Comments on: notes on building a “Super Railroad” http://sworddance.com/blog/2006/10/06/notes-on-building-a-super-railroad/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=notes-on-building-a-super-railroad Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:36:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Adron http://sworddance.com/blog/2006/10/06/notes-on-building-a-super-railroad/comment-page-1/#comment-468 Adron Tue, 16 Jan 2007 05:56:51 +0000 http://www.sworddance.com/blog/2006/10/06/notes-on-building-a-super-railroad/#comment-468 One can chop that diesal engine usage up to being less expensive in the short term. Because freight prices have been depressed by road subsidizations for tractor trailers the electrification of major rail routes that was underway between the 1920-1940s is long dead. Instead of making railroads work more efficiently the trend became to make the more "strategic" to deal with the subsidized competition. The beauty of the Milwaukee Road is evidence of this. An absolutely amazing, and very modern railroad, with 110mph+ trains, hundreds of miles of electrified track, and modern passenger trains with all the amenities starting in the 1930s. Then came highway subsidies, the interstates, and the destruction of this great railroad. One can chop that diesal engine usage up to being less expensive in the short term. Because freight prices have been depressed by road subsidizations for tractor trailers the electrification of major rail routes that was underway between the 1920-1940s is long dead. Instead of making railroads work more efficiently the trend became to make the more “strategic” to deal with the subsidized competition.

The beauty of the Milwaukee Road is evidence of this. An absolutely amazing, and very modern railroad, with 110mph+ trains, hundreds of miles of electrified track, and modern passenger trains with all the amenities starting in the 1930s. Then came highway subsidies, the interstates, and the destruction of this great railroad.

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