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other facilities, is credited to other carriers that participate in the benefits from such joint use. The bill rendered by a creditor company against a debtor company for the latter's proportion of expense of maintaining and operating joint facilities, which includes a credit covering the debtor company's proportion of the revenues from operation of such joint facilities, shall indicate separately the proper distribution of both the revenues and the expenses included in the bill, and such distribution shall be adhered to by the debtor.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: OPERATING EXPENSE ACCOUNTS

10.2-1 Accounts for operating expenses. The accounts prescribed for operating expenses are designed to show expenses of furnishing transportation service, including the expenses of maintaining the plant used in the service. The accounting shall be as nearly as practicable upon the basis of accruals; however, the option is allowed the corrier of omitting charges to the accounts provided for the depreciation of fixed improvements and of including the depreciation (ledger value less salvage) of such property in the appropriate repair accounts at the time the property is converted or retired for replacement.

Fixed improvements means structures which are fixed as to location, such as tunnels, bridges, buildings, earthwards, etc.**

+In §§ 10.2-1 to 10.2-24, inclusive, the numbers to the right of the dash correspond with the respective special instruction numbers in Classification of operating revenues and operating expenses for steam roads (operating expense accounts), Interstate Commerce Commission, May 19, 1914. Amendments are noted in brackets following sections affected. Cross references to accounts are made by citing the account number, e. g., account 726, instead of the corresponding section number (§ 10.726).

10.2-2 Maintenance expenses. The accounts provided for maintenance of fixed improvements and of equipment are designed to show the cost of repairs and also the loss through depreciation of the property used in operations, including all such expenses resulting from ordinary wear and tear of service, exposure to the elements, inadequacy, obsolescence, or other depreciation, or from accident, fire, flood, or other casualty.

The cost of repairs which has been provided for in the several repair accounts shall include the cost of inspecting to determine the repairs necessary, and of adjusting, repairing, or replacing parts, both of fixed improvements and of equipment, such as the repairing of locomotives, cars, frogs and switches, or the replacing of ties, rails, etc., in tracks; the cost of inspecting and testing after repairs have been made, such as the testing of locomotives after repairs to determine that the repairs have been properly made, and the running of repaired locomotives light in order to break them in for regular service; incidental costs of repairs, such as the construction or removal of false work; cost of relocation of fixed improvements; cost of demolishing retired fixed improvements (except those retired and not replaced) and disposing of the wreckage therefrom when the property is demolished by or for the account of the carrier; cost of protecting service during the progress of addition and betterment work; cost of laying out, cleaning, grading, draining, fencing, mowing, and beautifying grounds pertaining to buildings; repairing sidewalks, driveways, and streets within or adjacent to such grounds; cost

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*For statutory citation, see note to § 10.00-1.

of removing snow from the roofs of buildings (when not removed by those employed in the buildings); cost of the periodical restoration of seasonal features, such as gardens, shrubbery, and lawns; cost of operating hothouses in connection with the work of beautifying grounds; cost of restoring sidewalks, driveways, lawns, etc., in grounds after addition and betterment work (see § 10.01-12); and cost of clearing and removing casual incumbrances, such as ice, snow, and fallen timber.

The difference between the depreciation upon fixed improvements retired and replaced and the amount provided for through the depreciation accounts, shall be included in the repair accounts when the property is retired.

Distinct maintenance accounts have been provided for expenses of a general character, such as superintendence, stationery and printing, and injuries to persons, which, on account of established practice, it is deemed advisable to segregate.**

10.2-3 Cost of repairs. It is intended that the repair accounts of this classification shall include the cost of labor, materials and supplies, work-train service, floating equipment work service, special machine service, contract work, privileges, protection from casualties, and other analogous items of expense in connection with the maintenance of the plant used in railway service. The several items of cost here referred to are defined as follows:

(a) Cost of labor includes amounts paid for the labor of the carrier's own employees. Except where otherwise specified in the text of the accounts, the cost of boarding, traveling, and other incidental expenses of employees shall be included in the accounts to which the pay of the employees is chargeable.

