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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 2, Issue 2 (June 1, 1927)

Operating Statistics and Their Uses

Operating Statistics and Their Uses.

Nodoubt the majority of the Transportation Staff—at least those engaged upon the compilation of statistics—have many times wondered just what “all these figures mean.” The first thought may be, “What a waste of time! Who ever looks at them?”

From my own personal experience when in a junior capacity I know that the average railwayman not actually in touch with the Administration views with disfavour the compilation of a host of operating figures. The responsibility for the correctness of statistics rests, in most cases, with comparatively junior members of the staff. Unless they have an interest in their jobs and realise what measure of responsibility is theirs it is quite easy for mistakes to be made which, as I shall point out later, might cause considerable losses to the Department.

I hope, therefore, that the following articles will assist in lightening the burden of those who, day after day, jot down, tot up, and summarise vast quantities of figures of the value of which they are possibly ignorant. Further, as the means of measuring the efficiency of the whole of the Transportation service rests on the correct diagnosis of statistics, I trust the Executive officers who are now being supplied with many new forms of statistics relating to the various spheres of operation under their control will benefit by the remarks I propose to make on the use of the figures placed before them.

Wagon Distribution Statistics:

The two main freight operations of a railway are:—

Fig. 1 Summary of Daily Wagon Report.

Fig. 1
Summary of Daily Wagon Report
.

(1) The movement of empty wagons to the required loading point;

(2) The movement of the loaded wagons to the required destination.

At this juncture we are not concerned with the methods of carrying out these functions, but rather with an analysis of the system by which the operating officers can be in a position to see that the empty wagons are moved, and whether the alleged shortages are caused by insufficient wagon stock or by inability to move existing stock.

A strange feature of transportation is the tendency to allow empty wagons to work themselves so long as there is no difficulty, and then as soon as trouble occurs everyone gets excited as to the means to be adopted to overcome it.

There are no more thankless tasks than those which come when the Railways are required to explain why they are unable to transport traffic as offered, and no sin is regarded as being so heinous as the omission to perform the primary duties of a common carrier.

In all countries wagon shortages have long occurred and recurred, and the remedy, in so far as one can be applied, really lies in better organisation and improved transportation facilities generally, rather than in multiplying the number of wagons.

At the present moment entirely new methods of indicating the true position as regards the supply and demand, the mobility of the available wagon stock, and the turn-over at each station, are being adopted by the Department. page 25 New returns have been called for and the staff concerned are, no doubt, interested to know their value.

It is essential that the figures submitted be correct. The sooner the Administrative officers can be assured they are correct the sooner can an exact survey of the wagon stock position be made, which will indicate whether the utmost use is being made of the available wagon stock, and if not, in what directions improvements can be effected.

Further, the rendering of incomplete returns considerably handicaps the officers concerned when making comparisons with previous years working.

It appears obvious, therefore, that any observations which will interest the staff and assist the correct compiling of these returns should have priority of consideration.

The introduction of these new statistics does not interfere with the existing methods of distribution, as it is recognised that although good telephonic communication is essential for economical and efficient wagon distribution, it is inadvisable at the present time to incur large expenditure solely for the purpose of improving wagon mobility.

The installation of Train Control which is now proceeding, will be of material assistance in that stations in the “controlled” areas will be in a position instantly to advise the controllers of the wagon position.

This “sectionalised” control, however, is only a step towards a “central” control which must eventually come. At the present time, therefore, the main object of introducing comprehensive wagon stock returns is to enable the administrative officers to keep “au fait” with the situation and effect supervisory control. The result obtained by more intensive supervision will place the Department in a position to decide whether the cost of setting up an entirely new method of wagon distribution is warranted.

In considering, therefore, the administrative supervision as distinct from that of the local operating officers the two chief returns are:

1. T. 13. Divisional Superintendents' periodical summary to the Superintendent of Transportation.

2. T. 14. Wagon user return.

T. 13 gives the Divisional Superintendents each period the exact position as regards supply and demand of all classes of wagons under their direction.

