The Gospel according to E. Hunter Harrison

[thirdrail1]

Somebody else is finally listening!! Elsewhere on this site is the announcement that Norfolk Southern will follow the example set by E. Hunter Harrison of the CN and operate a scheduled railroad. Hunter Harrison is a good ol' boy from Arkansas that has been preaching the gospel of scheduled railroading ever since he was a Trainmaster on the Frisco. He is probably the only person that has caused two mergers simply by being in charge of operations at the smaller carrier (SLSF into BN and IC into CN). I find the Norfolk Southern's rediscovery of scheduled railroading to be somewhat humourous, as the Southern Railway had a helluva good reputation as a scheduled railroad in the 1960's and early 1970's, thanks to Bill Moore and Bruce Addington, who then tried to save the Penn Central. Boxcars of merchandise were loaded in New York City on a Monday on PRR, floated to Harsimus Cove on PRR after 5:00 PM, and were spotted at leased former freight houses in New Orleans on Southern by noon on Wednesday in the 1960's, so it is NOT rocket science. How long before other follow NS' example? There may be some hope for railroading yet!