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No More Iceboxes. In his own quiet way, Gurley had the Santa Fe build 150 mechanical refrigeration cars for frozen foods (about which Railroader Robert Young has talked for years but done nothing). For handling freight in Chicago's Corwith yard, Gurley tried something new: a conveyer belt to move carts to loading platforms. To eliminate the clack-ety-clack for passengers and save wear on equipment, the Santa Fe is now laying rail in 1,400-ft. strips, continuously welded to eliminate joints. To promote industrial growth in its domain the Santa Fe bought vast tracts near its tracks, persuaded industries to build new plants on them and, of course, ship by Santa Fe.
Cash & Carry. To keep up with the Santa Fe's far-flung ventures, Gurley spends more than half his time on the road, working and living in his streamlined business car. But railroading is not Gurley's whole life. He helped organize the drive for Eisenhower's nomination, fostered a six-week course at the University of Southern California (of which he is a trustee) to help his top personnel think clearly about the society in which they live. Despite the huge postwar expenditure, the road continued to pay dividends of $6-$8, last year paid off the last of its equipment debts. Although the Santa Fe's 1954 gross of $532 million made it the No. 4 railroad in revenues (after the Pennsylvania, New York Central and Southern Pacific), its $66 million net, helped by $7,000,000 from oil wells and uranium mining, was second in earnings (more than double the combined net of the Pennsy and the Central).
For the future, Gurley is optimistic about railroading in general and the Santa Fe in particular. He expects to buy or build 2,000 new freight cars this year, speed up schedules, order Talgo-type trains for short-haul passenger runs, add at least 75 full-length dome-lounge cars, double-deck chair cars and other lightweight passenger cars. Unlike some railroaders, Experimenter Gurley is not ready to admit defeat on passenger traffic. Says he: "Someway, somehow, we'll be able to get a change in the competitive conditions, so we don't operate at a loss."