ARCHIVES Maine Central to Maine Central Railroaders
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. MAINE RAIJ^AD ARCHIVES Maine Central To Maine Central Railroaders: Freight revenue for the nation's rail carriers was less in Raf'froad Magazine 1954 than in \951 by 12.1 per cent, while Maine Central's decrease was 3.18 per cent, illustrating the stability of our Vol. XI—No. 6 traffic and the success which we have had in pleasing our Richard M. Aylward FROM THE EDITOR shippers through service, rates and attention to their needs. As we were about to go to press with this Editor-in-Chief issue, the following information was made avail• Our operating expenses increased, whereas operating ex• William A. Wheeler able which will be of interest to all non-operating union employees: penses of the nation's railroads were reduced 9 per cent. Associate Editor Emeritus This increase was due to our program to improve the con• CROUP HOSPITAL, SURGICAL dition of freight cars some of which returned to line, after AND MEDICAL INSURANCE The Maine Central Railroad Company and long absence, in poor condition. For paper loading we re• Portland Terminal Company have applied for ad• quire a class A car and building up deferred maintenance mission as a Participating Member of the Na• tional Plan of Croup Hospital, Surgical and Medi• seemed unwise. The Engineering Department slightly re• cal Insurance, underwritten by the Travelers In• duced maintenance costs despite the impact of hurricane surance Company, and the Benefits outlined in this Plan will become operative on these Proper• damage. ties, for all participating employees of Non-Oper• The Maine Central is a financially sound railroad with ating Labor Organizations, upon notice of accept• ance of the application by the Travelers Insurance demonstrated earning power even in bad times, but all of Company. us must remain vigilant to keep it that way. As all premiums must be paid in advance, the More and more the railroad people of this country feel employee's share of the cost. $3.40 per month, the need of closer political organization to fight government will be deducted from the pay of the participating non-operating employees for the third weekly pay• policies fostering subsidized and unregulated competition roll period in the month preceding the effective date of the Plan, and each succeeding month which would have killed us long ago except for the amazing thereafter. efficiency inherent in track and trains. THE COVER The adoption of the National Plan does not The next time that someone attempts to convince you that June 13. 1954 was a affect the continued benefits for employee and highway trucks pay their way and constitute fair competi• historic day for the Maine dependents, covered by the Continental Casualty Central. Engine 470, Company in its agreement with the Maine Central tion, just inquire how many there would be if their opera• symbolic of the steam Railroad Company and Portland Terminal Com• tors had to build their own rights of way. maintain them power age of railroading, pany for all enrolled employees. The Continental made a farewell trip and Casualty Plan does not expire until May 31, 1956. and pay taxes on them. was sent on her way with a tremendous turnout by the people of Maine. The Presented this month for Maine Central em• cover depicts the scene at ployees is the annual report issue- It is, of necessity, Waterville Station. a factual summary containing many percentages and amounts. It should, however, give you a pic• President ture of the important sources of revenue for our Company and also the major expenditures together with the highlights of our operations during the past year. Published Monthly by THE MAINE CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY 222 St. John Street Portland, Maine The Steamship Rondo, of Dutch registry, diverted to Portland at the time of the Your New York dock strike, is shown unloading cargo at Port• Railroad land Terminal Wharf No. 1. Imported woodpulp is the most important cargo at Wharf In 1954 1, 21,091 net tons of which were handled in 1954. Wood- pulp exports were 369 net tons OUTSTANDING events on the Maine Central Railroad during the yeai 1 (|"> 1 included the year's lam• est local passenger move of 700 per• sons which took place on the last steam-powered train run in June, heralding complete dieselization of a difficult year for the railroad in• pulpwood due. for the most part, business, forty new 50-ton woodrack the railroad; a lashing from Hurri• dustry as a whole due to a lessening to weather conditions which serious• cars were added to our freight car cane "Edna": operation of the long• in business activity