practically all of the line between Newton, Kansas, Houston and Galveston, Texas, and on much of the lines between LaJunta

Westbound Santa Fe transcontinental freight train near San Bernardino, Calif. and Denver, Colorado, and between Lubbock and Temple, Texas. A total of 1,780 miles of two-track railroad and 2,910 miles of single track railroad, or a total of 6,470 miles of track are equipped switching locomotives of these types. They are now in use in prac- with automatic block signaling on the Santa Fe system. Generally tically all terminals. the signals are spaced two miles apart except in some localities where As in the case of passenger and freight Diesels many changes they are closer because of congested areas or slower speed of trains. have been made in the Diesel switch engine since thir acquisition, in- As the train speeds along the track it automatically sets up its cluding amongother improvements in engine parts, electrical equip- own protection continuously by affecting an electric current in the ment and general design, all of which have greatly improved the rails thus causing th~ signal immediately in the rear of the train to performance. indicate stop for prq~ection against following trains, while the second With the steadily increasing flow of commerce to the West signal in the rear indicates caution and the remaining signals indi- Coast brought about by the stepping up of the war against the cate Proceed. Japanese, the Santa Fe was faced with still another problem--that of Where required the signals are also equipped with means for servicing locomotives in its California yards. displaying a fourth or medium speed indication consisting of two Barstow, California, approximately 140 miles east of Los yellow lights on the same post to provide a warning at still further Angeles in the Mojava desert, has come to be an important operating distance in the rear of the train. This extra warning is used espe- point where lines from the east diverge to southern and northern cially where the speed of the train is very fast. An open switch or California. a broken rail sets the signals at Stop automatically in the same Before the war Barstow yards had a capacity of 1,979 cars. manner as the presence of a train in the block. Today the yards can accommodate 2,641 cars, and there is now in On single track the automatic signals are controlled so that the progress of completion an expansion program for shops designed signals in advance of a train governing movements in the opposite primarily to handle the Diesel motive power. direction are affected in the same manner as those in the rear, thus Servicing of the Diesel electric locomotives that ply the Santa a train on a single track is fully protected in both directions as it speeds along the railroad. Fe’s freight run between Winslow, Arizona, and Barstow, Cali- fornia, starts as soon as the big engines are released from their in- The Santa Fe has a total of 220 interlocking plants each of bound trains. They are taken to a washing platform for a complete which consists of an assembly of machinery and equipment con- exterior cleaning which includes removing grease and grit from the nected with signals and with switch mechanism in such manner running gears with steam jets. While this job is in process, the 1,350 that an operator located in a central control station can throw the gallon fuel tank of each unit is filled and the Diesel radiators are switches and clear the signals as necessary throughout a large area filled with distilled water. The locomotive’s sand supply also is re- for the passage of trains. plenished. The Santa Fe also has 38 automatic interlocking plants at rail- The service platform is 270 feet long and has two tracks for road cr6ssings whereby the trains approaching the crossing on two the accommodations of two locomotives at a time. It is supplied or more interlocking lines are automatically protected against each by underground pipe lines with water for washing, distilled water other and the signals will clear only for one train at a time. and fuel. The fuel is served from eight suspended hose lines which There are approximately 1,750 highway crossings of the railroad are capable of fueling two complete locomotives in three or four protected by automatic warning signals which are built in accord- minutes. ance with National standards. The safety signals warn drivers of From the cleaning platform, the locomotives move to the main- automobiles and others at railroad crossings when trains are approach- tenance house, once commonly known as the round house, for in- ing within a certain distance of the crossing. spection and repairs. Twoworking levels are provided in the modern From this it can be seen that Safety is the essential ingredient Diesel maintenance house; a main floor for working with the run- and that every measure possible has been taken to afford protection ning gear and a raised platform even with the locomotive floor for to the traveling public regardless of whether or not they are on the easy access to the locomotive’s Diesel main generators and other railroad or highway. topside equipment. Use of these signals also eliminates delays and provides for May, 1945 Houston PORT BOOK

higher speeds so as to assist in delivering the trains to their destina- The Santa Fe has enlarged and improved its communication tions in the shortest possible time, thus serving the shippers, the system to the point where it now has the largest privately owned traveling public and the nation by helping to provide safe, depend- communication system in the world. Briefly, it consists of more able and fast transportation on a vast scale. than 13,148 miles of pole line, 23,569 miles of physical telephone Within recent years there also has come into use the centralized circuits for local message service, 18,054 miles of telephone carrier traffic control system of operating trains on the Santa Fe which has channels, which are the equivalent of 36,108 miles of wire; 55,210 greatly increased the capacity of the railroad by providing a central miles of printing telegraph carrier channels, 25,485 miles of multi- machine at a control point to control the operation of all switches plex printing telegraph channels and 412 teletype machines. Cur- and associated signals in the territory governed by the system. rently this system is carrying about 63,632,000 written telegrams Through the use of this train orders are eliminated, which re- and telegraphic reports and 9,500,000 long distance telephone con- sults in much time saved and trains operate in this territory entirely versations yearly. by signal indications. During 1944 Santa Fe conducted considerable experimentation The centralized traffic control machine is equipped with a in the handling and operation of trains through Radio communica- miniature model showing all of the tracks in the controlled terri- tions which culminated in a trial run from BakersfieH, Calif., to tory. There are small lights on the track model which indicate the Chicago. During this entire trip constant two-way communications locations of all trains as well as their direction of movementin the were maintained between the engine and caboose. As a result of the territory controlled. success of these experiments it has recently been announced that plans were being completed to equip a number of Engines and Cabooses in The machine is equipped with an automatic train graph which this manner. The announcement followed the recent proposal of the registers the entrance and departure of all trains at sidings as well Federal Communications Commission to establish and allocate fre- as trains passing such sidings on the main line. quencies for a new radio service to be known as "Railroad Radio Any mistake in the operation of the levers will not cause an Service". These frequencies, it is expected, will soon be assigned to unsafe condition on the wayside signaling apparatus for the reason the various interested railroads. that all electrically operated switch machines are mechanically locked and it is impossible to display a proceed or clear signal until Santa Fe already has received authorization from the FCCto construct two radio stations for experimenting in radio communica- after the switch governed by such signals is in the correct position tions. These experiments are to be conducted in the territory between and securely locked. The track circuits and other devices used in this system provide for maximumprotection under all conditions. Chicago and Galveston, Texas, and between Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. During the past two years track work of the Santa Fe, in addi- tion to normal maintenance, has been geared to produce a railroad The purpose of the experiments will be to obtain useful infor- with a potential speed capacity of better than 100 miles per hour by mation in developing permanent radio equipment to insure faster the reduction of curves and grades and laying of heavier rail. A pro- and more efficient freight and passenger service. gram of grade reduction and the elimination of curves at several While the Santa Fe is embarking on an ambitious radio com- million dollars expense has recently been completed in Southern munications program for 1945, the radio equipping of its locomo- Oklahoma, North and West Texas, which will permit the postwar tives and cabooses will depend on the availability of equipment operation of streamline high speed passenger trains as well as faster which radio manufacturers are unable to furnish at this time due freight schedules to and from the South Texas area. The Santa Fe to prior military demands. Standard for its main line is 131-pound steel rails, while in their The movement of war materials to the West Coast has been other lines ll2-pound steel is being used. An average of more than still further expedited by the construction of a new double-track 2,000,000 new ties per year have been inserted during the past three steel bridge near Needles, California. Construction of this bridge years. removes the "bottleneck" created by the old single-track bridge it Another improvement has been the extension or re-location of replaced. Placed into operation March 7th, 1945, the bridge has ample existing sidings and passing tracks at 246 locations, involving a strength to take care of future requirements as to weights to be total of 128 miles of new sidings and passing tracks, and the laying imposed on it. of 81 miles of new double track at strategic locations, making a The vast improvements which have been made during the past total of 209 miles of new track since January, 1942, for these pur- few years have not been for the sole purpose of handling war poses alone. Still another improvement has been the enlargement and matrials, and with the return of peace the Santa Fe System will con- extension of yards at 24 important terminals, and, at eight of these tinue to improve its service, with one thought in mind--that of terminals, the building of new heading-out and auxiliary tracks. providing the highest possible type of transportation.

