The thread about the demise of the passenger trains in the
1960's has been an enjoyable read. Yes, the Q's trains were
showcases at one time, along with several others. And, yes, I
was and am a proponent of quality inter-city (read through train,
in our day) rail transportation, but the highway and airline lobbies
had clout that the rail industry lacked, plus a lot of public support.
Just last year, I explored taking Amtrak from Chicago to Denver
and return to retrace our ride in the 1968 version of the DZ. I can
only think that Amtrak's pricing is determined to discourage
riders whom do not wish to travel between endpoints. The room
charge was outrageous, over $1000 each way. The cost of
having a toilet in the room was a whoping $258 - each way.
Tactics used to discourage business are not new to industry and
if they were used in the Menk era, as many suggest and I agree,
we should step back from our passion and explore the why or
why nots.
By the late sixties, the Q was suffering more than just a loss of
passenger revenue. Money was diverted to the owners at St.
Paul to prepare for BN. Look at photos from the later sixties and
notice the appearance of the right-of-way.
While some may have enjoyed the arguements, I really have not.
sjl is a fan of a great railroad that ran great trains with pride and
professionalism, as am I. I was called to respond over what I
perceived to be an unjustified arguement about a single
executive. If you have another opinion, that is fine. One does not
rise to thise lofty heights without burying bodies along the way.
Ed
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