and the reduc• ly hampered woods operations; and fleet as were fifteen 70-ton all steel, est Pullman train ever to run over tion in revenues which resulted. the impact of Hurricane "Edna" covered hopper cars. the Eastern Division; and a 43% in• In the area covered by our serv• with its attendant expenses, serious Equipment ownership at year's crease in net tons of commodities diversion and loss of traffic. handled over Portland Terminal ices, paper and pulp production end stood as follows: Wharves. From a financial stand• continued at high levels but good Operating .revenues for the year 75 diesel locomotives — This is point the year ended with a net showings in these lines of traffic were were $24,247',451, a decrease of $1,- sufficient power to cover all engine income, or profit, of $682,115, a de• offset by developments which were 160.915, or 4.57%, from 1953 while assignments even during the heavy crease of $493,793 or 41.99%, from mostly local in nature and of a type operating expenses amounted to winter season. 1953. we do not anticipate happening $19,912,742. an increase of $295.- 4,383 freight cars - During the The profit, as shown above, can again in the foreseeable future. They 623 or 1.51%, over 1953. year 122 cars were retired and 55 be considered encouraging as it were: a work stoppage with conse• As part of our dieselization pro• new ones added, as noted above. shows that our Company, despite quent lack of shipments at the gram, now 100% complete, four 107 passenger cars—Included are buffeting from various sources, is Thomaston cement plant for a 1,000 hp. road switchers and one 41 coaches, 9 combination coach and able to "weather the storm" if month at the height of the shipping 1,200 hp. road switcher were pur• baggage cars and 57 mail, express necessary. We found that 1954 was season; a subnormal movement of chased. For our important pulpwood and baggage cars. Freight Revenue Total revenues received from our Carloads Revenue freight traffic during 1954 amounted Potatoes 36,955 $2,215,227 to $21,177,700, off 3.18% or $696,- Pulpwood 26,360 1.989,751 225 from 1953. The volume of Feed, Animal & freight tonnage was generally less Poultry, Mill throughout the country reflecting a Products 20,859 1,443,230 lower level of business activity and The 1953 potato crop was late in the sharp competition that has de• moving and, as a result, the heaviest veloped between the various types of months came in March and April transportation companies. Our Com• 1954. with the volume continuing pany's decline in volume, as shown into the late spring. The 1954 crop in revenue ton miles (which were is even slower in moving. Total 2.74% lower than in 1953) and also movement for the calendar year was in revenue received was much less about 5% less than for 1953. pronounced than that of most of An extremely wet summer which the railroads of the country as a prevented the hauling of pulpwood whole. from the cutting areas, prevented a Leading the list for another year much larger potential movement and Four 1,000 hp. road switchers, including No. 315, were put into Maine Cen• tral operation in 1954, the year that saw the road's dieselization program with the largest number of carloads carloads for the year were approxi• become 100 % complete. were paper and paper products. mately the same as in 1953. They accounted for 40.836 cars; in Shipment of animal, poultry feed money received this was a sum of and mill products, the majority being $4,013,357. Other top carload pro• poultry feed, has been a fast growing ducers were: commodity for the Maine Central for the past several years. It is in 1955, the peak shipments of 1953 credited to the successful operation should be exceeded. of the broiler business, particularly Continued increase over previous in Eastern Maine, where growing years in the importation of china conditions for the chicks produce a clay through the facilities of Port• superior product. Carloads in 1947 land Terminal Wharf No. 3 meant a amounted to 10.000; this had total of 64,475 gross tons handled in jumped to 14.400 in 1949, to 19,400 One of Main 1954 which was 40% more than was in 1953 and to 20,859 in 1954. handled in 1953. Continued full Central's new 50- Shipments1 from the cement mill capacity use and new long haul and ton woodrack at Thomaston were less in 1954 than local business for our railroad from cars, 40 of which 1953, even though production fa• this class of traffic are foreseen for were put in ser cilities were considerably enlarged. the current year. ice last year. This was due to a strike which In 1954, for the first time, scrap halted production for about 30 days iron was exported over Wharf No.