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Heavy duty freight locomotive of the 2-10-4 type purchased from Baldwin Locomotive Works. It is of the 5001 class and its tender carries 20,000 gallons of water. The tenders of the five coal burners have a capacity of 23 tons of coal each. Rock Island Lines

By T. J. O’SHAUGHNESSY Public Relations O~cer

RAVERSINGTHE keart of America, the fertile growing lands and Kansas City, Missouri, where connections are also made with and industrial centers of fourteen states, the Rock Island traffic to and from Chicago. At Kansas City also, the Mid-Conti- T Lines provides a net work of over 8000 miles of modern nent connects with the Rock Island’s line to St. Louis, Missouri. railway, which, during the present war, has seen an increase in At Des Moines, Iowa, an intersection is made with the Rocky freight and passenger traffic each succeeding month, and has broken Mountain route, over which trains operate through Illinois, Iowa, every record in the road’s ninety-two year history. Nebraska and Kansas between Chicago, Denver and Colorado Included in this Rock Island system is one of the longest and Springs. straightest rail routes in the Nation, the "Mid-Continent," a route In addition to intersections with its ownlines, the Rock Island which follows a line almost on the meridian between MinneapOlis network of modern railroad has direct connections with other prin- and St. Paul, Minnesota, through Des Moines, Iowa, and Kansas cipal railroads serving the ever-growing, important productive City, to Dallas, Fort Worth, and the Texas ports. regions of the central states, and either from points of origin or This Mid-Continent, North-South route, covering a distance delivery on its own line, or through connection with other roads, of 1370 miles, serves not only the rich land and industries adjacent it is in a strategic position to handle tide-water shipping through to it, but crosses other East-West lines of the Rock Island system at the Texas ports. four principal points, to and from which traffic may be diverted The central states served by the Rock Island are truly the between Chicago, Memphis, and the East, and Colorado, California, market basket, not only of the Nation, but in the years--at least and the West. those immediately ahead--of the world, and shippers of foodstuffs At El Reno, Oklahoma, the Mid-Continent trains may receive destined for foreign lands will find the Texas ports served by the or divert shipments from and to traffic on the road’s Choctaw world’s finest railroads. route, an 877-mile line running from Memphis to Tucumcari, New In addition to outstanding rail facilities, shippers of wheat and Mexico, where connection is made with the Golden State route to flour from the Texas Pan Handle, the plains of Kansas, and the California and the West. wheat belt generally, have the advantage of modern and large Further north, the Mid-Continent joins with the Golden State capacity elevators, available all along the Rock Island Lines, and of route, traveling over the same tracks between Herington, Kansas particular importance, at Texas ports, where transfer of grain from

ROCK ISLAND BRIDGE ACROSS MISSOURI RIVER AT KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 26 May, 1945 Houston PORT BOOK

