by CN9634
QB 52.32 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 07, 2024 11:32 am Deregulation was the game changer, removing market protections from the B&M and D&H, and during a time very unlikely any solvent Class 1 would have wanted to come in from the west and doubtful MEC would have made a move from the east except possibly to preserve their access to the Worcester gateway. It's why the independent B&M's president, Alan Dustin, was against railroad deregulation. Along the fundamental lines of a network business, since the Conrail split NS has grudgingly moved eastward over a 2nd-tier network as the minor player against CSX's superior network and more about maintaining a presence than expansion given the underlying economics.At the behest of the JB Hunt and Hub Group which needed an alternative to CSX/Conrail beforehand. Makes contract negotiation a lot easier too when you have more network coverage. CSX has superior network into New England no doubt and again, it ultimately may have come to bear that nearly the exact scenario we find our selves in now is what would ultimately occur. Sort of feels like Terminator doesn't it?
