by electricron
The Erie Canal helped to develope Upstate New York. But, I'm not going to suggest it really did that much to develope the MidWest. And I'm going to suggest that railroads did more to develope Upstate New York than the Erie Canal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_Canal
The Erie Canal was first proposed in 1807, it was under construction from 1817 to 1825 and officially opened on October 26, 1825.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Central_Railroad
Albany industrialist and Mohawk Valley Railroad owner Erastus Corning got the above railroads together into one system, and on March 17, 1853, they agreed to merge. The merger was approved by the state legislature on April 2, and ten of the remaining companies merged to form the New York Central Railroad on May 17, 1853. The following companies were consolidated into this system; (1) Albany and Schenectady Railroad, (2) Utica and Schenectady Railroad, (3) Syracuse and Utica Railroad, (4) Rochester and Syracuse Railroad, (5) Buffalo and Rochester Railroad, (6) Schenectady and Troy Railroad, (7) Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad, (8) Buffalo and Lockport Railroad, (9) Mohawk Valley Railroad, and (10) Syracuse and Utica Direct Railroad.
The Utica and Schenectady Railroad was chartered April 29, 1833; as the railroad paralleled the Erie Canal it was prohibited from carrying freight. Revenue service began August 2, 1836, extending the line of the Albany and Schenectady Railroad west from Schenectady along the north side of the Mohawk River, opposite the Erie Canal, to Utica. On May 7, 1844 the railroad was authorized to carry freight with some restrictions, and on May 12, 1847 the ban was fully dropped, but the company still had to pay the equivalent in canal tolls to the state.
The Syracuse and Utica Railroad was chartered May 1, 1836, and similarly had to pay the state for any freight displaced from the canal. The full line opened July 3, 1839, extending the line further to Syracuse via Rome (and further to Auburn via the already-opened Auburn and Syracuse Railroad).
When the Auburn and Rochester Railroad opened in 1841, there was no connection at Rochester to the Tonawanda Railroad, but with that exception there was now an all-rail line between Buffalo and Albany. On March 19, 1844, the Tonawanda Railroad was authorized to build the connection, and it opened later that year. The Albany and Schenectady Railroad bought all the baggage, mail and emigrant cars of the other railroads between Albany and Buffalo on February 17, 1848, and began operating through cars.
The Erie Canal operated without competition for just 11 years (1825 to 1836). Within 19 years, it had competition over its entire route. The railroad competition survived even though they had to pay the Canal tolls for the displaced freight. Sounds like even back then in the early 1800s, the Erie Canal was subsidized while the railroads weren't. Therefore in hindsight. we could argue whether the Erie Canal was worth the initial cost of construction or not.
What we do know is that the railroads replaced it quickly without any government funds. In fact, the government hindered railroad development by making them help pay off the Canal. Therefore, not every infrastructure project may be worth subsidy. It's up to us to look ahead and really reflect upon which is best....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_Canal
The Erie Canal was first proposed in 1807, it was under construction from 1817 to 1825 and officially opened on October 26, 1825.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Central_Railroad
Albany industrialist and Mohawk Valley Railroad owner Erastus Corning got the above railroads together into one system, and on March 17, 1853, they agreed to merge. The merger was approved by the state legislature on April 2, and ten of the remaining companies merged to form the New York Central Railroad on May 17, 1853. The following companies were consolidated into this system; (1) Albany and Schenectady Railroad, (2) Utica and Schenectady Railroad, (3) Syracuse and Utica Railroad, (4) Rochester and Syracuse Railroad, (5) Buffalo and Rochester Railroad, (6) Schenectady and Troy Railroad, (7) Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad, (8) Buffalo and Lockport Railroad, (9) Mohawk Valley Railroad, and (10) Syracuse and Utica Direct Railroad.
The Utica and Schenectady Railroad was chartered April 29, 1833; as the railroad paralleled the Erie Canal it was prohibited from carrying freight. Revenue service began August 2, 1836, extending the line of the Albany and Schenectady Railroad west from Schenectady along the north side of the Mohawk River, opposite the Erie Canal, to Utica. On May 7, 1844 the railroad was authorized to carry freight with some restrictions, and on May 12, 1847 the ban was fully dropped, but the company still had to pay the equivalent in canal tolls to the state.
The Syracuse and Utica Railroad was chartered May 1, 1836, and similarly had to pay the state for any freight displaced from the canal. The full line opened July 3, 1839, extending the line further to Syracuse via Rome (and further to Auburn via the already-opened Auburn and Syracuse Railroad).
When the Auburn and Rochester Railroad opened in 1841, there was no connection at Rochester to the Tonawanda Railroad, but with that exception there was now an all-rail line between Buffalo and Albany. On March 19, 1844, the Tonawanda Railroad was authorized to build the connection, and it opened later that year. The Albany and Schenectady Railroad bought all the baggage, mail and emigrant cars of the other railroads between Albany and Buffalo on February 17, 1848, and began operating through cars.
The Erie Canal operated without competition for just 11 years (1825 to 1836). Within 19 years, it had competition over its entire route. The railroad competition survived even though they had to pay the Canal tolls for the displaced freight. Sounds like even back then in the early 1800s, the Erie Canal was subsidized while the railroads weren't. Therefore in hindsight. we could argue whether the Erie Canal was worth the initial cost of construction or not.
What we do know is that the railroads replaced it quickly without any government funds. In fact, the government hindered railroad development by making them help pay off the Canal. Therefore, not every infrastructure project may be worth subsidy. It's up to us to look ahead and really reflect upon which is best....