During the past several years, the Rock Island, under the administration of J. D. Farrington, chief executive officer, has spent millions of dollars on additions and betterments, and a large number of these improvements will be of direct benefit to shippers using the Texas ports. New balhst, heavier rail, a fleet of fifteen new streamlined passenger trains, new, powerful steam and Diesel freight engines, and modern signal devices, to mention some of these improvements, have enabled the Rock Island, as stated at the outset of this article, to handle its heaviest freight and passenger traffic in the road’s history. In this program of Planned Progress, vast sums have been spent on improvements on the Mid-Continent route, including a new three-million dollar bridge just completed in conjunction with the Milwaukee Road at Kansas City. This bridge, with approaches, is two and one-half miles long, and will accelerate the movements of trains between Minneapolis and the Gulf by cutting off about thirty minutes running time. Work was also begun recently on the installation of 127 miles of Centralized Traffic Control between Caldwell and Herington, Kansas, and 27 miles between Forth Worth and Dallas, both im- provements on the Mid-Continent route. Through the centralized operation of switches and signals from control stations, the track capacity of this heavily-travelled route will be increased, and there will be an important saving of cars and locomotive power. It is estimated that 37,244 car-days and 1,387 engine-days will be saved JOHN D. FARRINGTON annually as a result of the new signal system between Caldwell Chief Executive Officer, Rock Island Lines, Chicago, Illinois and Herington, and 2,274 car-days and 86 engine days on the improved line between Fort Worth and Dallas. On a single track, train to ship may be made directly or the grain held in spacious Centralized Traffic Control provides about 75 per cent of double- elevators for later shipment. track capacity. And these fourteen states served by the Rock Island are not Recognizing the unprecedented interdependence of the nations only the bread basket of America, but, stretching out on either of the world, as revealed in the present war, officials of the Rock side of the road’s right-of-way are the great plains and prairies Island’s Foreign Freight department believe that the ideal location where choice cattle and other livestock feed. The direct rail facili- of the Texas ports, served by a network of the world’s finest rail- ties from northern Minnesota to the Gulf provide an ideal route roads, reaching out into the great prcductive areas of the central for shipments of fresh or canned meats to Texas and other Gulf states, will become a focal point of world trade. The Rock Island ports,--shipments of meat and produce that will find their way Lines and the railroads generally are prepared to 1-.andle their share to dinner tables of hungry families all over the world. of that trade. Packing houses, large warehouses and refrigerator facilities on the Rock Island system, at such points as Minneapolis, St. Paul, Albert Lea, Des Moines, Kansas City, St. Joseph, Topeka, Wichita, Oklahoma City, Dallas and Fort Worth, are a vital factor in han- dling the transport of meat and dairy products to Houston and other Texas ports, and these facilities will be expanded as increased traffic requires. This mid-western area will also be called upon after the war to supply the breeding stock, cattle, hogs and sheep to rehabilitate the farms of formerly occupied countries of Europe, countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Poland and Norway, where livestock has been consumed by the invaders. Such exports may well be routed through the Texas ports. Of paramount importance to the shippers, not only of food- stuffs, but of industrial goods as well, is the proximity of the Texas ports to the richest producing area in America. Through the Rock Island and other mid-western railroads, farm and industry will enjoy a tide-water market at their front door, and will profit by the correspondingly favorable freight rates. A harbinger of future transcontinental transport on the Rock Island’s Mid-Continent route was the inauguration on January 14 of the "Twin Star Rocket" passenger service between Houston and Minneapolis. The new streamlined, stainless steel, Diesel-powered trains are equipped with reclining coach seats, parlor, dining and sleeping cars, and make the 1370-mile run daily from the Gulf almost to the Canadian border in less than 26 hours. The Rock Island also provides additional Rocket service between Kansas City C. E. BARRY and Dallas. Assistant Freight Traffic Manager in charge of the Foreign Department, R~ck Island Lines ROUTE of the TWIN STAR

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Sabln~s Training Men for the Maritime Service

By WARRANT OFFICER KING V. HOSTICK, USMS Assistant Regional Public Relations O~.cer, War Shipping Administration, Training Organization

ODAYMANY thousands of young men who never before had grouping of similar subjects in the same training period the time been to sea have been taught to become officers and seamen at the St. Petersburg training station is utilized systematically. T in the United States Merchant Marine. Filling this gigantic From the moment the trainees arrive at the station until the time order is the duty of the Training Organization of the War Ship- they are transferred to a Graduate Station for service in the United ping Administration. States’ ever increasing Merchant Marine every hour spent in train- ing has been carefully charted and planned in advance. The training In 1944 9,543 young men entered the training program of the program is the result of months of growth and experience. The United States Maritime Service from the several enrolling offices courses are highly specialized and are geared to produce maximum located in various cities of Texas. Men from Houston have made instruction while the man is in his training period. up a large portion of those enrolled from Texas. In Houston alone last year 1,495 young men enrolled for the apprentice seaman As soon as the processing period is completed, the trainees are program. assigned to sections and their preliminary period of training begins. Usually of about six weeks duration, this preliminary period offers The largest unit of the War Shipping Administration’s Train- fundamental knowledge of general seamanship, water and sea safety, ing Organization is the United States Maritime Service with its physical fitness, boatmanship, hygiene and gunnery fundamentals three apprentice seamen’s training stations, two officer-candidate necessary to all seamen. Military discipline, teamwork and group schools, two radio schools, eight up-grade schools and fourteen activity are also stressed during this period. graduate stations. During 1944 the Training Organization of the War Shipping Administration, through the U. S. Maritime Service, It is during this period of preliminary training that classifica- the U. S. Merchant Marine Cadet Corps, and the State Maritime tion and selection takes place. The trainees may express a preference Academies, trained and graduated 87,908 men for merchant vessels. and they are assigned by the Classification and Selection Officer to the branch of advanced training for which they are best suited. Typical of the apprentice seamen’s schools and the school to Opportunities in the various departments are explained as well as which most Texan enrollees for apprentice seaman training are the opportunities in the various specialized schools which the sent is the United States Maritime Service Training Station located enrollee may enter at the completion of his training at St. Peters- at St. Petersburg, Florida. The St. Petersburg United States Mari- burg. time Service Training Station was established in 1940 for the specific purpose of training merchant seamen, experienced or inex- At the completion of shore-side training each trainee is perienced, to man the ships of the United States Merchant Marine. assigned to one of the several training vessels attached to the base. By this means the men are able to apply their theoretical training At St. Petersburg three distinct branches of training are of- to practice. The largest, and judged to be one of the finest training fered to trainees. Here the novice may be trained in the deck depart- ships afloat, now attached to this training station is the AMERICAN ment, engine department, or steward’s department. Each of these SAILOR. The AMrRICANSAILOR, formerly a merchant cargo vessel, departments is divided into training periods which enable the in- is equipped with all modern apparatus and is used for the training structors to cover systematically the various related courses of of both deck and engine forces. In addition to the training period study and practical work. spent aboard the AMrRICANSAILOR, deck enrollees also receive an Naturally speed is the essence of wartime training and through additional week on the famous sailing ship the JosErH CONRAD. Several other equally as well equipped ships are included in the station’s complement. At the completion of his course of training aboard one of the several training ships the apprentice seaman is transferred to a graduate station to await assignment to his first ocean going ship. With his sea bag and papers, showing his qualifications, the seaman takes his turn on the register. Whenthe graduate station is notified of the need for men in the engine, deck, or steward’s departments of certain vessels, the beginner is then assigned by the graduate station to his first vessel. Such a graduate station, capable of housing up to a hundred men, is located here in Houston at 911 Lovett Boulevard. The I-I~uston United States Maritime Service Graduate Station serves Texas shipping on the Gulf. From this St. Petersburg base flows an unending supply of trained seamen whose spirit and eagerness to serve at sea is splendid testimony of the excellence of their training. That these men are good seamen has been proved again and again. Their victories in the sea lanes of the world and the vital part they have played in landing troops and supplies in every invasion of this conflict have Administration building entrance, St. Petersburg United States Maritime proved, better than words can describe, that they may well be Service Training Station, as seen through a mooring chock on the barracks ship called a part of one of the most vital branches of this war. Tusitala.--Photo by U. S. Maritime Service. 30 TRAINING FOR THE U. S. MARITIME SERVICE Top : Left, Trainees, with sea bags packed, receive instructions before boarding the USMS "American Seafarer" for an advanced training course. Right, lifeboat drill aboard the training ship "Joseph Conrad." Center: The training vessel, "Joseph Conrad," under sail at Tampa, Florida. Bottom : Left, Volley Ball is one of the outdoor recreational facilities of the U. S. Maritime Service Training Station, St. Petersburg, Florida. Right, Trainee ...... signalling the "Joseph Conrad" at St. Petersburg. Southern Pacific

