Fast Wheels

Prime indication of railroad recovery has been constantly increasing earnings. Another was the recent addition to 20-hour train service between New York and Chicago (TIME, Sept. 23) by the Pennsylvania and the New York Central. Last week there were many announcements that pointed toward railroad prosperity, although famed Stockmarket Bull Arthur W. Cutter was alleged to have indicated that railroad stocks were not a buy.

P: The Pennsylvania R. R.* placed the greatest single order of rails in history, consisting of 310,000 tons.

P: Faster trains between New York and Chicago were announced by Lackawanna R. R. The Boston & Main R. R. improved its Boston-Chicago service and put through faster trains throughout New England. The Pennsylvania R. R. cut one day off freight time between St. Louis, Chicago and the East.

P: The Great Northern R. R. ordered 14 locomotives. The Boston & Maine R. R. placed in operation five superpower $100,000 locomotives, ordered 1,500 freight cars. The New York Central R. R. ordered 42 electric locomotives for handling freight to cost over $100,000 each. Leonor Fresnel Loree ("Little Giant") announced that his Delaware & Hudson R. R. was constructing a $125,000 locomotive to have 14% working efficiency compared to the present 7%. Steam pressure in this engine will be the highest yet obtained, 500 Ibs.

P: Already jubilant over these signs of prosperity, railroad men heard with interest last week that a non-railroad man was working on an experiment which might materially lessen operating costs. The experiment was a Timken Tapered Roller Bearing-equipped locomotive. The experimenter was Henry Holiday Timken.

One of the richest of U. S. tycoons, Friction-Fighter Timken, 61, has been called "The Millionaire Nobody Knows." Living in Canton, Ohio, where his plant is located, he finds recreation in horses, fishing, speed boats, aviation. Indoors, he is serious at bridge. Autocratic in his philosophy of business, he feels one man must be unalterably in control. Yet he believes with Henry Ford that good work can come only from good wages, has never had a strike.

The present locomotive which the Timken Co. has ordered from the American Locomotive Co. and will test on roads throughout the country has roller bearings on the driving and tender wheels and on the connection between the main and side rod. If successful it would make good the boast: "Throughout industry the 'impossible' has yielded to Timken design, construction and resources." To the railroads it would bring lower operating costs and the riding comfort that the public, accustomed to buying every luxury desired, is starting to demand from railroads.

*Most consistently prosperous of railroads is the Pennsylvania. Paying its 188th consecutive dividend last week, the Pennsylvania mailed checks to 150,060 stockholders, over half of whom are women. In addition to this number, nearly 100,000 officers and employes are buying stock on the installment plan.