https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vau6VsjeyTM
The link is to a 1961 NBC News documentary.
In 1949 I enrolled as a Freshman at MIT in Course Six, Electrical Engineering, with the intention of becoming a railway electrification engineer. I was also interested in music, and starting in my Junior year, started taking acoustics courses, with the idea of improving my hi fi set and enjoying music more. In addition to electrical engineering and some mechanical engineering, along of course with basic physics, mathematics, humanities, in the first half of my Senior year I studied transportation planning with Professor Ballsbaugh. When I asked why the extremely heavy emphasis on highway planning, with a bit on airports and canals and harbors, and very little on railroads, his answer was:
David, railroads have no future in the USA. If you want to become a railway electrification engineer, go to France and become a Frenchman.
But this was after I had already spent a summer as a junior engineer at EMD in LaGrange, had a cab ride in a little Joe, and was a good friend of EMD engineer Bob Konsbrook, who predicted that some day EMD would build electric locomotives. And my having a part-time job designing transformers in Winchester, having a B&M employees pass doing a SB thesis on diesel locomotive load regulator controls. But my Masters thesis was on binaural recording for concert-hall evaluation.
Anyway, Leo Beranek was a wonderful teacher of acoustics at MIT, arranged for my Army service as an ROTC graduate to be devoted primarily to advanced acoustics matters, and ended up being my boss at Bolt Beranek and Newman.
What I learned later was the Ballsbaugh had gone to the railroads to ask for subsidization of his department. They said they were a mature industry and needed no research. GM was happy to provide all the money Ballsbaugh requested.
An acoustical consulting career gave me a lot of wonderful train rides, however.
Nice to see Chet Huntley in a few scenes inside Pennsylvania Station.
C&NW had their act together.
Labour Union was always at loggerheads with indifferent management...lots of strife in those days.
The fine glow, pride and optimism for the future after the war had worn off completely and it was all about $$$'s and nothing else.
New world.
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/13/obituaries/george-alpert-90-ex-president-of-new-haven-line-and-a-lawyer.html?mcubz=3
Miningman.
Strife then holds no comparison to that of today.
Norm
"...still have railroads in 1981?"
I have no memory of this, my father told me about it, but when I was a four-or-five year old train fanatic (around 1957 ot '58) we were at my grandmother's house and I was playing on the floor with a toy train.
"Oh Wayne," my grandmother said, "It's too bad, but when you grow up there probably won't be any trains anymore!"
Dad said I let out a howl that rattled the windows! It took Grandma and Dad both to calm me down! Grandma said "Oh, don't worry, I'm probably wrong!"
Like I said, I don't remember this. Probably just too traumatic!
I think where the New Haven management went wrong was their atagonistic approach and attitude concerning the losses. Part of it was due to the ICC dragging it's feet to drop money losing lines and routes and ICC's foot dragging on rate increases or decreases.
However, watching the clip there didn't seem to be any management initiative /vision to offer new equipment or new services via state subsidy. Nothing along the lines of a real life demo of this is what we could do if we had the money. Instead all they offered was to unload what they had at the time onto the state budgets. What they had at the time was falling apart due to lack of funds. It's no wonder they got the response they did.
The NBC White Paper is an interesting historical reference.
The focus was on passenger service. Most television viewers in 1961 and today would not care much about, nor comprehend the effect of declining freight revenues. To their credit, the piece did mention competition cutting into freight as well as passenger revenues.
Of all the railroad executives interviewed, I found Alfred Pearlman of the New York Central the most effective and persuasive at stating the dilema railroads were facing at the time.
Anybody who saw this NBC White Paper in 1961 should not have been surprised at the collapse of numerous railroads in the 1970's.
As is so often the case, the experts were wrong. I never for a minute believed that railroads would die as most of the problems railroads were encountering had nothing to do with the technology. Railroads were hamstrung by regulations that prevented them from changing with the times. And they were hampered by having to employ too many people on trains.. as many as six crew per train where two would have been sufficient. Now that those issues have been resolved we once again have a healthy rail system that is more profitable than could have been imagined 50 years ago.. just as I had thought!
LensCapOn... Keep in mind the time of this White Paper Southern Railway, for one, was building a modern rail system with the transformation of the Rat hole division into a modern high volume (and profitable) route as an example. There are others if you look.
