Re:(erielack) Empty returns

["Paul Brezicki" <doctorpb_@_bellsouth.net>]

Let me try to clarify this with a couple of examples of empty free-runners with no return load ca 1972-76

Example One: Car is loaded on N&W at Roanoke for Albany and is routed N&W-Hagerstown-RDG-Allentown-LV-Dupont-D&H. From Albany the closest N&W interchange is Buffalo, so according to the rules the empty move is routed D&H-Binghamton-EL-Buffalo. Thus EL is stuck with the empty move without having received revenue from the loaded move.

Example Two: Car is loaded somewhere on ATSF and takes the Alphabet route to Jersey City on CNJ. CNJ has a choice of two return routes of approximately equal mileage on CNJ itself: the reverse route via Phillipsburg and the RDG or via Lake Jct and EL. Both routes get the car back to ATSF at Chicago. Where there is more than one route, did ICC rules stipulate the reverse route?

The "pre-midnight per diem trot" was not limited to empties. I recall reading about WM adding extra helper engines to evening eastbounds (mostly loads) out of Hagerstown to ensure delivery to RDG at Lurgan PA prior to midnight. The Erie actually had a scheduled Croxton-Buffalo train called "Per Diem", presumably to emphasize the train's purpose to the employees handling it. I also recall a proposal back in the early 70's to split per diem into 12 hour accounting periods by adding a noon deadline. It would have alleviated many of the late evening operating issues and I thought it was a good idea, but I don't think anything came of it.
    
Many happy returns, Randy.

Paul B

Car service rules established by the AAR dictated that an empty free-runner be loaded to or toward the owning road.  If no load was available, the car was to go to the closest interchange with the owning road.  This made sense, since the owning road might have need of the car at a location other than the origin -- which, in fact, might have been several railroads beyond the owing road in another direction.  It was equitable, in the long run, because it was happening to all railorads all over the country. 

Since car rental ("per diem") was charged from midnight to midnight, each railroad tried to get rid of the foreign empties before midnight while avoiding getting their own cars back until after midnight.  This made for some interesting times at the larger interchange yards.

Randy Brown




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