at any definite conclusions. The new sections "A" and "B" of The
American Railway Association have not given as good results as was
expected of them, and the whole matter is yet under consideration. The
Committee reported as follows:[D]

"The instructions of the American Railway Association require us to
study the A. R. A. sections 'A' and 'B' in use and submit a single
type for standard. Owing to the conditions existing in 1908, very
little rail was laid, and practically none of the A. R. A.
sections, in such manner as to give the needed information. This
year, several roads have laid A. R. A. sections of rail, with a
view of determining the relative merits of the respective sections.
These rails have been in the track so short a time that we are not
justified in drawing any conclusions as to which of the A. R. A.
types, 'A' or 'B,' or if either, is better than the A. S. C. E.
sections.

"_Bulletin No. 116_, issued October, 1909, gives the statistics for
rail failures for six months from October 31, 1908, to April 30,
1909, as reported to the Committee. These statistics do show that
the difference in section can be entirely annihilated by difference
in chemical composition and by the treatment in furnace and mill.

"The results so far obtained from the heavy base A. R. A. sections
are disappointing, as we have received some rail from the mills of
the new section which was as bad as we did with the old
A. S. C. E. section, showing that the quality of the rail does not
depend entirely upon the section.

"The tests to be inaugurated by the Committee, combined with the