Re: (erielack) A controverial topic? Questions about how it was handeled elsewhere

[secbyte_@_ptd.net]

As far as the decline in manufacturing and coal productions go in 
Americas move to technology and how it effected the EL merger.  Paul and 
all of the fine replies has me thinking.

Years ago Europe saw the same thing happening to them as this new 
upstart of a country was taking away all their jobs and manufacturing 
items.  China and Mexico to some extent are the new America.  at one 
time it was cheaper to outsource to America then to keep the jobs in 
Europe.

As I understand the rails in Europe did not suffer from this and are 
outstanding compared to our current system and they seem superior to 
what is left of rail service on the cutoff!  As I understand it 
nationalizing the European rail roads was responsible for this.  Was 
this done for freight and for passenger service?  I am guessing that 
WWII had something to do with having their infrastructure rebuilt circa 
1945-1950.

I guess to some extent we have had a kind of nationalizing of the rails 
here, I do recall Conrail was a pseudo government agency and I guess 
Amtrak is as well, but they never really came up to the standards of 
Europe rail except possibly NEC.

I think Canada did this as well with VIA and the merger of CP and CN but 
again I am not educated it this either.

What this is all leading up to is how would our railroads (Erie & DL&W 
or EL) have faired with a government takeover.  Do you all think that 
the RR company(s) would end up as the operator for the company if say 
the government took over ownership of the RR?  What if the government 
just took over the ROW? In that case would having no property taxes have 
a huge effect on the EL? or the two separate companies? would it have 
made a difference in the long run?

Jeez Paul, see where thinking gets you? just more questions....

George Mason

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