By J. C. CARTER Personal Representative of the Executive Vice-President Houston

N JuNr of 1942, a little more than six months after the inci- betterment programs designed to bring them up to the highest pos- dent at Pearl Harbor had drawn the United States into World sible standard of efficiency to meet the emergency with which the I War II, President A. T. Mercier, in a message to the army of country then was faced. Southern Pacific had lost no time in pre- men and women who work with him on Southern Pacific, made this paring its facilities for the heavier load it knew it would have to statement: carry. "We are doing and will continue to do the greatest job in our Almost from one end of the railroad to the other, improve- history". ment and betterment programs were put under way. New and These were no idle words. In them was praise for the 93,000 heavier rail was laid over long stretches of the railroad, bridges were strengthened or rebuilt and roadbed placed in condition to withstand people of the railroad who had undergone their initial test in war- the impact of faster trains and heavier traffic. Newpower was pur- time transportation and had come through with characteristic flying chased and numerous engines rebuilt and repaired, some of them colors. The forces that make Southern Pacific a vital element in the having been idle for several years. New freight cars were ordered life and economy of the American public had performed as the railroad’s president knew they would. and thousands of others reconditioned to carry their wartime loads. Southern Pacific, even before Pearl Harbor, knew it had a job In these words also was a pledge to which President Mercier to do and even though there was no great promise of what the knew the men and women of Southern Pacific would stand un- equivocally committed. His faith in what he confidently believed future held in the way of traffic, it proceeded to do it. The foresight the co-workers on his railroad could and would do under the emer- and courage it exemplified in the two-year period before the war has contributd materially to Southern Pacific’s performance since gency has been justified. December 7, 1941. Southern Pacific, one of the country’s oldest and largest insti- Southern Pacific’s strategic location, in peace and in war, has tutions, and one of its very few transcontinental railroads, has not always been recognized. Not only must it accept an originating faltered in its task. With the unfailing spirit of its people and under burden from the viewpoint of the country’s transportation require- the leadership and guidance of men who, over the years, have been ments but it must be in position to take over the added load from confronted with and successfully solved the gravest of transporta- connections. The strategic position of Southern Pacific as regards tion problems, it will remain faithful to its trust. the final push against Japan, for which extensive preparations are The job Southern Pacific has done, is doing and will continue now being made, further emphasizes the immensity of its task. to do represents its contribution to victory and the combined confi- Southern Pacific connects Houston with 15,000 miles of rail- dence of its officers and employes in the future of America after road territory, extending from Portland, Oregon, in the Northwest, the war. Southern Pacific, after all, is an American institution. As to New Orleans on the East. Of this mileage, about 4,400 miles are such, it is dedicated to the highest Americantraditions and ideals. in Texas and Louisiana, with Houston the headquarters and hub of At the start of the present war, Southern Pacific, in common these operations. From Houston, Southern Pacific’s long established with other railroads of the country, was ill equipped to take on so and well developed routes radiate in almost every direction. They great a burden. Along with many other institutions of the country, reach to Waco, Fort Worth, Dallas and Denison on the north, to it was just recovering from the effects of a prolonged business de- Austin and the rich mineral country around Llano to the north- pression. Coupled with this was its struggle against unregulated and west, Lufkin, Nacogdoches and Shreveport to the northeast and to subsidized competition. With the magnificent courage of its people Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley to the southwest. Gal- it was, as an institution, just beginning to see light whenthe further veston, Beaumont, Orange, San Antonio and other important cities and grave transportation problems of war shown on the horizon. in Texas are directly served from Houston over these rails as are Lake Charles, Lafayette and other points in Louisiana. Southern In the face of obstacles but with full realization of its responsi- Pacific was built in the days when Texas and Louisiana were being bility toward its patrons, the public and the war, Southern Pacific planned as commercial and industrial domains. promptly shouldered its share of the burden. It was cognizant of the pledge in which it had joined with other railroads in September of In Houston and the immediate Houston area are more than 1939, when the first war clouds cast their shadow over this country. 7,000 Southern Pacific officers and employes. For a most part they This pledge, signed at a meeting in Washington, committed the rail- are home people. A large percentage of them own their homes and, roads of the United States to extensive and costly improvement and thereby, become solid citizens. All of them are the type of men and

