Page:The Economic Journal Volume 1.djvu/377

 ENGLISH RAILWAY PROBLEMS OF THE NEXT DECADE 355 express from Paris (which goes at exactly the same speed as the English train) arrive to the moment at Calais pier. It is idle to pretend nowadays that our speeds are the cause of lateness, since some of our fastest trains keep the best time. Moreover abroad almost all railway engineers go through some months' training in the traffic department, so that they know from experience what are the requirements for punctual working. Thus in France, round the large towns, arrangements are uni- versal for keeping the main lines entirely free from being crossed or interfered with by local traffic. In England, competition, with its untold advantages, is yet responsible for much delay. For instance, through carriages and horse boxes are attached for individuals to almost any train, whereas in other countries they are rigorously confined to a few slow trains. Almost any company will stop an express for a few people if the traffic is competitive, thougl/ the eight or ten minutes so lost inconvenience perhaps hundreds of ordinary passengers. As some railways do keep practically exact time, I go so far as to say that the public have a right to demand punctuality from the companies who are offenders; and further, I believe that it would be enormously to the financial advantage of these companies if they were compelled to keep time. I do not believe that the public need lose any privileges worth considering, since those companies which are now punctual do not grant less facilities than others. For instance, it is absurd to allege, as some railway men do, that our practice of booking up to the last moment is responsible for serious delays, since trains hardly ever start late from th. i s cause. In the South of England 75 per cent. of the delays arse from signals (which may mean bad administration or overcrowded lines), or from time lost at roadside stations, which is a fault of administration, or from the locomotive, the reasons for which have been explained above. 3.--REASONABLE FACILITIES AND STEADY PROGRESS. A railway system which does not make steady progress is not satisfactory. It may fairly be asked, Does our organization in England pro- vide for moving with the times '? and give reasonable security for keeping touch with public opinion '? To answer these questions in any absolute way is impossible. But it may be doubted if the extraordinary divergence between our best and worst companies AA2