The basis of this return is found on the back of the present G. 57 (daily wagon report) which is rendered by all stations to their respective District Traffic Managers.

The G. 57 particulars are summarised to show the daily position in each district and enable the District Traffic Manager to review the position. These summaries are condensed and again summarised on to the periodical return T. 13, a portion of which is shown in illustration No. 1.

The information contained in the daily summaries is not at the present time compiled sufficiently early to enable the return to be of any particular value to the District Traffic Managers, and until adequate telephonic facilities are installed, it must be regarded merely as a stepping stone to the general periodical summary.

The information contained on the T. 13 return, as can readily be imagined when one considers the numerous types of wagons in use, constitutes considerable clerical effort, and is expensive to produce.

The making up, therefore, of G. 57 by station staffs is a highly important function; mistakes can have the most far reaching effect, and unless the returns are correct the time and expsense involved in submitting them will be wasted.

In order that there can be no misinterpretation of the instructions in connection with the compilation of the return on the back of G. 57, the following is an illustration of what is required.

Fig II L Wagons on Hand

Fig II L Wagons on Hand

The diagram (Fig. 2) shows 11 L wagons on hand at a station when the G. 57 is compiled on Tuesday.

(A) 3 empty, available for immediate distribution, for use on Wednesday.

(B) 2 under inward load which will be released Wednesday morning.

(C) 3 under inward load, but not expected to be available for distribution or for use on Wednesday.

(D) 3 either loaded, or under process of loading, with outward traffic.

If the requirements (column 3) for Wednesday are four L wagons, the figures in the G. 57 compiled at this station should be as follows:—

Number of Inward Loaded Wagons on hand (1) Required for Outward Loading Tomorrow (3) Available for Outward Loading Tomorrow (4) Wanted Additional (5) To Spare (6)
Lwagons
5 4 5 1
page 26

The five wagons standing under inward load (B. and C.) are shown in column “1.”

The four wagons shown in the column 3 are the requirements for Wednesday, and should fairly represent what will actually be loaded on that day.

The five wagons shown in column 4 are the three empty wagons standing (A) and the two wagons under inward load (B) expected to be released Wednesday morning.

The outbound loaded wagons, or wagons in process of loading (D) are not included, as they are not available for use on Wednesday.

Ministerial Car used by H. R. H. The Duke of York in the South Island. Length, 47½ feet; Maximum width, 8 feet; weight, 25 tons. The car is steam-heated and is fitted with a two-berth sleeping compartment, lounge, office, kitchen, lavatory, hot and cold water, electric light, electric water-raiser; water capacity, 200 gallons; gas, 47 cubic feet (uncompressed). It is also fitted with solid trussing disc wheels, M. M. bonnet ventilators and frameless balanced windows. Built at Addington, February, 1927, and designed by Mr. G. S. Lynde, Chief Mechanical Engineer.

Ministerial Car used by H. R. H. The Duke of York in the South Island. Length, 47½ feet; Maximum width, 8 feet; weight, 25 tons. The car is steam-heated and is fitted with a two-berth sleeping compartment, lounge, office, kitchen, lavatory, hot and cold water, electric light, electric water-raiser; water capacity, 200 gallons; gas, 47 cubic feet (uncompressed). It is also fitted with solid trussing disc wheels, M. M. bonnet ventilators and frameless balanced windows. Built at Addington, February, 1927, and designed by Mr. G. S. Lynde, Chief Mechanical Engineer.

Government Stores Control Board.

Among the functions performed by the Government Stores Control Board is that of carrying out tests of new brands of cleaning material and similar stores. Should any Government Department desire to have a new line of stores tested, particulars are furnished to the Stores Control Board office, where arrangements for the necessary action are put in train. This centralised system secures the benefit of standardised and comprehensively thorough testing methods such as could not be undertaken were each Department to act for itself in these matters.

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