Railways was Re: [AT] Gasoline $

[Dudley Rupert]

Ralph,

I guess this is a "me too" but since reading Cecil's initial post two or
three days ago I've been thinking the same thing re: the loss of the intra
state rail network.  I grew up in southern Illinois and even after the war
most things got to - or at least got within a few miles of - the farm by
rail.  And as you've said the same was true for things leaving the farm even
including milk.

I recall one instance growing up when a farmer friend of ours bought a David
Bradley mail order hammer mill.  Brownstown, which had a population of less
than a thousand, is about ten miles from Herrick which probably had a
population of less than a hundred.  The farmer lived a couple of miles from
Herrick and didn't want to have to drive his Allis WC and wagon to
Brownstown to pick it up so he put down Herrick on the mail order form and
that is where the hammer mill got delivered ... by train.

As you've said it was in Canada so it was in the US ... the towns, while
initially springing up along the river, later came to develop along the
railroad.  I think most of us in the US would probably say that the
interstate highway system, which was kicked off during the Eisenhower
administration, was a good thing.  As Charlie said in a post earlier today
it was trucks that lead to the demise of the intra state rail network ...
however, I don't think that would have happened had it not been for the
interstate highways.

Dudley
Snohomish, Washington

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com]On Behalf Of Ralph Goff
Sent: Friday, August 12, 2005 8:36 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: Railways was Re: [AT] Gasoline $

Charlie
Maybe I should clarify. Most of our grain does eventually get to port by
rail. What I am complaining about is the closure of the "short lines " or
branch lines that used to serve every small town here. At most our grain
would be trucked ten to fifteen miles to the elevator and from there it was
rail lines all the way to the final destination, be it Vancouver or the East
coast.
Now, with the closure of most of these short lines, our grain is trucked at
least double, triple or more miles to reach the terminals on the main lines
before it gets into rail transportation. This means no more small 300 bushel
trucks (or tractors and wagons) hauling grain, it does't pay with today's
fuel cost. Now we pay the custom truckers with the big semis, super b trains
to haul our grain to terminal. More big trucks on the road than ever before.
Some of our fuel tax goes to repairing those roads damaged by heavy truck
traffic.
Most of the small towns out here originated with and as a result of the
coming of the rail lines. Its not that many years ago that all the farm
equipment dealers had their machinery delivered on rail cars. I can remember
seeing new equipment sitting on the rail cars waiting to be unloaded. I
guess now some of us wonder just how long the towns will last once the
railway is gone.

Ralph in Sask.
http://lgoff.sasktelwebsite.net/

----- Original Message -----
From: "charlie hill" <chill8 at cox.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 10:27 AM
Subject: Re: Alt fuels was Re: [AT] Gasoline $


> The problem with the railroads is that manufactured products, parts and
> produce are all delivered "just in time" these days.  That cuts down on
> inventory costs and allows the market to react to demand changes must
> faster that was ever possible before.   Trains can't do just in time
> delivery.  It takes trucks.  Stuff that can effectively move on the
> rails, raw materials, etc. still do.
>
> Charlie

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