RE: (erielack) Request for opinions...

["Gripp, William [NCSUS]" <WGRIPP_@_NCSUS.JNJ.COM>]

> Just a couple of points that came up:
> 
> 1. The Erie Lackawanna was not the descendent of a land-grant 
> railroad. So, 
> the military movements are at full price (However, we do 
> offer a discount. 
> "Smiley" demanded it! Very patriotic, my EL [Guess that this 
> is what comes 
> from having the owner being a veteran, eh?]).

Perhaps more likely, the only way to get the business away from ConRail,
CSX, or NS who probably do have some land grant trackage and therefor could
get a lower rate even if by a somewhat longer route.


> 2. The coal movements are paid for by the company which owns 
> the generating 
> plant and is buying the coal, so we do make a fair amount 
> from the movement. 
> Pity we can't bypass BNSF and get the long haul for the EL... 
> Ditto for the 
> intermodal, as we move at 70mph for those hauls (Remember, 
> "Erie-The fastest 
> route between New York and Chicago"). {Sure hope that the HO 
> scale FRA 
> inspectors don't get wind of that speed).

Since you're already stretching things, you could say that scrubbing
technology has advanced to the point that it is now economically feasible to
burn Anthracite or western PA Bituminous.  Now you can unit trains of EL or
B&LE hoppers.  Have to keep that ERIE in there somehow.  =B^) 

 

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