Doubtless there are others reading this interesting forum that have had the privilege of working within our Country's great railroad system for long periods of time, and I'll bet there's a likelihood they'll be shaking their heads in agreement as they read my following commentary.
I started in the early 70's on a Chessie entity and realize now that I got in on the last thread of the golden age. I started as a brakeman, eventually qualified as a conductor, transferred into Engine Service and got set-up as an engineer eventually being promoted into a Company officer position. Over that time I railroaded for Chessie (then CSX) in three widespread regions of its system and was fortunate to participate in the operations of the 2101, the Royal Hudson, the 614 and the 765 (The classiest). Wouldn't trade those times for anything. However, looking back, I am most astounded at the depth of support personnel and facilities that we HAD in those times that simply DO NOT exist now. Makes me wonder how in the sam hill the Company made any money compared with the Saran Wrap thickness of depth there is NOW in field personnel and facilities. I could pontificate on that for hours but will stick to the mission at hand.
Yes, it frustrates me just as it obviously does many of you who have posted comments, that the Class I's are not more willing to host special passenger movements let alone Amtrak, but, also keep in mind the quantity main track miles that have been removed and/or single-tracked in the name of saving the "Company" into prosperity. Particularly here in the East. Along with that, it is almost inconceivable the degree to which operations have been compressed---ten pounds into a five pound bag comes to mind---one terminal where several used to do the job for example.
While I am not supportive of today's operating mind set, I'd say there's not much choice. We (the taxpayers) provide (not by choice) a physical plant (the Federal Highway System) virtually free of charge for use by the railroad industry's chief competitor-long haul trucks. The decals you see on the back of a semi trailer touting "This vehicle pays over $5,000 per year in road use taxes" may be true, but that figure is drop in the bucket compared to the capital that single semi would need to contribute in order to build and support a stand-alone route system upon which to operate as the railroads must do.
Fierce competition for capital exists thus the publicly-traded Class I's must provide their stockholders with a suitable return on investment or they'll take their capital (share money) elsewhere. And to provide that return in an environment lacking a level playing field with their chief competitor, the railroads must operate under circumstances that are well beyond the definition of lean, which precipitates a general (and understandable) unwillingness to do anything out of the norm because it simply upsets the apple cart in that delicately balanced set of circumstances.
So, as somewhat of an industry insider, I'd say count our blessing and give credit where credit it due. Mr. Moorman is taking a bold first step with these 765 plans, and, who are we to say what may follow? I've suffered several "steam droughts" here in the East but it has always had a renaissance, and this could well be the beginning of yet another.
As a post script, it would be understandable for one to ask if the UP can do it in the West, why can't NS or CSX do it here in the East? First, because the UP has always been my favorite (If Almighty God had his own railroad, it would be The UP), I'd answer that it is because "they ARE The UP", but, in reality a somewhat different---and often better---set of economics has typically ruled the Western roads.
