----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim O'Connor" <timboconnor@comcast.net>
To: <STMFC@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007 8:48 AM
Subject: Re: [STMFC] Going Bananas ...


>
>>The pre-eminence of the Pennsy, both its operating and mechanical
>>departments, peaked early in the 20th century and rapidly declined
>>thereafter owing to arrogance and bad management, with the
>>post-World-War-I squandering of capital on its ill-conceived
>>electrification project hastening its eventual demise.
>
> Oh that's just silly. The SP had "ill-conceived elecrification"
> projects, and built large new passenger terminals long after the
> decline in passenger traffic was well under way. I agree the PRR
> was arrogant, but so were most other railroads -- pride and tunnel
> vision were widespread traits of railroad management.
>
> The PRR, NYC, B&O, NH, B&M, Erie, Lackawanna, LV -- ALL of them
> declined precipitously following WWII. And all of the western roads
> thrived in the 20 years after WWII. Gee, could it have something to
> do with the population explosion in the west, and the shifting of
> industry to wide open spaces where longer hauls were the norm? If it
> hadn't been for Powder River coal and trade with Asia, we'd have
> had a western version of the pre-Conrail meltdown by now...
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
> --
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>


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