U.S. TRAINS "HIT."

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18370, 1 May 1925, Page 6

U.S. TRAINS "HIT."

MOTORS COMPETE ON 500-MILE ROUTES.

Motor-bus competition is proving ai serious matter for trams and trains in New Zealand, but it.is not nearly so formidable a rival in the Dominion as the big United States railroads are finding it. , A recent issue of the "New York Evening Post" mentions that the Far West supports along highways (which railroad taxes Jiave helped to build) established bus services between cities in some cases from 400 to ;500 miles apart. This, of course (says the "Post") is none too good for the railroads serving tho territory. The moderate climatelends itself to the successful operation of the commercial motor-bus and for this and other reasons relief through lessened competition is viewed as renlote. From the viewpoint of the transcontinental traffic executive the loss of revenue sustained in passenger service this season may not be repeated to as great an extent next.year. This season the • transcontinental railway lines made a play for greater patronage through the creation of additional de luxe train service to

Southern California, and the -first day the Southern Pacific's Sunset Limited left New Orleans it went out in two sections. The slump camo almost directly, however, _ according to traffic men. and the rains which have ended the drought camo too late materially to improve tho situation for the current treason.

iSome idea of the inroads made in the passenger business of the transcontinental lines may be had from the January reports. Southern Pacific reported passenger revenues of 4.512,369 dollars, a decrease of 532,-42S dollars as compared with the same month last year. In the case of Union Pacific, gross passenger revenue amounted to 2.387,767 dollars, a decline of 200,163 dollars from January, 1924. The chain of hotels maintained throughout Florida by the Florida East Coast Railway, has served capacity crowds since the start of the season, according to the company's fiirures. _ Atlantic Coast Line's business, to judge by latest reports, is booming along with, everything els© down there. Meanwhile the transcontinental traffic men are planning ahead to nest year, hoping to win their erstwhile patrons back to their first loves and confident of their ability to accomplish this end 1 .