It will be observed that in every instance the mileage of second, third and fourth track and yard track and sidings reported to this Bureau in 1909, the year of comparative stagnation in railway construction, exceeded the complete mileage of these tracks in 1908 reported to the Commission.
The above table (with the Commission's figures for single track) shows that where there has been an increase of only 50,798 miles of single track, or 27.7%, in twelve years, all trackage has increased over 98,000, or 42%, during the same period. It also shows that during the same twelve years second track has increased 87%; third track 120%; fourth track 91%, and yard track and sidings 76%.
Mileage and Track of British Railways.
As English railways are so often brought into comparison with American railways, it is well to know the total of all tracks in the United Kingdom as well as the mileage. Both are given in the following statement, compiled from returns to the British Board of Trade for the years ending December 31, 1904 to 1908:
| Description of Track | 1908 | 1907 | 1906 | 1905 | 1904 |
| Single track (miles) | 23,209 | 23,112 | 23,063 | 22,870 | 22,601 |
| Second track | 13,048 | 12,963 | 12,934 | 12,819 | 12,692 |
| Third track | 1,435 | 1,385 | 1,363 | 1,324 | 1,271 |
| Fourth track | 1,141 | 1,103 | 1,091 | 1,067 | 1,030 |
| Fifth track | 208 | 195 | 186 | 170 | 153 |
| Sixth track | 122 | 117 | 111 | 97 | 85 |
| Seventh track | 59 | 51 | 47 | 40 | 35 |
| Eighth to twentieth tracks | 94 | 87 | 75 | 44 | 34 |
| Sidings | 14,353 | 14,145 | 14,032 | 13,891 | 13,733 |
| Total trackage | 53,669 | 53,189 | 52,904 | 52,322 | 51,634 |
Here it will be perceived the mileage of British roads increased only 608 miles and the trackage only 2,035 miles in four years. During the same period, as shown in the preceding table, the mileage of American railways increased 18,251 miles and their total trackage 36,543. It is this continuous demand for increased mileage and trackage in the United States, to say nothing of equipment, that differentiates the problem confronting American railway management from British. In the United States we need more railways and still more railways, and the problem is to get the capital on reasonable terms to provide the facilities.
In railroad mileage alone we have over ten times that of the United Kingdom and we have more than six times as many miles of track. We have enough trackage in our yards and sidings to double track all the British railways, with enough over to put four tracks where they have only two tracks now.