SOUTHERN PACIFIC’S "SUNBEAM"--ONE OF THE GREAT STREAMLINERS 32 Top: The rolling pipe lines to the war fronts of the World. Gasoline and refined products moving through the Beaumont terminals of the Southern Pacific Lines. Left: Part of crowd of 1100 Southern Pacific men at open air bond sales meeting at S. P. Shops in Houston. Center: Southern Pacific oil train moving West from Houston with fuel to whip the Japs. Right: Southern Pacific’s newest Cantilever Bridge over the Neehes River at Beaumont. 34 Houston PORT BOOK May, 1945 womenwhose residence here makes them a worthwhile contribution Various experiments are being conducted to constantly improve to the civic, social, business and economic life of the city. The same Southern Pacific’s service to the public and the contribution it is to holds true of Southern Pacific people in the hundreds of towns and make to post-war progress. Among these is modernization of its cities where they work with the railroad. communications system. One such experiment is now being made Since the war began, Southern Pacific’s war load has grown in the use of the inductive type of communications, whereby engi- heavier as the months have passed. Freight volume in 1944 was 66 neers and conductors on its trains can communicate with one another per cent greater than in 1941. Passenger volume brought on largely and with way stations along their route, thus quickening the pulse by the war has grown tremendously. Commercial traffic only in- of the railroad and its ability to operate under progressively im- directly related to the war effort has increased by leaps and bounds. proved speeds. There are many other such experiments going on all In spite of this, Southern Pacific has handled its job efficiently. the time and others will doubtless foUow. This is how Southern As a single railway system, Southern Pacific serves more mili- Pacific is planning for the future. tary and naval establishments than any other railroad. Records show Industrial development in Southern Pacific’s territory, particu- that, since war began, its dining cars have served more meals to larly in Texas and Louisiana, has gone forward with increased tempo military personnel than any other two railroads of the country. In since war began. To the rolls of the railroad have been added scores freight and passenger volume, it is now in third position amongthe nation’s largest railroads. of industries, many of them among the country’s largest. While a certain percentage of them are war industries, whose production is With all of this, Southern Pacific continues to forge ahead and tied directly with the nation’s war effort, many of them will remain build for the future, realizing that upon it must fall after the war operative whenthe clouds of war have disappeared. To this latter list the same measure of responsibility. As it goes about its present role, is being added, as the months go by, many others which have it is progressively carrying out a long range improvementand better- chosen Southern Pacific’s territory in the two states for their new ment program designed to meet the transportation requirements of plants. There will be more and to this end, Southern Pacific is now peacetime with the same degree of success which has marked its making special effort, working closely with people in local com- performance during war. munities. Southern Pacific is still laying new and heavier rail, strengthen- Southern Pacific has a well-staffed industrial department with ing its roadbed, straightening its lines by removing curves, reduc- trained men to work with representatives of industries seeking new ing grades and building new and better bridges. This is being done locations in the South and Southwest. It is a busy department now to facilitate the faster operation of freight and passenger trains and after the war, upon it will, no doubt, fall still heavier and more which are to follow the war. Streamlined passenger trains of the important responsibilities. very latest type are to be operated at accelerated speed and many other improvements made to completely modernize its service; all Southern Pacific has had a big jeb to do but, with confidence, this being planned that Southern Pacific will continue in the fore- it is looking forward to the still bigger one that lies ahead of it front among railroads when peace comes. after the war.

Millers of AMERICAN MAID FLOURS and ARROW FEEDS GRAIN MERCHANTS D O E M X E P S O T R I T C Daily Capacity:Flour Mill, 4,000Barrels ¯ CornMill, 800Barrels ¯ FeedMill, 500 Tons ElevatorCapacity: 2,000,000 Bushels HOUSTON MILLING COMPANY, Inc. Cable Address: I-IOLJSTOHMII- HOUSTON1, TEXAS POST OFFICE BOX 3012 Missouri Pacific Lines "A Service Institution"

By P. ]. NEFF

Executive Vice-President

N A COMPARATIVELYfew years Houston has developed into one east; Bryan, Marlin, Waco and Ft. Worth to the north; Austin, I of America’s greatest railroad centers and also one of its largest San Antonio, Winter Garden, Laredo and Mexico to the west; ports. This desirable combination has been made possible by Corpus Christi, the Lower Rio Grande Valley and Mexico to the the aggressive action of its foresighted citizenship in combination southwest, and the Tri-Cities, Galveston and Freeport to the south. with the natural geographic location. Our pioneering forefathers As the Missouri Pacific System is one of the largest in the United navigated Buffalo Bayou up to the foot of Main Street and thereby States, this gives Houston the advantage of a one-line railroad haul picked the site for a future Houston and the spot where the rails to the vast area of the Mississippi Valley or to other direct rail and the sea were to meet. connections to the four corners of the United States. Before the race to build railroads was over, seventeen lines had It is now commonknowledge that even during the so-called been constructd with Houston as the hub. These rail lines in the depression years of the thirties the railroads were quietly improving beginning outgrew the port but did much to help the port in ob- their tracks, constructing larger motive power and stronger cars and taining its final objective. Together they have madeit probable that had made many improvements in their operating facilities, antici- Houston will develop still further into one of the world’s largest pating the day when the general prosperity would increase their ports and rail centers. traffic. It is fortunate they had done this as the war unexpected!,y Not only the original builders but the later owners of the created a demand for transportation much greater even than the Missouri Pacific Lines’ of railroad foresaw the future of Houston railroads had prepared for. That they have been able to handle the and either built or acquired eight of the seventeen lines of railroad war time traffic has been due to their own foresight in making which serve it. Their lines radiate like the spokes of a wheel from their properties ready for greater traffic and to the intelligent Houston to Beaumont, Baton Rouge and New Orleans to the east; cooperation of the ArmedForces and of their shippers. Palestine, Tyler, Longview, Memphis and St. Louis to the north- It is the belief of railroad management generally that their

