ment. It should be equipped with tight lock, self-acting, unattended coupling, and remote uncoupling, but be usable with existing couplers, by adapter, if necessary. Automatic coupling should also couple air, electrical connections and steam, if necessary. It should be equipped with a combination of cushioning or remotelycontrolled brakes to permit classification at speeds up to 15 miles per hour, while at the same time keeping the effective impact forces on cargo low enough to dispense with dunnage and securement. It should be equipped with fast acting, electropneumatic brakes. No separate handbrakes should be necessary. It should be possible to lubricate all bearing or rubbing surfaces from one or two points without dismantling any part of the car. This is not the whole list. Does it sound extreme? Does it sound unrealistic? Perhaps so and perhaps not. Sure, I know there are numerous difficulties associated with this approach. But I don't beileve this means we should not be thinking about it nor we should not be attempting to do something about it. I simply say to you, why not have such an ideal boxcar? Think about it. Why not give me your ideas? I have another thought I would like to share with you. It is not revolutionary. It is not novel. It is very fundamental. It is something you superintendents are directly concerned with every day. I refer to railroad freight service and how to improve it. It's too bad Parkinson didn't think about railroads when he was writing some of his laws. If he had. he would have probably put down something like this: "A railroad has varying obligations: To the public, to perform good service service that is reliable, of high quality and priced intelligently: to its employees, to furnish, to the extent possible, steady and safe employment, and have the ability to pay wages and provide social benefits in keeping with the national level. And. a railroad has an obligation to the government to keep its plant and service at a high level of efficiency. It has a role to play as well in protection of the country's welfare in the event of a national emergency." All of these obligations, however, are basically dependent upon the ability of a railroad to provide service that is acceptable to the customer and on the public's support of the rail industry in using this service. In short, if this service is not provided or if the public fails to use it, the railroads will not have the ability to fulfill these obligations. I have told myself and I told everyone around me that there is no reason why freight trains should not move on schedule, and every reason why it should. Call it the power of positive thinking or call it anything you like. In my case it had a definite effect in improving service. Although I know full well that there is good rail service, there is bad rail service, and there is mediocre rail service; I have yet to see service which cannot be improved. But to effect improvement there has to be a start somewhere. So I say to you why not start with having freight trains run on time? Don't accept excuses for poor performance. Be hardnosed. During my tenure as a General Manager nothing bothered me more than a superintendent who was too good-natured about poor performance. I do not wish to dwell at length on this subject, but before leaving it, I would like to direct your attention to the comments of one of your competitors. In a recent interview published in Railway Age magazine, the president of one of the largest motor carriers in the nation said: "There is first of all the question of service. The customer, after all, is the kingpin. One thing most railroad people don't understand or won't understand is that companies like ours charge higher rates than the railroads do, much higher rates in many cases; and that every bit of freight that we get is because of our service." Obviously, the big attraction of motor carrier transportation is the service it provides. If the railroads attract a larger share of freight, particularly the higher valued and rated traffic, it will have to be accompanied by improved service. Up to now, I have been talking about ideas and have been suggesting some things you superintendents might do. Let me turn for a moment to the question: What is the Federal Railroad Administration's role? Because the new Department of Transportation recognizes that this country has the same need for good railroad transportation as it does for its competing forms, it has charged the Federal Railroad Administration: first, to support national interests as affected by railroad transportation; second, to assure ade quate safety standards; third, to guide in the promotion of economic efficiency of the industry; and finally, to support industry progress. To achieve these goals, the Federal Railroad Administration is attempting to serve as the main communications link between the railroad industry and the Government, and exert leadership by coordinating the industry's many talents and drives. We are also attempting to act as the industry's advocate within the Department of Transportation in balance with the public interest. And finally, through research-economic and technological-we are attempting to serve the national interest by encouraging, sponsoring, stimulating and, at times, funding activities essential to a better product and more secure industry. I should pass on to you that Secretary Volpe is extremely interested in railroad problems. And I have the feeling that Congress is too and is willing to do something constructive for the railroad industry. The problem, it seems to me, is that no one has been able to define what form this help should take. So I think this, too, is a vital part of our job: To recommend ways that the Federal Government can help to keep this key industry economically sound, and perform the kind of service that best serves the national interest. One concern of the Federal Railroad Administration is car service problems and we have taken one important step to assist the railroads in getting a better handle on the situation. Last month we asked contractors to submit research proposals before the end of June for developing the economic effect of freight car shortages and one additional item crucial to solving the problem-how can we forecast freight car demand on specific commodities. Of equal concern to us-and I know it is to you-is the question of railroad safety-particularly the uptrend in train accidents and the new dimension of derailments involving hazardous materials. Although the railroad industry ranks better than average in overall industrial safety, the fact that it is handling more cars of propane, butane, anhydrous ammonia, and other equally dangerous materials, points up that many derailments go further than simply being another railroad accident. They quickly become a matter of major public concern. What are we doing about the total safety problem? One of the first major actions of Secretary of Transportation Volpe was to propose the establishment of a special task force on railroad safety. This proposal was accepted by railroad management and labor, and the task force includes public members from State Utility Commissions and myself as Chairman. We are to report our findings and recommendations to the Secretary by June 30, And unless something goes amiss, I think we will meet that target date. Today, I can only give you my opinion; but I feel very strongly that the industry and its employees are ready to come to grips with the safety problem. May I say in closing that no one person or no one group holds the key to the future of the railroad industry. I am satisfied that the future of the industry can be a bright one. But I am convinced that the extent to which such a bright future is realized depends upon the contribution made by each of us in our own particular areas. Your role as superintendent is an important one. I am sure you will make the most of it. COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE NINETY-FIRST CONGRESS TO AUTHORIZE FIRST SESSION ON S. 1245 APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL REF CONTENTS Opening statement by the Chairman__. Text of bills: S. 1245. Draft proposal of the Department of Transportation, dated April 2, Page 1 2 2 7696 887 APRIL 14, 1969 Nelson, Hon. Gaylord, U.S. Senator from Wisconsin__. 9 Turner, Francis C., Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, accompanied by Dr. Robert Brenner, Acting Iirector, National Highway Safety Bureau__. 25 APRIL 15, 1969 Haddon, Dr. William, Jr., president, Insurance Institute for Highway 243 Ribicoff, Hon. Abraham, U.S. Senator from Connecticut_. 161 171 ARTICLES, LETTERS, AND REPORTS "Comparative Crash Survivability of Motor Vehicles," National Highway 92 223 Data on bus crash investigations and National Highway Safety Bureau followup action_. 269 Davis, Joseph H., "Carbon Monoxide, Alcohol, and Drugs in Fatal Vehicle 129 "Effectiveness of Outside Contracts in Implementing the Overall Safety 287 260 "Glass Fibers Make Tires More Safe," from the New York Times, March 31, 1969 256 Garrett, John W.: "A Study of Rollover in Rural U.S. Automobile Accidents" 136 (III) |