Lost Opportunity – USRA Designs and Standardization

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 …

Autos by Rail

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 …