Increased Rail Traffic in Germany.

Under the able leadership of Dr. Dorpmuller, the German railways to-day rank as one of the most progressive transportation undertakings in the world. This is indeed remarkable, when it is borne in mind how precarious was their financial condition at the time of the putting into being of the Dawes Plan. The fifth business year of the German Railway Company terminated on August 31st, 1929. In his report on the year's working, Monsieur Leverve, the Commissioner for the German railways to the Reparation Commission, states that traffic in 1929 reached a higher level than in 1928, when total receipts showed an increase of 2 ½ per cent. over the previous year. Receipts for 1929 were expected to reach a total of 5,370,000,000 marks, an increase of 4 per cent. page 21 over 1928. The surplus of receipts over expenditure was estimated at 911,000,000 marks, a figure which would cover the reparation charges for the year, the payment of dividend, the cover of 80,000,000 marks of expenditure on extensions, and the payment to reserve of 91,800,000 marks, bringing the reserve fund up to the total of 500,000,000 marks stipulated in the statutes.

At the present time, the German railways, like those of Britain, are experimenting very considerably in the search for increased locomotive economy and efficiency. The present seems, indeed, to be the day of the freak locomotive. Everywhere new ground is being broken by the locomotive designer, and very soon it is likely that world locomotive practice will be little short of revolutionised. New types of boilers, pulverised fuel, higher steam pressures, changed valve arrangements—these, and other innovations, are going to produce some wonderful new steam locomotives in the near future.

Germany is at present busy with a new 1,200 horse-power Diesel locomotive of the 4-6-4 wheel arrangement, stated to be 100 per cent. more efficient than the conventional form of steam locomotive. Compressed air is utilised to drive this unique machine, wherein the steam engine is replaced by a Diesel engine and an air compressor, supplying air at 103lb. per square inch. This air is heated by the exhaust of the Diesel engine, and then actuates the locomotive cylinders. Germany's new Diesel locomotive is controlled by the familiar operation of the cutoff and a valve regulator. Like the “No. 10,000” and “Fury,” high-pressure steam locomotives of the Home railways, the new German Diesel engine is still in the experimental stage, and the results of the trials it is now undergoing in the Stuttgart area will be awaited with eager interest.