Shipping Big Iron & Rail Right-Of-Way Abandonment

From: Chad Fernandez <fernande_at_internet1.net>
Date: Tue Mar 5 23:37:14 2002

I got thinking about this on my way to work today. If this has indeed
been going on for the last 50 years as Allison said, this makes sense.
It was in the 50's that our highway system was laid down.... I think
I-94 went through hear in 1957. Also, since the mid 70's (??) much of
our manufacturing has gone overseas.

The only rail that I can think of around here that has been abandoned is
a a section that goes across one of our downtown roads, but I think it
was just a very short line that served some of the now closed factories.

Everything I hear on TV says that our rail system is way out of date and
that it can't keep up with all the traffic. I wonder how that comes
into play with this railway abandonment..... I wonder if it helps or
hinders. Rails probably don't deteriorate like roads, so I would guess
that the problems are more railway management related, signaling
systems, traffic management, etc. I know worker fatigue is high too.

Chad Fernandez
Michigan, USA

Lawrence Walker wrote:
>
> Try all over North America. It's been going on for years. The joke of it all is
> that transportation gurus are now tending to think that rail is the more
> economical way. Better for the environment and causing less damage to
> the roads not to mention the congestion and delay of the highways.
> It escapes me why they ripped up the track in the first place. The scrap
> value of the steel couldn't have offset the cost of doing so and should you
> ever change your mind there's no going back except with astronomical costs.
> The trucking industry lobby had a finger in the pie methinks.
>
> Lawrence
Received on Tue Mar 05 2002 - 23:37:14 GMT