Plans were recently announced by the Missouri Pacific Lines for the inauguration of lightweight, Diesel-powered trains, providing overnight service daily between Houston and St. Louis. The new trains, to be known as The Sunshine Eagles, will be similar in appearance to The Colorado Eagle, shown above. They will incorporate all the best features of this and other Missouri Pacific modern, lightweight equipment and include, in addition, all of the more recent develop- ments in passenger train design and cons~ruction. 35 36 Houston PORT BOOK May, 1945 problems are better understood by the public today than they ever things are strengthened by the active work of specialists employed have been before. They believe, however, that there is still apathy on in the research, agricultural and industrial departments of the the part of some of our law making bodies in the passing of neces- Missouri Pacific Lines. Their efforts being directed in the channels sary legislation to help the railroads in their future position in the of progress which is essential to the orderly functioning of trans- transportation industry. Up to the present time no legislation has portation-transportation agencies upon which our country must been passed to give the railroads any relief from payment of the depend if it is to go forward successfully and the Missouri Pacific majority of their present high incomes to the Government in taxes Lines serving Houston and the Southwest is determined to do its while the tracks and rolling stock of the railroads are rapidly deteri- part. orating because of inability to get repair materials. There is much Li;’ghtweight, Diesel-Powered Trains talk of the expenditure of vast sums of money after the war for Houstoni/ms welcomed with interest and gratification the the construction of new highways, development of airports, deepen- recent announcement by the Missouri Pacific Lines of plans for the ing of waterways and like projects which will aid other forms of inauguratio~ new lightweight, Diesel-powered trains which will transportation in competition with the railroads but no sound pro- provide travelers with overnight service from Houston and other gram as yet to aid the railroads in their own competitive situation. principal Texas cities to St. Louis and Memphis. Equipment for The railroad industry is one of the few industries which has four trains will be purchased by the Missouri Pacific and the Texas not raised their prices during the war as freight charges today are & Pacific Railway, at a cost of approximately $9,000,000, and the same as they were when the war started. This, of course, has orders will be placed in the near future to insure the earliest pos- not been true of the cost of operating the railroads as practically sible delivery, dependent upon allocation of now critical materials all employees have received increases in compensation and the price by the War Production Board. of repair materials and fuel has been vastly increased since the war Four entirely new trains are to be constructed and will replace started. It is apparent that the industry cannot continue prosperous the present conventional equipment of the Sunshine Specials. Two under such conditions unless there is an abnormal increase in of them will operate daily between Houston-San Antonio and post-war traffic. Memphis-St. Louis, and two daily between Ft. Worth-Dallas and Much is heard about air transportation and the part it will Memphis-St. Louis. Tentative schedules for the new trains call for play in the post-war economy. Railroad men can foresee that this 5:30 pm departure from St. Louis with early morning arrival in media will take its proper place in the transportation field, but at Houston. Comparable northbound schedules are contemplated to the same time know that business men may very well inquire as to provide early morning arrival in St. Louis. what the country may expect of railroad transportation as relates Equipment to be acquired for the new trains will include four to efficiency and economy. There still are undeveloped fields of 4,000-horsepower and three 2,000-horsepower Diesel-electric loco- possibilities for faster rail transportation. This can and will be motives, 32 sleeping cars, two sleeper-lounges, 21 coaches, two accomplished by Diesel or electric drawn trains at high rates of diners and five diner lounges, and eight express, mail and baggage speed. Such an era will be possible after the war through the cars. development of new, lighter and stronger alloys, installation of new Plans for the new service were worked out after an extensive signal devices, elimination of grades and the straightening of track study made by the Missouri Pacific’s Research Bureau. This survey alignment. Much of this can and no doubt will be done in Texas showed that travelers all over the country have a decided prefer- where great distances are involved making it practical and neces- ence for light-weight trains because of their modern appearance, sary. All of this to the end of providing the public with better rail speed, easy riding qualities and added comforts, and trains of this transportation. type seem certain of continuing to attract a large volume of travel Whenthe pioneer commencedconstruction of railroads in this section the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast area was a primeval forest. The Missouri Pacific studies also showed that the territory to Lumber was the principal industry. This territory has now grown be served by the new trains has enjoyed a marked rate of develop’ to be the greatest agricultural, mining, oil and ranching section oi ment within recent years with every indication pointing to even the United States. It now appears it is destined to become a great more accelerated progress in the future. The growth of Houston, manufacturing center because of the wealth of raw materials, cheap where population was nearly tripled between 1920 and 1940, is an fuel, favorable labor conditions, mild climate and the nearness to outstanding example of the tremendous development taking place the great market areas of the world. The potential markets of in the Southwest. Latin and South America, our neighbors, makes Houston the center Willingness of the Missouri Pacific Lines and the Texas & of all these activities. Pacific to make so large an investment in new train equipment The potentialities of greatly increased trade with South Amer- reflects not only their optimism concerning the future of railroad ica is not being overlooked by the Missouri Pacific Lines who are travel, but their faith in the continued growth and development now making a survey of South American markets. All of these of the Southwest.

BUSINESS BAROMETER OF HOUSTON FOR THE YEAR 1944

Real Estate Customs Bank Clearings Postal Receipts Building Permits Transfers Collections

TOTAL...... $5,539,707,872 $4,853,449.49 $9,268,739 $53,416,084 $2,291,618.40

FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF 1945

Real Estate Customs Bank Clearings Postal Receipts Building Permits Transfers Collections January...... $ 52@,859i352 $ 448,109.0.6 $ 622,503 $ 5,651,844 $ 144,315.88 February...... 420,040,355 379,645.40 1,037,809 5,362,224 191,845.72 March...... 538,954,743 453,952.29 5,076,803 7,473,301 202,<)57,20 TOTAL...... $1,479,854,450 $1,281,706.75 $6,737,115 $18,487,369 $ 538,218.8.0 Burlington Lines

By DONALD.ASHTON Executive Assistant, Public Relations

AILROADBUILDERS in the latter part of the 19th century Anticipating the country’s probable needs, should another R never anticipated the importance that would be placed on worldwide conflict occur, the railroads in cooperation with the War the mass transportation of men and materiel of war which and Navy Departments laid plans and set up procedure as early has been required of America’s rail system since Pearl Harbor. as the 1920’s for the orderly movement of vast numbers of troops. Built for development and peaceful pursuits, the railroads have Howwell those plans were made is best told by the transportation proved in the present national emergency to be one of the most job which has been done since America’s entry into the present potent instruments of war available to America. Literally, moun- conflict and will continue to be done until victory is won. tains of war goods of all kinds have been transported in expedited Lying strategically between Chicago and the Mississippi River freight movement, and millions of men have been moved in regular on the east and the Rocky Mountains on the west, and between the and special passenger train service from induction centers to train- Port of Houston on the Gulf of Mexico on the south and Montana ing camps and from camps to ports of embarkation. on the north, with direct connections for the California and A big job was done by American Railroads in World War I, Pacific Northwest Ports, the Burlington Lines provide an essential but the transportation job today so far exceeds in volume the link in the transcontinental transportation so necessary to the suc- wartime movement of twenty-eight years ago as to make com- cessful conduct of the war and the distribution of domestic sup- parisons seem fantastic. The Burlington Lines alone have handled plies needed for the home front. nearly 10,000 special troop trains since Pearl Harbor on which In September of the Texas Centennial Year of 1936, just be- were transported more than two and three-quarter million mem- fore Eurlington Lines inaugurated the first Diesel, streamline train bers of the Armed Forces. This does not take into account more service in Texas, the Sam Houston Zephyr between Houston and than one and a half million military passengers moved on regular Dallas-Ft. Worth, the passenger-miles on Burlington Lines in trains or the millions of furloughees. Texas were slightly in excess of 3.6 millions. For the year of 1936

BURLINGTON LINES’ TEXAS ZEPHYR BETWEEN TEXAS AND COLORADO Two sets of this Diesel Powered, Streamline Equipment have contributed nearly 3,000,000 Miles of Public Service Between Texas and Color~do Since August, 1940, to a Total of 25 Million Miles of Service Performed by the Burlington’s Fleet of I4 Zephyrs.

