During the renaissance of the US railroad industry 1980 -2000, standardization played a material role in contributing to the efficiency most major railroads now enjoy. Gone were the days when strong-willed railroad mechanical engineers and equally stubborn suppliers fueled the creation of custom-designed locomotives and cars. Superficially, the pretense was that locomotive and car designs …

Continue reading “Lost Opportunity – USRA Designs and Standardization”

For decades, the proud name of the New Haven Railroad was once synonymous with passenger travel. Linking principally New York and Boston, in the era when both cities were the US financial powerhouses that drove the Nation, the NH fielded a spectrum of passenger services that ranged form the basic local, commuter train to some …

Continue reading “Pace-Setter for Passengers”

A railroad trade journal recently proclaimed that the first journey your new car will have is by rail. Despite the battle railroads wage with the publicly-funded highways and airports, not to mention the long-standing battle to get truckers to pay their fair share for use of the highways, railroads are highly dependent on revenue from …

Continue reading “Autos by Rail”