by ctclark1
Let me preface that this thread is purely for interest in how those more in the know (those who have been alive longer than I, or those in the industry either now or then or both) think things may have continued to today had things gone differently in the late 60's and early-mid 70's, mainly, if Amtrak and Conrail had not been created.
I know that this has been hashed and rehashed before, in that railroads might not even really exist today, but I'm introducing a twist.
In my research, it seems that one of the underlying factors in the downfall of the old "guard" was, with increased competition from air and roads, the ICC refused to allow railroads to set their own prices and therefore not compete with other transportation methods.
Let's start with this: In the mid 1960's, before NYC and PRR initiated their merger (which seems to be the catalyst for the entire northeast RR collapse and merger into Conrail), the ICC let up on their price regulation, allowing the railroads to lower their prices and begin competing with other transport modes, and also was more prudent in approving passenger route changes. Would this have changed anything or would everyone still have ended up failing miserably anyway? Would this have still necessitated the creation of Amtrak or would passenger routes slowly be dropped by some railroads allowing others to continue and maintain some semblance of privatized LD service? (I know Amtrak is considered "private" but lets go look at it as the companies ran their own instead of leasing railspace to a centralized company.) Which railroads do you think would've survived, merged, etc. Any lines that were removed still in existence? And lines still here now that would've been removed?
I'm not looking to start a war here, just curious how, in an "alternate universe" perhaps, you would see this one divergence of the ICC changing things today?
I know that this has been hashed and rehashed before, in that railroads might not even really exist today, but I'm introducing a twist.
In my research, it seems that one of the underlying factors in the downfall of the old "guard" was, with increased competition from air and roads, the ICC refused to allow railroads to set their own prices and therefore not compete with other transportation methods.
Let's start with this: In the mid 1960's, before NYC and PRR initiated their merger (which seems to be the catalyst for the entire northeast RR collapse and merger into Conrail), the ICC let up on their price regulation, allowing the railroads to lower their prices and begin competing with other transport modes, and also was more prudent in approving passenger route changes. Would this have changed anything or would everyone still have ended up failing miserably anyway? Would this have still necessitated the creation of Amtrak or would passenger routes slowly be dropped by some railroads allowing others to continue and maintain some semblance of privatized LD service? (I know Amtrak is considered "private" but lets go look at it as the companies ran their own instead of leasing railspace to a centralized company.) Which railroads do you think would've survived, merged, etc. Any lines that were removed still in existence? And lines still here now that would've been removed?
I'm not looking to start a war here, just curious how, in an "alternate universe" perhaps, you would see this one divergence of the ICC changing things today?