(b) Cost of materials and supplies includes the cost of materials and supplies, including small tools, at the point of free delivery, plus freight charges of foreign lines, and the costs of inspection and loading assumed by the carrier; also a proportion of store expenses (see § 10.2-16). It should not, however, include expenses of transportation over the carrier's line. In calculating the cost of materials used proper allowance shall be made for the value of unused portions and of cuttings, turnings, borings, etc., and for the value of the material recovered from property repaired and from temporary tracks, scaffolding, cofferdams, and other temporary structures used in repair work.

(c) Cost of work-train service includes cost of labor of enginemen, trainmen, and enginehouse men, including the wages of engine crews and train crews held in readiness for such service; and the cost of fuel and other supplies consumed in connection with the operation of work trains.

(d) Cost of floating equipment work service includes cost of labor of crews, including wages of crews held in readiness for service; and the cost of fuel and other supplies consumed in connection with the operation of floating equipment work service.

(e) Cost of special machine service includes the cost of labor expended and of materials and supplies consumed in operating steam

.*For statutory citation, see note to § 10.00-1.

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shovels, scrapers, rail unloaders, ballast unloaders, pile drivers, dredges, ditchers, weed burners, and other labor-saving machines; also rents paid for use of such machines.

(f) Cost of contract work includes amounts paid for work performed under contract by other companies, firms, or individuals and specific expenses incident to the award of the contract.

(g) Cost of privileges includes amounts paid for special privileges, such as the temporary use of public property or streets, in connection with the repairs of the property of the carrier. (Periodical payments for such privileges in connection with permanent use of public property for railway operations shall be included in the income accounts.)

(h) Cost of protection from casualties includes expenditures for protection against damage by fire, flood, etc., such as payments for discovery or extinguishment of fires, cost of detecting and prosecuting incendiaries, expense for witnesses in relation thereto, amounts paid to municipal corporations and others for fire protection, and other analogous items of expense in connection with repair work, but does not include insurance premiums paid to assure reimbursement for prospective losses.**

10.2-4 Royalties on appliances. The royalties for patent rights on mechanical appliances used in repairs of equipment shall be included in the cost of the repairs.*†

10.2-5 Fixed improvements retired and replaced. The ledger value (less salvage and the credit balance in the accrued depreciation account with respect to the property retired) of fixed improvements retired and replaced with property of like purpose, together with the cost of removing the property retired, shall be included in the accounts appropriate for the repairs of the property before retirement. (See § 10.01-7.)**

10.2-6 Distribution of charges for property retired and replaced. In case the amount chargeable as operating expenses for property retired and replaced, as provided for in § 10.01-7 of the general instructions for the classification of investment in road and equipment, is relatively large and its inclusion would seriously distort the expense accounts for a single year, the carrier, if so authorized by the Commission, may charge the amount thereof to balance-sheet account No. 726, "Property abandoned chargeable to operating expenses," and distribute it thereafter, in accordance with the provisions of that account to the operating expenses of succeeding years. If so authorized by the Commission, the carrier may charge to Profit and Loss any extraordinarily large item representing the cost of property retired and replaced, instead of charging such item to Operating Expenses. The carrier shall file with the Commission a statement of the cost and a description of the property retired and the reasons which, in its judgment, indicate the propriety of charging the cost of such property to Profit and Loss.*†

10.2-7 Charges to operating expenses for fixed improvements converted. In connection with the conversion of fixed improvements, the ledger value of property before conversion, plus the cost of con

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*For statutory citation, see note to § 10.00-1.

version, less the sum of the estimated value of the property as converted, the amount included in the accrued depreciation account with respect to the property thus converted, and the salvage recovered, shall be charged to the accounts of this classification appropriate for repairs of the property before conversion. (See § 10.01–11.)**

10.2-8 Depreciation of fixed improvements. Depreciation accounts, in which to include uniform monthly charges to cover the depreciation of fixed improvements, have been provided for the purpose of creating reserves which will meet or reduce the amounts otherwise chargeable, as may be appropriate, to operating expense or to profit and loss accounts to cover property retired. Such depreciation charges shall be based in each instance upon the percentage of the original cost (estimated if not known), ledger value, or purchase price of the property determined to be equitable by the carrier's experience and best sources of information as to the actual current loss from depreciation. A statement of the bases used by the carrier for computing these charges shall be included in its annual report to the Commission. Until further directed the use of depreciation accounts for fixed improvements is optional with the carrier. (See balance-sheet account No. 775, "Accrued depreciation-Road.") **

