Re: (erielack) the fate of the EL

[gelwood <gelwood_@_dnaco.net>]

George Elwood
http://www.dnaco.net/~gelwood

On Sun, 30 Dec 2001, Michael Riley wrote:

>
>
>
> >The EL was in the processes of shutdowning service to various users on the
> >Cleveland branch while I was working there.
>
> Just curious why this was.  Were they not profitable shippers?  Wouldn't
> make sense if it was a money making opportunity.  i.e. profitable.

** Some businesses didn't receive or ship a great deal. The cost to
operate the train didn't justify amount of money received.

>
> >I know CR really didn't like
> >to service food warehouses and did whatever was necessary to have the
> >company terminate service.
>
> Any ideas on why this was?  I can't imagine why any company would turn away
> business, unless it was not profitable undertaking.
>
Railroad can end up losing money on delivered cars to warehouse. Any
damage to the contents were directed back to the railroad. I have heard
that boxes that were damaged by the receiving company were charged back to
the railroad. The damage appeared to be a folklift tine pushed through a
box.


> >The Cleveland line was duplicated by the PRR/PC line. The ore business was
> >going away as the mills in Youngstown shutdown.
>
> I agree here.  Plus the Cleveland line was single tracked as of 1966 as you
> well know, as opposed to the PRR/PC line.
>
> >Nobody wanted the mainline west of Sterling. The B&O considered the line
> >to Sterling and then moved over to the B&O.
> >
> >The Dayton branch had little traffic and what was run down the line could
> >be easily handled by near parallel PC lines.
> >
> >CR had a lot of capacity on the NYC and PRR lines from Chicago so moving
> >what little traffic that existed on the EL wasn't a major issue. As I
> >remember, UPS was real happy with CR handling of their trailers. They were
> >inserted into the normal TV trains and got to NYC when they got there.
>
> makes sense.  Did CR dispose/abandon any other notable EL trackage in the
> early days?
>
> Mike Riley
>
>
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