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Re: (erielack) Special Day? What if?
I think the DL&W / NKP marriage would have had a chance. Both roads were well-run, well marketed, ran on good track believing in track speed. It would have been a viable competitor New York-to-Chicago for freight in an era when intermodal were just getting started. With the 20/20 hindsight of history, I think Shoemaker was right in aiming toward an NKP merger; factors outside of DL&W thought otherwise. Wabash might have been another option (DL&W's next biggest interchange partner at Buffalo).
The other merger I thought may have had a chance would have occurred had the EL opted to merge with the D&H at D&H's post-Conrail territories, rather than opt to join Conrail. Connecting Montreal, New York and Washington, D.C. with Chicago would have been a competitor to watch. The D&H survived, so likely the D&H / EL may have.
Mike Del Vecchio
- -----Original Message-----
From: Charles_Walsh_@_Berlex.com
To: toddsyr_@_twcny.rr.com
Cc: erielack_@_lists.elhts.org; erielack-owner@lists.elhts.org
Sent: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 7:18 AM
Subject: Re: (erielack) Special Day? What if?
This is the point where a discussion of alternative mergers, such as one
with the Nickel Plate Road, becomes relevant. Of course, by the mid- to
late-1950s, the Nickel Plate had no interest in a merger with the DL&W,
although the DL&W had increased its shares in the Nickel Plate in hopes of
a merger. In the end, it's unlikely that such a merged railroad would have
survived until even the 1980s, much less the 1990s. Even so, it might have
preserved more of the DL&W's mainline from Binghamton west, most of which
was abandoned either before or after the EL merger.
"Todd Stearns"
<toddsyr_@_twcny.rr
.com> To
Sent by: <erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>
erielack-owner_@_li cc
sts.elhts.org
Subject
Re: (erielack) Special Day?
10/17/2006 04:11
PM
Please respond to
"Todd Stearns"
<toddsyr_@_twcny.rr
.com>
Very good points Peter and I respect your position totally. You state
nothing but fact in the treatment of the ex-DLW people in post-merger
times.
Also, nothing but the truth in the Erie's somewhat inept practices. Yes, it
was a black day for the DL&W. However, due to my age, I never knew the
DL&W,
only the EL. Hence, it is the EL that I love. The day it was created will
always be a day of celebration for me due to that. Many others too. I will
always respect the DL&W, but will always be grateful for the EL, the road I
grew up near. Yes, without the merger, I would have grown up near the DL&W,
or would I? It just might have faded into oblivion without the merger. That
would have been the true "dark day" in my opinion. Respectfully yours, Todd
K. Stearns
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Heimbach" <plh5_@_charter.net>
To: <erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 3:24 PM
Subject: (erielack) Special Day?
> I must honestly disagree that this is a great day. To me it is a black
day
> in the history of a fine railroad, the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western
> Railroad.
>
>
>
> Read pages 146, 147 and 148 of "The Delaware, Lackawanna & Western
Railroad
> in the Twentieth Century, by Taber and Taber. Here is, to me, a clear
> description of some of what went on and how the Erie executives did not
move
> as previously agreed to.
>
>
>
> "Or as Sam Shoemaker states, in retrospect, that it was a takeover and
not
a
> merger. Lackawanna's operating and maintenance practices and procedures
in
> all departments, without exception were superior to those of Erie and had
> resulted in superior productivity and efficiency statistics. Lackawanna
was
> a better operated and managed railroad. Erie personnel were unable to
> accept any Lackawanna practice as better than Erie's and to a tragic
degree
> Lackawanna people, whether supervisors or rank and file were regarded as
> second class citizens. The effect on morale was immediate. Erie
> supervision was unable to accomplish anticipated merger savings from
> continued Erie route, facilities, and operating practices on the one hand
> and with Lackawanna routes, facilities, and operating practices being
down
> graded, if not abandoned, on the other."
>
>
>
> As I said this is a black day. None of the RR's in the northeast may
have
> lasted, but this wedding accelerated the loss of a really good RR.
>
>
>
> Pete Heimbach
>
> ELHS #2848
>
>
>
>
>
> The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
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>
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