Those of us who closely follow contemporary activities in the rail industry know that traffic on several of the major freight routes is approaching a saturation point.
Furthermore, the compatibility of freight vs. passenger operations, and even between high-value, high-priority container-oriented traffic and the lower-rated bulk commodity moves, is intensifying. Traditional carload moves also appear to be gaining somewhat due to fuel-cost increases and a growing shortage of committed, competent, even English-speaking truckers.
So perhaps one day we could see an opprtunity to free up a portion of our established main lines by diverting some of the low-rated traffic to lines in predominately rural areas. NIMBY opposition would likely be less here, and somewhat-slower speeds would defuse the safety issue.
The former Erie main, which had generous clearances and bypassed most major cities, would be well suited to this, and there are any number of similar abandoned rights-of-way anywhere between the two major mountain ranges suitable for development as branches/extensions/feeders.
Venture capitalism, anyone?
Last edited by 2nd trick op on Wed Nov 28, 2007 6:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
What a revoltin' development this is! (William Bendix)