Class I Railroads

[SilverSpike]

While conducting research on The Southern Railway I came across the Wikipedia listing for Class I Railroads.

Very interesting that the classification level for Class I is based on a floating scale based on total revenue, and it changes depending on inflation and political reasons. Currently the level is that any railroad with an operating revenue exceeding $277.7 million makes the cut. Only seven US railroads are listed as Class I today. Contrast that with the table at the bottom of the web site showing over 135 railroads were listed as Class I in the 1950's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class_I_railroad

Cheers,

Ryan

[chad thomas]

I sure do miss the variety of all those railroads.

[David_Telesha]

Yep. The New Haven was a class one.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

The Class I designation carries a certain amount of prestige with it but it's more of a handy statistical label than anything else. Remember, that at one point a road as small as the Columbus & Greenville (of AS416 fame) was a Class I.

[CaptainChuck]

Go down to the "Table of Class I's". Why is Guilford listed? They don't make enough to be a class one do they? I mean they don't even have a fully upgraded mainline or really nice engines or anything.

[SilverSpike]

Maybe they generate their revenue from other sources, I suppose as long as the RR company total revenue exceeds the minimum and they have other revenue streams then they can make the cut.

[beaulieu]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CaptainChuck

Go down to the "Table of Class I's". Why is Guilford listed? They don't make enough to be a class one do they? I mean they don't even have a fully upgraded mainline or really nice engines or anything.

Guilford may briefly have been a Class I railroad before the ICC or STB raised the requirements, but they are nowhere near one now.

[CaptainChuck]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SilverSpike

Maybe they generate their revenue from other sources, I suppose as long as the RR company total revenue exceeds the minimum and they have other revenue streams then they can make the cut.

Perhaps, they have Pan Am Airlines, but I doubt that even makes enough to be considered a "Class I".

[SilverSpike]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CaptainChuck

QUOTE: Originally posted by SilverSpike

Maybe they generate their revenue from other sources, I suppose as long as the RR company total revenue exceeds the minimum and they have other revenue streams then they can make the cut.

Perhaps, they have Pan Am Airlines, but I doubt that even makes enough to be considered a "Class I".

You have a good point Capt. Chuck!

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CSSHEGEWISCH

The Class I designation carries a certain amount of prestige with it but it's more of a handy statistical label than anything else. Remember, that at one point a road as small as the Columbus & Greenville (of AS416 fame) was a Class I.

The shape of things today. Really, if you think about it, there are railroads we now call "regionals" that are bigger than some significant number of those 135 Class Ones of yesteryear.

IAIS has "over 500" miles of track. The New Haven ended up with four times that, largely through the absorption of over 100 shortlines in an area of about 200 by 150 miles (CT, MA, RI, NY), and probably largely redundant. The distance between Maybrook and Boston was just over 200 miles.

[Murphy Siding]

I've read that both DM&E?IC&E, and MRL are big enough to be considered Class One's, but choose not to be. There is a considerable amount of paperwork and mokey business involved with being a Class I.