The Southern had the idea of the 'Big John' 100 ton covered hopper and rates that promoted it's use. The ICC ruled against the SOU who then took the case to the Supreme Court and was victorious. The case highlighted the onerous nature of ICC regulations and with the declining nature of railroad financial health was one of the object lessons in the route to the Staggers Act.
http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/p/87912/1036722.aspx
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Article republished in the Congressional Record, June 5, 1961
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GPO-CRECB-1961-pt7/pdf/GPO-CRECB-1961-pt7-11.pdf
"NBC WHITE PAPER" PROVED A TRIUMPH
By Lawrence Laurent
The "NBC White Paper" series has a pretentious title, borrowed from the British term for an official government report. The series never did get around to the subjects, originally announced, on "The PR Boys" of the public relations business, on "Government by Publicity" or "The Soviet Union from Within."
If these are failings, however, they are minor failings. Certainly nothing since Edward R. Murrow's first season with "See It Now" has covered as many controversial subjects with as much depth and understanding. The "NBC White Paper" series is a major triumph for the newly emphasized dimension of reality on television.
The series arrived last November with a report on "The U-2 Affair." This frank and caustic interpretation on a major international blunder drew much applause and many complaints. One veterans organization condemned the program, not for any inaccuracies or mistakes but because it lacked the proper patriotic fervor.
Another outcry followed (in December) the poetic and over-stated study of the sit-in crisis in Nashville, Tenn. On this program, producer Al Wasserman, an intense, perceptive, documentary artist, used some rigid stereotypes to achieve a tremendous dramatic impact. Artistically, it was superb. As a reporting job, it was much too subjective.
"Panama: Danger Zone" came in February and it gave many viewers their first long look at a newly troubled area. Apparently, it left no room for argument and for the first time in the life of the series there were no protests.
A situation that had been overlooked, the diminishing powers of the State legislature, was studied in March. Interviews, filmed meetings, charts and the narration of Chet Huntley put "Man in the Middle: The State Legislature" into new perspective for many American citizens.
"The Anatomy of a Hospital" was booked into an April Sunday evening's schedule. That was a sympathetic look at the sometimes sudden, often violent death that is a part of a city hospital. The suffering and the mercy was contrasted with the nonemotional, prosaic problems of finance that harass hospital administrators.
These separate parts of hospital operation are inseparable and never before on television had they been linked for such effect.
The "NBC White Paper" series ended its first season this week with the telecast of "Railroads: End of the Line?" One would not expect the problems of mass transportation to contain much poetry, imagery or romance. Yet these were exactly the qualities that producer Wasserman caught and which were passed along by haunting film footage and by Huntley's matter-of-fact narration.
Seldom in history have we loved any machine as we loved the homely, noisy steam locomotive. Wasserman wisely picked up a paragraph out of Thomas Wolfe's "Of Time and the River" to illustrate this improbable love affair between the North American and the mechanical monster:
"Trains cross the continent in a swirl of dust and thunder, the leaves fly down the tracks behind them; the great trains cleave through gulch and gully, they rumble with spoked thunder on the bridges over the brown wash of mighty rivers, they toil through hills, they skirt the rough ground stubble of shorn fields, they whip past empty stations in the little towns and their great stride pounds its even pulse across America."
Now, the railroads are in trouble. The wonder and glamor which belonged to the locomotive now belong to the jet airplane and to the space rocket. The "White Paper," however, had a note of hope that the train will recover with new uses.
After a season of six shows, executive producer Irvin Gitlin can be proud of the work of his staff. He should also have proved the value of such programs.
A news documentary released in 1961 would have had to include a pretty good crystal ball to foresee Amtrak, increased subsidies for suburban operations, deregulation, containerization, etc.
LensCapOnSo many people seem to think something from NBC, NYT, and NPR is pure truth to be relied upon when often they aren’t, and may be hysterically wrong to those with a broader knowledge.
You surely made an editing error here: You just named the three most reliable news sources in the country and probably the world. Nevertheless, all run opinion pieces as well as news; opinion pieces on these media platforms are always identified as such, but news is factual and I have found over 60 years that these are reliable media.
I notice no one is questioning the honesty and reliability of the White Paper. Media reports, like this one, always seem to have a clear predetermined conclusion before their creation. A conclusion first style would affect who was interviewed and who wasn’t, what subjects and possible futures were presented and which were ignored.
Of course the conclusion is determined beforehand. The research has been done, the script written, and now a producer is putting together a short film on the subject. It costs a lot of money to produce an opinion piece for the media: who would do that, not knowing what they would discover while filming? If anything, there is altogether way too much equivalence these days in our news. See for reference: "good people on both sides."
