Don't forget the General Motors anti-trolley conspiracy!!  There are a
million articles regarding this on the web; here are two that sort of
represent opposing views.

http://www.lovearth.net/gmdeliberatelydestroyed.htm

http://www.answers.com/topic/general-motors-streetcar-conspiracy

Jeff

----- Original Message -----
From: "Al and Sue Brase" <albeeee@MCHSI.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, March 05, 2005 1:38 PM
Subject: Re: gas prices - LONG LIVE MY TDI!!!!!!

> George:
> I couldn't agree more. I, too am dismayed to see the tracks pulled,
> roadbeds  plowed up, and the highways clogged with 18 wheelers.
> Railroads were given a free pass and greed got out of hand and they blew
> it. You need to have LOTS for freight traffic to subsidize passenger
> traffic.
> the VERY best thing to effect this would be $5 or 6 dollar gas. Or for
> TRUE conservatives to get control of things and get the government out
> of the freight business. SELL the interstate highway system. Private
> ownership would then make users pay their fair share of the damage they
> cause.
> The upside to this would be highways MUCH less crowded so we could enjoy
> traveling on them much more in our slightly sluggish Vanagons.
> And up to 200 semi-trailers per train on steel wheels piloted by 2 or 3
> railroad employees. Freight safely away from drivers (except at
> crossings!). OOPS! that would put 200 truck drivers and another 20-50
> truck industry employees out of work. Mcdonalds?
> Enjoy the $2.50 gas while you can....
> Al Brase
>
> George Goff wrote:
>
> >In a message dated 3/5/05 11:49:43 AM, mrpolak@YAHOO.COM writes:
> >
> ><< We buy 3 cars and whine about the demise of public transportation.
Who's
> >to blame?  WE are. >>
> >
> >Or are we.  Anymore, we have little choice.
> >
> >Years ago, I would take a train whenever I could and this was even before
I
> >spent time in the NE Corridor.  I much preferred the train to flying for
a lot
> >of reasons and my preference was once validated whenever a race between
two
> >Washington Post reporters ended with the reporter traveling by train
arriving at
> >the Post's office in Manhattan before the guy who flew.
> >
> >The last time I TRIED to take a train, I had a meeting some 70 miles from
> >here in Pittsburgh.  The meeting was for 10:00 AM so I thought I would
catch the
> >early train, have a cup of jo, then walk to the meeting.  On the
flipside, I
> >would catch the eastbound train after I had dinner.  Whenever I called to
book
> >a seat, I discovered I would have to leave the night before in order to
make a
> >10:00 AM appointment, then I would have to stay overnight to catch a
train
> >home.
> >
> >As my cousin Bill "Choo Choo" Worthington, a division engineer for the
PRR
> >then Amtrak, used to always say, there is no more efficient and
economical way
> >to move people or goods than by steel wheels on steel rails.  He died
beating
> >that same drum without anyone ever really dancing to it.
> >
> >George
> >
> >
> >
>
>