If we compare what the cost of a first class passenger ticket on the 20th century in 1949 and inflation adjust it to 2010 you will find that it is worth as much as is a walk up airline ticket today. The railroads purchaed new equipment in the 1950s but the ICC would not let them raise fares. If you want to pay 300.00 for a overnight coach train from New York to Detroit see-- http://www.westegg.com/inflation/
My 2 cents worth. Try to remember that at one time both the New York Central & Pennsylvania RR's had separate passenger & freight mains. This allowed vastly different speeds for passenger & freight.
One of the reasons Al Perlman was able to justify ripping up the 2nd set of tracks on the NYC was the reduction of the number of passenger & mail trains.
Rgds IGN
Ripping up track was done for many reasons. Longer trains, higher horsepower, and no water stops meant faster movements between points. Fewer passenger trains, too. Increasing property taxes (with improvements or lots of "stuff") to help pay for highways was another. But new technology like CTC, diesels, etc., added greatly to the ability to halve the size of the railroad from four to two tracks and from two to one.
RIDEWITHMEHENRY is the name for our almost monthly day of riding trains and transit in either the NYCity or Philadelphia areas including all commuter lines, Amtrak, subways, light rail and trolleys, bus and ferries when warranted. No fees, just let us know you want to join the ride and pay your fares. Ask to be on our email list or find us on FB as RIDEWITHMEHENRY (all caps) to get descriptions of each outing.
Not advocating, just asking:
Might there not also be a market for high speed light weight freight?
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Great concept. In today's business configuration such service would be conceived and operated by a seperate company and the railroad hired to provide the transportation...er, isn't that what Fedex, UPS, et al, are doing? Basically, yes. And other trucking companies are following suit in various degrees. And so are container shipments to a great degree. Except for the auto industry, agriculture and minerals, there aren't many multi car to full train manufacturing opportunities in our country today. And I do believe freight movements are faster today than they were under the likes of Acme Fast Freight and other forwarders of the mid 20th Century.
Henry:
I was actually thinking relatively light weight TOFC trains running at 125 or 150 MPH transporting time sensitive things like fruit, vegetables, etc. to compete with over the road trucks on the longer runs.
Being light weight they could run on high speed passenger tracks without beating them to death.
I just don't know if the market would be large enough. I was just wondering out loud.
Agricultural products on high speed trains...an interesting concept. The agricultural industry is looking at some adjustments. Farmers' markets, organic, and "buy local" movements have caused this. Even Walmart has found that buying local in season has reduced shipping costs to say the least. And Cornell University just got money to find ways to grow brocalli in the east to avoid transportaiton costs and pollution hauling it from California; I'm sure other crops will follow over time. So could a service as you suggest stop the research and need for developing more crops by eastern growers?
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