From Appalachian coal haulers to Eastern giants

[Anonymous]

I would like to know if other railfans are interested in joining a mailing list to help resolve how two medium size coal haulers like C&O and N&W managed to become the core players of the absorption of great part of the whole Eastern United States railroad network, and the implications of this for Appalachian economic and social development during the last Century.
Warren Crowther, [e-mail]

[BRAKIE]

C&O FOR PROGRESS.I think that should cover the C&O.( a winky face here and a big smiley face here)
I will let a N&W fan answer about the N&W (another favorite railroad of mine).

The reason C&O took control of the B&O,word got out that PRR and NYC was talking about including the B&O in the great Penn-Central merger.C&O could not allow that to happen.Plus,You had the N&W/NKP merger,plus the N&W leasing the Wabash.So the C&O had to take counter steps in order to survive.The B&O was ripe for the picking and bankrupt and thusly the C&O bought controlling interest and in doing so stopped the mighty PRR and NYC from taking over the B&O in the up coming PC merger if they had chosen to include the B&O in the merger..With the PC merger(1968) came another shock EL was forced into the N&W,but was kept as a seperate company.
Needless to say the Unions was not happy with any of this except perhaps the C&O/B&O deal.
The reason I know this is because my Grandfater,Dad and all of his brothers,my Mom,her dad all of her brothers and 1 sister was employed on the rails,I was also employed on the PRR in 1966.I remember well the debates my family had regarding the mergers and the C&O taken over the B&O,and,of course,the pending PC merger...And what it would mean in lost jobs...

[Anonymous]

interesting. I would have to speculate that this had something to do with Coal being the dominant fuel source for industrial and power generation applications through most of the 20th century as these two railroads built up their fortunes.Coal occupied a top spot in the economic food chain,much as the oil industry does today.

[Modelcar]

Very interesting analyses of how it all was being tied together. Can anyone explain how the B&O got into such bad financial trouble at this time. Weren't they a major coal hauler east and west across the Allegheny range and had one of the major routes to do so....Plus other customers. Why did they get into money problems...to the point of being in danger of being taken over...which of course they eventually were. Curious. [It was my area of R R as I was growing up].

QM

[BRAKIE]

QM,I suppose it was a combination of things like all the rest of the railroads of that time,poor management,more track then trains in some areas, maintaining money loosing passenger trains,labor,goverment,(both State and the feds)old and worn out locomotives with high maintenance,keeping and maintaining non profitable branch lines and in some cases main lines,and so on.Still through all this the B&O hauled coal and freight.As you know with the C&Os help the B&O came out of that slump.AS you know the C&O/B&O took full control of the Western Maryland in 1967.5 years after the C&O took control of the B&O.That should tell people that the C&O/B&O had good management and was making money.I really don't know the story behind the C&O/B&O take over the WM.Perhaps it had something to do with the PC merger??? Was the N&W looking at it as a possible merger??? The Feds as in the case of the E-L being force into the N&W?? I wish I knew as there must be a interesting story behind the reason of the WM take over..

[Modelcar]

I surely don't know the details on the C&O/B&O with the WM either...Wonder if whatever case since the WM paralleled for the most part the B&O line, they wanted to control it to be sure no one else did get it. They abandoned it not too long after that and made sure no freight went that route.

We were on the ROW of the WM now a Trail in some places...last summer near Meyersdale and walked across the Salisbury Viaduct, I believe it is called...One can really see around from up there and the active [B&O] runs right under it and is a good place to photograph the action of it...

QM

[Anonymous]

I would think management saw what the Trucks and Airplanes and a good Pipeline system was doing with the goverments help.I believe they saw it comming and some gave up.

[BRAKIE]

Durning the 60s trucks wasn't a big factor.You see the trucking companies interstates was still being built in some areas.Yes,Ikes main backers durning his election was indeed the trucking and construction industry.This all plays a hand in the "fall" (if you will) of the railroads.Air Lines was actually making money in those days.
Durning the 60s the boxcar was still king of the frieght business.If the people back then was like they are today(NIMBY) and throw in all of the different save everything groups one can't help but wonder-oh,throw in the EPA to,if the Interstates would have been built..

[BRAKIE]

Durning the 60s trucks wasn't a big factor.You see the trucking companies interstates was still being built in some areas.Yes,Ikes main backers durning his election was indeed the trucking and construction industry.This all plays a hand in the "fall" (if you will) of the railroads.Air Lines was actually making money in those days.
Durning the 60s the boxcar was still king of the frieght business.If the people back then was like they are today(NIMBY) and throw in all of the different save everything groups one can't help but wonder-oh,throw in the EPA to,if the Interstates would have been built..