10.2-9 Joint facility accounts. Accounts thus designated have been provided for the joint users of tracks, bridges, yards, wharves, stations, and other facilities to indicate the proper accounting for settlements which cover income and operating expenses in connection with the use of such facilities, and for settlements covering cost of yard service. When the compensation for the use of facilities is a fixed amount or is based upon a charge per passenger, ton, car, or other unit, it shall be fairly apportioned by the operating company among the joint facility operating expense and income accounts. The creditor shall show the distribution of these charges upon its bills, and such distribution shall be adhered to by the debtor.

Train service operated for the joint benefit of two or more carriers in connection with line haul of traffic shall be considered joint facility operation and the settlement between carriers of revenues and expenses thereof shall be included in the appropriate joint facility accounts. When transportation train service of several carriers is pooled each carrier shall include in the appropriate primary revenue and expense accounts the revenues and expenses pertaining to the trains operated by it. The difference between such revenues and expenses and its proportion of the total pooled revenues and expenses shall be adjusted through the appropriate joint facility operating revenue and operating expense accounts.*† [As amended July 25, 1925]

10.2-10 Clearing accounts. In recognition of the fact that certain expenditures incident to the construction and the operation of property are not chargeable directly to any particular property investment or expense account, clearing accounts have been provided for the purpose of securing an equitable distribution of such items to the proper primary accounts. (See §§ 10.2-11 to 10.2–17.) *†

*For statutory citation, see note to § 10.00-1. †For source citation, see note to § 10.2-1.

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[121]

10.2-11 Gravel and sand pits and quarries. When a gravel or sand pit or quarry is opened for operations likely to extend over a long period, an account shall be set up designated "Operations of gravel pit at ," or "Operations of quarry at as the case may be. To this account shall be charged

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(a) That part of the cost of the land in excess of its estimated value after the gravel, sand, or stone has been removed, the amount thus charged being concurrently credited to the property account in which the cost of the land is included.

(b) Amounts paid for the right to enter upon and remove ballast from land not owned by the carrier.

(c) The cost of sinking test holes.

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(d) The expenses for clearing, stripping, draining, and ditching the land, and of moving and changing fences and buildings preparatory to opening the pit or quarry.

(e) The cost, in excess of the estimated salvage value, of rails and fastenings used in constructing tracks to and in the gravel pit or quarry, the estimated salvage being carried in an appropriate suspense

account.

(f) The cost, in excess of the estimated salvage value, of ties and other material, and of labor expended on such tracks.

(g) The cost of labor and train service employed in producing, quarrying, and loading ballast, including the cost of operation, repairs, and depreciation of stationary engines, steam shovels, stone crushers, and other similar machinery, and the pay and expenses of

watchmen.

(h) The cost of explosives and hand tools, and miscellaneous

expenses.

(i) The cost of installing, operating, and maintaining signals and interlockers at gravel pits.

Credit to these accounts shall be made each month to cover the cost of ballast material produced during the month. The cost of production shall include the expenses directly assignable to the monthly output, plus a proportion of the expenses not directly assignable, such as cost of land, tracks, machinery, and interlockers. This latter amount shall be computed upon the basis of the ratio which the monthly output bears to the total estimated yardage to be taken from the pit.

When any portion of the product of such pits or quarries is sold, the cost thereof shall be credited to this clearing account, and the profit thereon, if any, shall be credited to revenue account No. 143, "Miscellaneous."*†

10.2-12 Power plant operations. The accounting for the expenses of maintaining and operating an electric, steam, or other power plant (both building and machinery) shall be determined by the purpose for which the power produced is used.

When the power plant is intended and used for producing power solely for the carrier's own operations and the cost of operating the plant is chargeable to clearing account "Shop expenses," or to any one specific account for operating expenses the expenses of maintenance shall be charged to the appropriate maintenance accounts, and

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*For statutory citation, see note to $10.00–1.

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