Re: (erielack) Re: The EL un-merger

[Njricky2_@_aol.com]

In a message dated 10/19/06 2:27:07 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
curtis.brookshire_@_verizon.net writes:
 
Curt,
 
A very good synopsis of what might have been, particularly regarding the  
Erie. Many have long said that Erie-Santa Fe could have worked and with the  
inclusion of D&H (the Montreal connection), as well as B&M and maybe  MEC, such a 
combination might have produced a line that would be in  existence in the 21st 
Century.
 
It was unfortunate that Erie went in with Lackawanna, but as has been  
stated, at that point in time, they probably both thought it was the best  that they 
could get. DL&W/NKP was not going to happen for the reasons  mentioned (sure 
looked like a good idea at the time), but Erie as  a larger road through a 
merger with a similar sized road, might have had a  better chance at survival.
 
Rick

I love  to speculate on what the picture might have looked like if the DL&W
and  Erie went separate ways instead of merging.  Several people hit on  it
already, but the albatross around both companies necks were  the
prohibitively high New Jersey + Hudson County on top of that taxes and  the
commuter traffic which in the 1950s both roads were paying 100% of  the
costs.  Remember in 1972 the N&W said there should be a  "firewall" erected
at Buffalo since no profitable railroading could take  place east of there.

DL&W:
Should have merged with the  NYC&StL (Nickle Plate).  This would have to have
been the pre-1955  DL&W, since hurricane Diane delivered the fatal wound that
forced Mr.  Shoemaker to look toward the Erie.  Also merge with the L&HR  to
take advantage of the Maybrook connection.  In a perfect world,  this
combination with the New Haven would have given the DL&W a big  place in New
England traffic.  The Lackwanna would have had to build a  New Jersey
intermodal terminal at a strategic location.  Secaucus was  close to a lot of
highways, but you had to deal with local streets and  Hudson County
congestion.  Didn't they consider one at Port  Morris?  OK then, if
everything clicked, and New Jersey took  responsibility of commuter service,
they combined company would have become  part of the N&W - Wabash and later
NS and you'd see black and white  power on the cut-off.  Of course it could
have been part of Chessie  too.  To complete the transcontinental route (and
we're talking 1950s  conditions), maybe Rock Island/UP - SP or MP - D&RGW  -
WP.

Erie:
I find the Erie a little easier since it was a  "complete" New Jersey-Chicago
line.  I'd go for broke and merge with  the ATSF.  Here's the
transcontinental intermodal route years that  could have made UPS THE package
carrier (might have even prevented the  advent of Federal Express).  Also
pick up the D&H and Boston &  Maine - Maine Central for Montreal and New
England reach.  This  carrier would still exist today and be BNSF's eastern
line.

It would  have been interesting to see if this would have provided the
competition  needed to keep Conrail from blanketing the northeast.  It also
would  have been interesting to see how a larger transcontinental system
could  have battled the demographic and market shift that doomed the  EL.

Curtis Brookshire
Manassas, VA


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