Me and my best bud are both into trains and are Country Boys. We both got to thinking, what railroads both modern and non operating had the most country boys and which had tho most city boys working for each. My thoughts were Countriest: (Modern) Norfolk Southern (non operating) C&O, NKP or Southern, Preppiest: (Modern) Amtrak (non operating) NYC, or Pennsy. Thoughts?
Indianapolis Railroad - Indy Rail! Route of the Brickyard Flyer! Established 1976.
Easy one. "Countriest" = Norfolk Southern. What other RR owns a hunting camp (Brosnan Forest) and a fishing camp (in Palatka)?
Preppiest = Metro North and/or Amtrak. It's pretty close. Conrail of the 1990s would have been the hands down winner if they were still around.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
Don Phillips once wrote a column in Trains back in the 1980's or so about the SOU-N&W merger, and the organizational cultural clashes. My hazy memory is that he said the Southern guys were basically "good 'ol boys", and that's how they survived - and thrived - in the N&W machine.
Not sure where I read this (maybe The Men Who Loved Trains ?), but: NS a couple of CEO's back - maybe David R. Goode - supposedly had an in-house rule that all executives had to wear a coat and tie at all times, even for an emergency Sunday morning meeting to discuss the ConRail merger and split-up, etc. That would seem pretty 'preppy' to me !
- Paul North.
Years and years ago (if my memory hasn't totally gone) someone described Southern and N&W as two very different almost-military organizations; they said Southern had the jaunty insouciance of a Green Beret unit, while N&W had the joyless grimness of an SS unit. I'm not saying it was accurate, but it was a pretty vivid description.
In that vein, it was said the old Pennsylvania Railroad had a strict, military-style "chain-of-command-do-it-through-channels-or else" organization, while the New York Central had a more relaxed, free-wheeling, "let's try anything" mindset.
Different corporations, different cultures.
Another one of the reasons some thought the merger was a BAD idea.
Firelock76 In that vein, it was said the old Pennsylvania Railroad had a strict, military-style "chain-of-command-do-it-through-channels-or else" organization, while the New York Central had a more relaxed, free-wheeling, "let's try anything" mindset. Different corporations, different cultures. Another one of the reasons some thought the merger was a BAD idea.
To what Firelock 76 said about the NYC RR 'try anything' philosophy... I think it pretty safe to say no other railroad has matched the NYC's effort at HSR in 1966 with the M-497.
see link @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8ZIJFlU_pA
As to the Southern Rwy and the N&W...The Southern had run a successful' "Heritage Operation"(Steam) before anyone else; was not the N&W a beneficiary of its close ties to the Corprate Culture that made the Status of the PRR as the "Standard Railroad" well known?
Preppy? A railroad can be thought of as preppy? And you're asking for our nominations?
I can't add much to what's been said or nominated as a "country" railroad, but for "preppy" I think the New York, New Haven, & Hartford wins that moniker hands down. Think of the region it served and all the colleges therein. More college degrees per passenger than anywhere else, I bet.
So, "preppy"? The New Haven.
Paul_D_North_JrNS a couple of CEO's back - maybe David R. Goode - supposedly had an in-house rule that all executives had to wear a coat and tie at all times, even for an emergency Sunday morning meeting to discuss the ConRail merger and split-up, etc. That would seem pretty 'preppy' to me !
That's more "Southern formal". Kahkis and a knit polo shirt would be preppy. That was Conrail standard business casual. "Business casual" for execs at NS - even now - is sport coat and tie. Wick ALWAYS has a tie on.
EVERY organization has some "SOB" managers (manglers?) in the mix. Railroadings not unique.
Typically they're the mid-level types trying to impress the higher-ups so they, the mid-level types, don't have to hang around East Podunk or West Punkin' Junction the rest of their careers. Ambitious fellows, some of those mid-level dudes.
Trouble is, they're the ones who usually cause all the trouble, letting their ambition get the better of their common sense, assuming they've got any to begin with.
Preppy 'roads? That's a toughie. I'd have thought yuppie 'roads would have been more appropriate.
In that vein let me nominate New Yorks Metro-North and Long Island Railroad, and the other big player in that area New Jersey Transit.
Or considering what happened several years ago maybe NJT's a "SCUBA 'road."
I'm not sure about the Country Boys vs. Preppies, then or now. Historically, I do believe the old B&O may have been the most friendly and accommodating to both railfans and passengers. There seemed to be a family atmosphere. NKP seemed to have that family atmosphere too. There were a lot of veteran NKP guys who found N&W management a bitter pill to swallow, just as the old B&O guys chafed against C&O domination. In fact, I guess a lot of roads had a family atmosphere among the rank & file, which was often not present among the ranks of management.
A thought that passed through the industry - "You weren't a true NS employee unless you had at least one firing on your record."
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Kevin Smith: After seeing your version, I think it is closer to correct than my version. Thanks!
Balt: I could easily believe that about Southern, when Mr. Brosnan ran it (at least when talking about management).
BaltACD A thought that passed through the industry - "You weren't a true NS employee unless you had at least one firing on your record."
Rumored Brosnian episode:
Boss: "You're fired!"
Fired guy turns and leaves
Boss: "Where are you going??!?"
Fired guy: "To pack up my things"
Boss: "Get back here! I'm not done firing you yet!"
To be fair, early Conrail had lots of this...hardly anyone was really fired. The theory was that humiliation was good for your career...or something...
Apparently more than 1 railroad had a practice of 'firing' people, and then re-hiring them after things quieted down some if the transgression wasn't too bad. See F.H. Howards' article in Trains from about 1977, "The Way it Was"; also, somewhere in David Schanoes' blogs at: http://www.ten90solutions.com/
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