37 May, 1945 38 Houston PORT BOOK

the total passenger-miles, which really is the yardstick of the vol- A decade of experience with the Diesel, streamline trains and ume of passenger traffic, was 41.5 millions. Four years later in with the Diesel switch engines forecast what might be accom- pre-war 1940, which marked the inauguration of the Diesel, stream- plished with heavy Diesel-power for transcontinental freight trains. line Texas Zephyrs between Texas and Colorado, the September The Burlington now has 16 5400-HP Diesel-electric freight loco- passenger-miles on the Burlington’s Texas Lines had increased to motives in service, which are contributing materially to the effi- 5.3 millions, about 47~ more than in 1936. For the full year of cient movement of the record wartime traffic. Incidentally, these 1940, these Texas lines amassed 55.3 million passenger-miles, 33 ~ locomotives, together with approximately 100 Diesel switch and more than in 1936. In 1944, traffic had increased to 312.2 million passenger locomotives, are increasing the consumption of oil which passenger-miles, more than seven times the 1936 volume. These is one of Texas’ chief products. figures tell a dramatic story of the transportation achievements Recently, the Burlington has revealed plans for a startling of the Burlington Lines in Texas. new-type passenger car embodying among other improvements a Since the inauguration of the Pioneer Zephyr, America’s first raised glass-enclosed observation dome. The design for this novel Diesel, streamline train in 1934, the Burlington’s fleet of fourteen railroad car has been developed not by a railroad or car builder but Zephyrs has attained 25 million train miles of public service, the by General Motors Corporation who gave some of its best indus- equivalent of nearly a thousand times around the world. Houston’s trial designers the task of approaching railroad train design from own Sam Houston Zephyr contributed substantially toward this the traveler’s point of view and without the usual inhibitions or amazing accomplishment, as have the Texas Zephyrs, which in restrictions of past railroad practices and standards. connection with the "Sam Houston" provide Houstonians with These men conceived the idea of giving passengers an entirely Diesel, streamline service 1085 miles northwestward to Denver, new and unobstructed perspective of the countryside thru which Colorado, well along toward San Francisco and the Pacific North- they ride by providing an upper level of seats in a glass enclosed west. dome of unique and attractive design from which they can see No less impressive is the increase in freight traffic handled forward and upward, as well as sidewards and backward. This is over the Burlington Lines in Texas since 1930, when plans were made feasible by the fact that the roofs of modern passenger cars made to connect the Houston-~raxahachie line of the old Trinity are lower than formerly, and also by the new types of glass & Brazos Valley Railway with the Dallas-Billlngs Line of the Bur- developed during the war for use in bomber noses and blisters. Only lington System to give Houston a thru rail route via the Burlington those who have ridden in the cupola of a caboose or the cab of a and affiliated lines to Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and other Puget Diesel-electric locomotive can visualize the new vista passengers Sound Ports, with connections for California termini. can enjoy from the glass-enclosed dome. Travelers will be able to In that year the ton-miles of freight moved over the Burling- see ahead and also upwards toward the mountain tops or the high ton Lines in Texas was something more than 800 millions. By the sides of deep canyons, which characterize the finest mountain end of 1944 this figure had risen to more than 1,484 millions. These scenery. comparisons illustrate the vital part Houston and its railroads Widespread interest has been expressed in this development are playing in these critical war times, and signify the possibilities which is but one of the many unique features embodied in the of the Port of Houston and its related Gulf Coast area in the designs of General Motors and others for postwar chair, dining, peacetime years ahead. sleeping and lounge cars. Few people realize the immense volume of men and material The railroad industry is keenly enthusiastic about its role in moving between the Houston area and the California and Pacific the future of America. With a strategically located railroad linking Northwest ports. Truly, this traffic volume is larger than it was the port of Houston directly with the North Texas business cen- thought possible to move by railroad a few years ago. Because of ters of Dallas and Forth Worth, the Texas Panhandle, Colorado, their close association with Houston, the Burlington Lines have Wyoming and Montana, and the entire Pacific Coast beyond, the been privileged to perform an important part in this wartime job, Burlington Lines feel that together with Houston they can help which will provide a sound foundation for tomorrow’s growth and achieve and enjoy the full development of the bast natural re- expansion. sources of this southwestern empire and the realization of the in- Just as the coming of the Zephyrs heralded a new era in pas- dustrial dreams of forward looking Texans. senger transportation, so do other recent technological improve- ments and experiments point the way for further great strides in rail transport. Most fascinating at the momentis radio communica- tion between train and engine crews enroute, between the crews BUILDING PERMITS ! on one train and those on another, and between moving trains and stations and yard offices. Manyother contacts are conceivable, and HOUSTON,TEXASm(1913-1944) all will aid in speeding up railroad transportation. Since February Compiled by Research and Statisties Department, Houston Chamber of Commerce 1944 the Burlington, in collaboration with the Bendix Organiza- tion, has been carrying on extensive tests of such communication 1913 $ 4,965,635 1929 29,526,810 under practical railroad conditions and its facilities have served as 1914 3,250,739 1930 17,616,202 the first field labor~tory to prove the practicability of radio for ~ 1915 1,797,094 1931 11,701,491 railroad purposes. Just as soon as the Federal Communications Com- 1916 3,086,870 1932 2,873,130 mission gives the go ahead signal, the Burlington is ready to install 1917 3,124,327 1933 3,224,449 two-way high-frequency radios in sixteen of its Diesel-powered 1918 2,270,649 1934 4,812,565 mainline freight trains and in its principal switch yards. The men 1919 6,861,619 1935 6,961,396 in the caboose will be in constant communication with those in the 1920 8,531,447 1936 18,493,379 engine, which means that a minimumof two hours on the average 1921 10,398,295 1937 18,606,763 1,000-mile run can be saved. Yardmasters and switching crews as 1922 13,390,469 1938 25,052,323 far as ten miles apart in yards will be in touch with each other 19,117,106 1939 26,737,228 constantly. Crews within the area will be able to receive "on the 1923 1924 17,216,259 1940 24,253,888 spot" instructions and acknowledge them instantly. The resulting 1925 35,040,550 1941 19,218,676 coordination will be reflected in improved shipping service. 1926 28,512,805 1942 11,292,009 Out on the line, as trains come within ten miles of a station, 1927 27,326,475 1943 7,960,370 radio communication will enable the train crews to give up-to-the- 1928 35,319,503 1944 9,268,739 minute reports and receive last-minute instructions. Here again, operating efficiency will be increased and translated into terms of Source: U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. time saved for the traveling and shipping public. May, 1945 Houslolz PORT BOOK 39

The service record of this giant turbine is a wartime achieve- ment worthy of recognition and honorable mention "Old Number Six", during 1944, worked steadily and with unceas- ing certainty 363 days of the year . . . 24 hours daily . . . accumulating the appreciative time record of 8,711 hours of operation out of 8,784! As a result of this faithful service, 276,599,900 kilowatt hours of safe, dependable electric power was added to this company’s wartime production of CHEAP ELECTRICITY.

