It's been nearly 26 years since the Milwaukee Road left the Pacific Northwest. I think it stinks that they had to pull out, leaving all those towns with little or nothing to rely on for freight service. Being from New England, I have observed Guilford taking lessons from them in terms of track maintenece. I learned of the Pacific Extension from the Pentrex DVD I got at the Springfield, MA show three years ago, and have been fascinated with it since. What are your thoughts on the Pacific Extension 26 years later?
Well, starting with the Milwaukee management, who could'nt see into the future and realize they were sitting on a gold mine when the container revolution started in 5 years after the embargo, it would have been a top player in the late twentieth century for a key route-Tacoma to Chicago, with the shortest distance!! Not to mention a prime merger candidate with all that mileage.
How should I put this? Politely? Well, we have since learned, that the testimonies by MANY, in those bankruptcy proceedings, were deliberate mis-statements. We have since learned which part of the RR was actually carrying the other. They abandoned the profitable part, and kept the losing end. The idea of a transcontinental, with little revenue on line, as a reason for failure was a fraud. The longer the haul, the more money you charge, and make! And in fact, there was a lot of revenue on line! Too many records in the public, and that also escaped destruction! On and on.... It would have been tough for a few years. As in those early 1980's, the forestry industry was being demolished by pure unadulterated idiocy. And the eruption of Mount St.Helens would have made some maintenance a struggle. However, the intermodal flood would soon have been well under way. The moral of the story is that when someone believes they can make a quick buck, and do so through a truly stupid act, you cannot stop them. It's the modern business model, as taught by our "institutes of (alleged) higher learning." By people who generally have no actual experience in what they teach. Until we can get rid of the present leadership structure, lawyers, and accountants, and get back to railroads being run as businesses by real railroaders, this will continue on, and on.... Yes, mergers and abandonments had happened before. But never in this fashion, or scope. Oh well. Boxcab E50
The Milwaukee was running containers on trailer flatcars starting around 78-79 and were starting to make a profit at it, but by that time, the track and everything else, was in dis-repair. Still gets me fumin' when I think about it!!
Kurt- The numbers have been run, and re-run, by EXPERTS. Seperating Lines West, from the rest of the company, those miles to be abandoned, were still in the black into early 1978! After the end of that winter, when the Spring thaw really undermined track conditions. (when there should have been just normal seasonal maintenance), is when it all went down hill. Because Chicago didn't, wouldn't budget that necessary funding. Instead, they used the money from Lines West, to prop up Lines East. As an aside- It was that same time, when the last western Emplyee Timetable was issued. Dropping almost all scheduled freight train numbers. So, even though you still see errant references, by late choo choo chasers, there were no Trains 200, 201. They were all running as extras. I wish people would get it straight on that! I see so many photos captioned "Train 201 at ...." When no such existed any more! Boxcab E50
Is it possible that should traffic levels keep growing on BNSF, they could rebuild all or part of the Extension as a relief route? I seem to have read somewhere that BN actually bought some of the line during the selloff/embargo.
To do so, would be almost impossible. You can't go in, and simply re-lay track. You'd be going through the same process as new construction. Look how long the DM&E proposal has been smouldering. With lawsuit after lawsuit filed against it. BNSF wouldn't waste the capital to fight such mindlessness. Lines West, as defined by the 1980 Embargo, was Miles City on to the west coast. Too much is missing. Major bridges gone. Tunnels need to almost be rebored. Damage from earthquakes, and neglect. Portions of the rights of way gone. Such as where it passes through Central Washington University. Now absorbed into their campus. Imagine trying to fight those kiddie protestors. (Fools that they are.) And the line basically from Rye to almost Beverly Junction is now inside an expanded Military Reservation. Getting it back from other landowners, and rebuilding it? Billions, and billions of dollars. And those portions supposedly preserved as railroad rights-of-way via such entities as Government or Rails to Trails? Still would be tied up in court endlessly. Yes. The BN did buy some portions. But then under the Frisco management policy, "rid of everything," abandoned them. This is not fluff. I have FIRST hand knowledge here. I'd love to see it. Which would re-prove the constructed route was indeed a good one. And fly in the face of the BN family folks who feel otherwise. There is always a chance. But you'll need an electron microscope, or better, to find it. Boxcab E50
Well, interesting timing! Here's a bit of ongoing news! Legislation concerning the Milwauee Road Trail Boxcab E50