Interesting that the media mentioned did not include FOX, OAN, or any conservative viewpoints. Are you sure you're not looking for reinforcement instead of news?
CSSHEGEWISCHA news documentary released in 1961 would have had to include a pretty good crystal ball to foresee Amtrak, increased subsidies for suburban operations, deregulation, containerization, etc.
The White Paper didn't have a crystal ball for Amtrak, but it was among the things that were discussion starters that ultimately ended up in the formation of Amtrak and in localities getting involved in commuter rail system - the passenger 'network' that we know today.
In the same way the Penn Central movie they put together to seek federal funding began the discussions that ended up in creating the Staggers Act.
NKP guy LensCapOn So many people seem to think something from NBC, NYT, and NPR is pure truth to be relied upon when often they aren’t, and may be hysterically wrong to those with a broader knowledge. You surely made an editing error here: You just named the three most reliable news sources in the country and probably the world.
LensCapOn So many people seem to think something from NBC, NYT, and NPR is pure truth to be relied upon when often they aren’t, and may be hysterically wrong to those with a broader knowledge.
You surely made an editing error here: You just named the three most reliable news sources in the country and probably the world.
There is no error.
The three were chosen because they have such a high image. That fact is the basis of the observation that most people will put more faith in their reports than they should. All three have been caught with major stories that were horribly, horribly wrong yet the error was never fully admitted to.
FauxNews, for example, (OAN??Is that part of the Onion?) , simple does not have the same reputation among respectable people even though their news standards are as high as the named three. I suspect it’s the tabloid factor. So there was no point in naming them.
You say you have found the named media reliable for over 60 years. How would you test their reliability? How did you test it to confirm them? Do you still believe the Duke Lacrosse team committed a rape, to bring up one case of grievous error.
My point is not that the news is worthless, just that it is not as trustworthy as many think. Quoting a NYT article should never be enough to end a conversation as there are so many other valid sources on any subject of interest here.
Had a wait-a-moment on 60 years of NPR, since I’m kind of old myself. Yup! Founded in 1970. You just did the normal contraction we all do in private conversation. (Well, I do anyway.)
Keep enjoying the trains!
NKP Guy,
When I enlisted in the Air Force in 1960 I was told to 'believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see' was as appropriate then as it is now.
I take all news with a grain of salt and consider the leanings of the source. Then I reasearch it the best I can to find the truth.
Norm48327 NKP Guy, When I enlisted in the Air Force in 1960 I was told to 'believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see' was as appropriate then as it is now. I take all news with a grain of salt and consider the leanings of the source. Then I reasearch it the best I can to find the truth.
I remember when I was a kid in the 1970's, the Milwaukee Journal in it's Business section had specific monikers for specific rail lines that would always get under my skin as I felt it was editorializing within the news article......and they went like this.....
1. "The unusually profitable Soo Line Railroad....."
2. "The financially troubled C&NW rail line......"
3. "The bankrupt Milwaukee Road......" --- post 1977 prior to that it also shared the "financially troubled" moniker with C&NW.
What was interesting was the Burlington Northern was hardly ever mentioned as a Wisconsin Rail Line and when it was it was free of any prepatory phrase about it's financial condition.
It's interesting how the commentary of passengers and crew members, mirrors that of the airline industry today.
OAN is "One America News," a network I can view on AT&T U-Verse. It's also a network somewhat to the right of Attila the Hun. Importantly, it's also a network devoted to the lifestyles of the rich, like selling yachts, buying a fabulous second house or a private jet, etc.
60 years? I was thinking there of NBC, which I have been watching and trusting (but not blindly) for over 60 years. NPR I have relied on ever since they started.
The Duke Lacrosse Team? At no time do I remember news coverage as being catagorical. If anything, the responsible news media bend over backwards to be fair, e.g. "alleged terrorist" or "alleged rapist", etc. As I recall, when the Duke Lacrosse Team was exonerated, all these networks as well as others reported the fact.
In the media cited (NBC, NYT, & NPR), when mistakes in fact are made, they are acknowledged. That's all that can be asked, in my opinion.
As far as name calling, please remember that the Hearst newspapers (there's a paragon of virtue & journalistic ethics, for you!), there was a rule or style for years that the word "communist" was never to be used. Instead, it was "filthy red."
