American RailroadsUniversity of Chicago Press, 15 ապր, 2008 թ. - 324 էջ Few scenes capture the American experience so eloquently as that of a lonely train chugging across the vastness of the Great Plains, or snaking through tortuous high mountain passes. Although this vision was eclipsed for a time by the rise of air travel and trucking, railroads have enjoyed a rebirth in recent years as profitable freight carriers. A fascinating account of the rise, decline, and rebirth of railroads in the United States, John F. Stover's American Railroads traces their history from the first lines that helped eastern seaports capture western markets to today's newly revitalized industry. Stover describes the growth of the railroads' monopoly, with the consequent need for state and federal regulations; relates the vital part played by the railroads during the Civil War and the two World Wars; and charts the railroads' decline due to the advent of air travel and trucking during the 1950s. In two new chapters, Stover recounts the remarkable recovery of the railroads, along with other pivotal events of the industry's recent history. During the 1960s declining passenger traffic and excessive federal regulation led to the federally-financed creation of Amtrak to revive passenger service and Conrail to provide freight service on bankrupt northeastern railroads. The real savior for the railroads, though, proved to be the Staggers Rail Act of 1980, which brought prosperity to rail freight carriers by substantially deregulating the industry. By 1995, renewed railroad freight traffic had reached nearly twice its former peak in 1944. Bringing both a seasoned eye and new insights to bear on one of the most American of industries, Stover has produced the definitive history of railroads in the United States. |
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3 Early Maturity Expansion and War | 35 |
4 The Rails Move West | 61 |
5 Corruption Discrimination and Regulation | 96 |
6 Uniformity and Consolidation | 133 |
7 Railroads at War | 167 |
8 Railroads in Decline after World War I | 192 |
9 Troubles in the 1960s and 1970s | 226 |
10 The Staggers Rail Act of 1980 Brings Prosperity and Many Mergers | 245 |
Important Dates | 263 |
Suggested Reading | 273 |
Index | 287 |
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American railroads Amtrak annual average Baltimore & Ohio billion Boston built Burlington cent Centralized Traffic Control Chicago cific Civil Class I railroads Commission companies completed Congress Conrail construction cost decade decline diesel early east eastern efficiency engine equipment Erie Canal farmer federal fifties freight cars freight rates freight service freight traffic gauge Gould Granger Illinois Central improved increased industry intercity Interstate Commerce Commission Iowa Kansas land grants legislation locomotive major merger miles of line Mississippi Missouri National rail network North operating passenger service passenger traffic passenger trains Penn Central Pennsylvania Railroad president Pullman rail lines rail mileage railroad freight railroad management Railway revenue River roads Rock Island route Santa Fe seventies shippers South Southern Staggers Act tion ton-mileage ton-miles transportation truck turnpike twentieth century Union Pacific Vanderbilt wages western railroads World World War II York Central York City
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Էջ 85 - ... a public highway, for the use of the government of the United States, free from toll or other charge upon the transportation of any property or troops of the United States.
Էջ 3 - Let it not, however, be forgotten, let it be forever kept in mind, that it exposes us to the greatest of all calamities, next to the loss of liberty, and even to that in its consequences, disunion. We are great, and rapidly, I was about to say, fearfully growing. This is our pride and our danger, our weakness and our strength.
Էջ 32 - Nor is there any remedy for this : an attempt to open a window is met by a universal scowl and shudder; and indeed it is but incurring the risk of one's death of cold, instead of one's death of heat. The windows, in fact, form the walls on each side of the carriage, which looks like a long green-house upon wheels; the seats, which each contain two persons (a pretty tight fit too), are placed down the whole length of the vehicle, one behind the other, leaving a species of aisle in the middle for the...
Էջ 43 - We are met by the objection," he said, "that this is an immense grant — that it is a great quantity of land. Well, sir, it is a great quantity; but it will be there for five hundred years; and unless some mode of the kind proposed be adopted, it will never command ten cents.
Էջ 104 - The Commodore owns New York, the Stock Exchange, the streets, the railroads and most of the steamships there belong to him. As ambitious young men, we saw there was no chance for us there to expand, and so we came over here to grow up with the country.
Էջ 32 - I can only judge of the speed by putting my head out to spit, which I did, and overtook it so quick, that it hit me smack in the face.
Էջ 142 - Do you pretend to tell me that you could stop trains with wind? I'll. give you to understand, young man, that I am too busy to have any time taken up in talking to a damned fool.
Էջ 3 - I do verily believe that the time will come when carriages propelled by steam will be in general use, as well for the transportation of passengers as goods, travelling at ihi rate of fifteen miles an hour, or 300 miles per day'.
Էջ 79 - Granger railroads were the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul; the Chicago & North Western; and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific.