Dakota Fred, wasn't the NYC in much better physical shape than the PRR? If it had not merged with the PRR to create PC it might have survived. I also think that NYC could avoided being impacted by Amtrak since most of Amtrak's routes would have been placed on PRR except for Amtrak service to upstate New York. It could have had Amtrak trains to Detroit on GTW not NYC.
D.Carleton Even without the disasterous Penn Central merger errosion of traffic and continued losses of commuter trains would have doomed the NYC along with the rest of the Northeast railroads resulting in something like the ConRail era and ultimately what we see today.
Even without the disasterous Penn Central merger errosion of traffic and continued losses of commuter trains would have doomed the NYC along with the rest of the Northeast railroads resulting in something like the ConRail era and ultimately what we see today.
Right! Why go all the way back to NYC? Conrail showed the way to survival of these lines, moving them into the modern, pared-down era. NS and CSX have only followed where Conrail led.
NYC was in merger talks with C&O, but ICC would not approve. Unfortunatly they did approve PC. PRR already had a big stake in N&W. In hindsight it seems a NYC/C&O merger would have avoided the PC debacle, although it did provide incentive for deregulation.
Big GE's and EMDs dressed up in traditonal NYC livery... double stacks... oil trains.. it would be a good looking well running piece of property.
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Not much more than a large regional.
Given the regulatory ability to prune duplicate routes and set realistic rates, it might have survived (as would many of the Class 1's).
Throw in the merger factor, and things might have been much different than they are today. Or not.
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...
As NYC
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Got thinking about today while in Wal Mart
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