By the way, Norm, when someone tells you not to believe your own senses ("believe half of what you see,") it makes me think of Groucho Marx saying, "Who are you going to believe? Me, or your lying eyes?" Never distrust your own senses!
That being said, LensCap, thanks for your obvious good nature on this topic! Yes! Let's enjoy the trains!
The NYTimes does not always acknowledge its mistakes. And when it does, the correction is often not given near the prominence the original error had. You can contact me directly at daveklepper@yahoo.com for what I consider as examples.
Of course, this is my opinion, and others have a right to disagree.
The railroad industry of the 1950s is dead.
Long-haul passenger network - only few routes propped up by Amtrak survive.
LTL traffic from freight stations - gone
Fresh fruit and veggies in long strings of reefers - gone
First class mail - gone
graded and sorted coal - gone
grain in box cars - gone
lumber in box cars - gone
autos in box cars - gone
short merchandise trains (for a lot of reasons)
stick rail
etc, etc.
What we have now:
Terminal to terminal (and port) intermodal
Double stack container service
Unit trains of thermal coal
JIT autoparts shipments
Ramp to ramp finished vehicle traffic
Unit ethanol and petroleum traffic.
Bulk material terminals with railcar storage.
HrSR passenger service in the northeast.
Long trains with DPU.
Welded rail and concrete ties
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
Don makes a valid point. Much of the railroading that I grew up with in the 1960's is gone but the remainder has managed to transform itself and continue.
Much of the WORLD we grew up with in the 50's & 60's is gone.
Telephones - without the ability to dialDowntown Department StoresSchools having Nuclear Attack DrillsDriving through downtown after downtown making a road tripCars without seatbeltsCars without air conditioningB&W TVWestern's were the top rated TV showsNo 'fast food row' in townsCorporations 'valued' their names and reputationsJohns Hopkins would buy jars filled with lightening bugs (at least we were told so)Women were expected to be in the kitchen, not in the workforceFootball was a game - not a industryBaseball was the 'National Passtime'People who didn't drive were not uncommon
And so it goes!
One thing remains: Commuter passenger trains. And streetcars and interurbans are making a come-back as light rail. Whether the come-back is in all cases appropriate is controversial, however. And the Chicago "L" and Brooklyn's and The Bronx's elevateds, oh, excuse me, "subway-on-viaducts."
Will loose car mixed manifest trains make a comeback also? I think there may be a good chance with increasing highway congestion. Also possibly some refrigerator traffic. Doesn't the Tropicana refer train still run?
Suburban service remains but despite the appearance of new services (Miami, Seattle, San Diego, LA, Salt Lake, etc.), several suburban operations were discontinued (Detroit, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee)
daveklepperWill loose car mixed manifest trains make a comeback also? I think there may be a good chance with increasing highway congestion. Also possibly some refrigerator traffic. Doesn't the Tropicana refer train still run?
Loose car manifest shipments are thriving in today's railroads - Intermodal, both trailers and containers. Box car manifest, not so much. My understanding is the EHH has downgraded the priority of the Juice Train.
BaltACDBox car manifest, not so much.
I still see a lot of mixed manifests running along the Chicago Line through Utica - but with the apparent emphasis on dumping hump yards, etc, I suppose EHH will be trying to dump that traffic as well...
That the Tropicana train may have been downgraded simply points to an established fact - off speed (fast or slow) trains disrupt the flow of the railroad. If every train does 45 MPH, it's a lot easier to do that precision scheduling we keep hearing about.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
The NBC White Paper on railroads was on at 10 p.m. on a Tuesday, opposite The Garry Moore Show and Alcoa Presents. Surely the program’s entire audience was familiar with train travel, though in 1961 many viewers probably hadn’t been on a train in years. They well knew narrator Chet Huntley, of course, who with David Brinkley was famous for 15 minutes, every weekday evening.
CSSHEGEWISCH Suburban service remains but despite the appearance of new services (Miami, Seattle, San Diego, LA, Salt Lake, etc.), several suburban operations were discontinued (Detroit, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee)
Milwaukee's West Suburban service might come back, it was reincarnated for a short period of time under the Tommy Thompson administration but only for a Summer, it wasn't properly marketed and the state really did not provide adequate parking at stations stops, frequency, etc so didn't do so well.
I think the public would support bringing it back if the demand for it could be demonstrated and it was run effeciently. Also, some demand for the ex-C&NW trains to the South Side Milwaukee suburbs......not a lot though.
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