NA, R&P 3/7/1864

Office Richmond & Petersburg Railroad Co.
Richmond, Va., Mar 7, 1864
 
Col. F. W. Sims
Railroad Bureau
 
Sir,
   In reply to your communication of the 5th inst. inquiring into the condition of our rolling stock I respectfully report,
   That we have 6 locomotive engines in good running order (one of which is rented from the M. G. R. R. Co. {Manassas Gap RR} for a few weeks.) 3-4 in running order, 3 that are seriously our of order and of but little value, and 1 that is being rebuilt.
   We have 13 passenger cars, and 2 Mail & baggage cars in running order and one baggage car in bad order; 30 freight cars in good order and 11 in bad order; and 90 coal cars in good order, and 28 in bad order.
   We run two passenger trains two freight trains and two coal trains in each direction daily, except Sundays, when we run but one passenger train and in order to run those trains and perform the yard or shifting service, and keep up a supply of wood eight locomotive engines are constantly at work.
   The passenger trains require two engines, the freight trains two, the coal trains two, the transportation of wood for the road one, and the shifting in the yard one; we have no rented cars.
   We have at present a full supply of machinists and other mechanics to work our stock to advantage, four of the machinists are detailed from the army in the field, we desire that they should be continued till the first of May next, after that one of them (Mr. Chancy) should be detailed permanently.
   We can procure the necessary lumber for the repairs of engines and cars, but are unable to procure flues sheet copper iron & lead, steel, block tin and babbit metal, perhaps that Government might aid us in obtaining those supplies.
Respectfully Yours
E. H. Gill
Supt.

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