Has anything ever been written, from the standpoint of looking back on the merger with GM&O? To me it seems as though that event did nothing to help IC. Rather, it weakened them. At least financially. So am wondering if anyone has compiled financial pictures or afterthoughts? I thought the orange/white paint with Split Rail logo was neat! Boxcab E50
I had, possibly may have an old issue of trains magazine that was all about IC/GM&O merger. It was good reading for ic fans.
Am still interested in learning more on the after effects of this merger. Seems to me they spun off, or abandoned a large portion of the GM&O, in order to be viable. Am wondering if my conclusions from far away are correct. Boxcab E50
Well I started a thread about chicago central in this forum so there is a start on the short line spinoffs. Interestingly they also repurchased the lines later on. The story of railroading from the seventies to present can sometimes be really depressing. The cost of miantaining right of ways and the dwindling profits really put them in a bad place. I know truckers often complain about paying road taxes and tolls, but the railroads had to maintain their own roads and trucks do put a huge wear and tear on highways and streets. I still see plenty of abandoned trackage from a time when more mixed trains were delivering goods all over the country. there is a industrial disitrict a few blocks from my house that must have been bustling with activity thirty years ago. Ok I'm babbling. *sigh* thinking of all those fallen flag paint schemes now gone forever
I think GMO didn't help IC. They were losing money in the 1980s but luckily new managment got them back on their feet and the name changed back to IC in 1988/89