PRODUCERSOF CHEAP ELECTRICITY Ports of the Pacific

Combativeand colorful, they load ships for MacArthur,Nimitz, and Stalin; eye the future, the Orient, and each other

HE MOSTexciting business on the West Coast is not a busi- terials. Portland has been allotted the lend-lease commerce with Russia. Puget Sound is supplying the Army and Navy bases in ness at all. It is the Pacific Ocean, across which come the Alaska and the Aleutians. Los Angeles, though it is still loading T winds, the waves, and the ships from the canal, Alaska, Australia, and the Orient. To receive and load the ships that sail tankers with petroleum, is being used far less than before the war. San Diego is another Navy dominion. Its bay is filled with men-of- it there are longshoremen, exporters, underwriters, bartenders, bankers, seamen, municipal corporations, and the U. S. Government war, its streets with sailors and marines. --all of which and more are the ports of the West Coast. Serving The war will leave its mark on the West Coast ports. Some the Pacific is exciting, for its ports have the strong personality of the new docks, warehouses, and railroad yards built by the that men mark and remember. Some of it is their beauty: the hills Army and Navy will become available for peacetime commerce--- that rise beyond the docks, the curving shorelines of the bays, the and rich prizes they will be for the ports that catch them. Some pattern formed by piers, cranes, shipyards, and warehouses. Some of the commercial piers and wharves that the services have taken of it is their tradition of violence: knuckle-dusters deftly handled over will not be returned--and the ports that lose them will suffer. in barrooms and dark streets, truncheons pounded upon heads on The entire future of some ports--San Diego especially---depends on picket lines. Someof it is their smells----oil at San Pedro, chill fog how many ships of the Navy are based there or how much Army and brackish low tide in San Francisco Bay, wet lumber and fish in material passes through. But most of the wartime distortions will Puget Sound. And some of their personality is their westernness, pass; the rivalries of peacetime commercewill return. The greatest for they face, not Europe about which Americans know, but the ports will be the ones that have the most productive hinterland, Orient about which Americans dream. that have--or have fallen heir to--the best piers, quays, and com- Outside, there is the rolling swell of the Pacific that spends munications, that render their services most efficiently, and go after itself upon an inhospitable and almost harborless coast--from business most vigorously. There will be competition, not only be- Canada to Mexico, 1,400 miles of it--beset by currents so variable tween ports and families of ports--between San Francisco Bay, Los that the Coast and Geodetic Survey can only theorize about them, Angeles, San Diego, Puget Sound, and the Columbia--but compe- and fog in some places so thick that many ships make port not by tition inside the families themselves. Whoare these competitors and sighting buoys or landmarks but by keeping the lead going and how will they fare? feeling their way along the bottom. At only three places along the The Old Capital whole 1,400 miles--San Diego, San Francisco Bay, and Puget A ship at sea must look sharp for San Francisco’s Golden Gate. Sound--can large ships find natural shelter from the ocean, and For two centuries Spanish and English galleons sailed right by at only two other harbors--Los Angeles-Long Beach and up the without knowing that the notch in the rocky shoreline led to the Columbia and Willamette---can they find shelter made by man. magnificent deepwater bay, forty miles long and five miles wide, The consequence of this scarcity is not monopoly but compe- that is one of the finest natural harbors in all the world. tition. Because there are only five major ports--more strictly five To port as a ship enters the gate are the barren mountains of families of ports--each can watch and measure the growth of its Marin County; to starboard as it gets inside are the hills, ordered neighbor. Each can quickly sense the effect of that growth upon streets, trim houses, and tall buildings of San Francisco. Below the itself. The growth of a port measures more, however, than the hills, by the ferry tower with the clock, are the old docks of the successful competition of one harbor with another. It meters the city’s Embarcadero. Across the bay is the newer harbor of Oakland, increase of industry, for a port is never greater than the farms, busy now as an Army port of embarkation and a naval supply mines, factories, and railroads that supply its cargoes. It meters depot. Farther up the bay are the Mare Island Navy yards and also the expansion of markets both at home and abroad on which Port Chicago; beyond is the deepwater channel to Stockton and industries depend. Could one see the whole future of the ports of the shallow, winding river to Sacramento. the West, one could see nearly the whole shape of its future indus- The city of San Francisco was old when the other ports of try and commerce. the Pacific were trading posts. Its settlers were Mexicans, Yankee Today a view of the ports’ future is partly obscured by war. The trade through the Panama Canal to the East, once the most traders, gold miners, prisoners from the Australian penal colonies, prospectors from the Sandwich Islands and the South Seas. On its important commerce, is dead. Coastwise traffic is sparse. Foreign Barbary Coast, home of the term "shang-haiing," lived the famous merchantmen, except for the ships of Russia, have almost disap- crimps--Horseshoe Brown, Shanghai Kelly, and Miss Piggot with peared. The total tonnage of cargo passing through West Coast her Lapland runner Nikko. Along the waterfront strolled the ports is probably smaller than in 1940 and the booms drop their boutonniered "Old Rosey," the usurious ’~Money King," and cargoes into the holds of gray and zebra-camouflaged supply ships, "George Washington," who, in cocked hat, black velvet coat, waist- transports, and men-of-war. The best and biggest piers have been coat and breeches, was permitted to believe he was father of his taken over by the Army and Navy; they have built new ones on country. San Francisco Bay and Puget Sound. War has concentrated the shipping business and whole ports But that was the old San Francisco. The modern city grew have been specialized to handle particular branches. Far more ship- rich and stayed rich on trade between its hinterland and the rest of the world. From the Central Valley of California, San Francisco ping is handled out of the port cities of San Francisco Bay--the drew the greatest variety of agricultural exports of any port in the huge Army and Navy supply depots at Oakland, for instance-- world. It shipped nearly every fruit and vegetable that could be than out of any other harbor. The Navy has confiscated the almost canned or dried, rice and barley, along with oil, fish, and salt. When unknown Port Hueneme south of Santa Barbara, built new docks San Francisco became the terminal of the first railroad to reach the and piers, and has used them entirely for loading construction ma- 4O